Photo By 1st Sgt. Jessica Barnett | Sgt. Juan M. Hinojosa plays his tenor saxophone in 3rd Infantry Division Task Force...... read more read more
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CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPECHIER, Iraq - Sgt. Juan M. Hinojosa, a native of Garland, Texas, is serving his first deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq. Hinojosa is a saxophone player, a rock singer and an operations non-commissioned officer with the 3rd Infantry Division Band, out of Fort Stewart, Ga.
The son of Luis and Patsy Hinojosa, Garland, Texas, Sgt. Hinojosa is a 2000 graduate of Garland High and received a Bachelor's of Arts in music from Texas A & M, College Station, Texas, in 2006.
Hinojosa enlisted into the United States Army after graduating college as a saxophone player, four years ago. After completing basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., Aug. 2006, Hinojosa attended the U.S. Army Element School of Music, Little Creek, Va., for training as a saxophone player, graduating Feb. 2007. He has been with the 3rd Inf. Div. Band for 10 months.
"The Army was the best avenue for me to make a steady living while playing the saxophone," said Hinojosa. "To get a saxophone position after college was very competitive. Saxophones are few and far between in major city orchestras."
Recently, Hinojosa played his tenor saxophone in the Task Force Marne Jazz Combo at the front porch of the Green Beans Coffee to help the hard-working Soldiers of COB Speicher unwind, March 14.
The Task Force Marne Band's focus is to entertain all Soldiers throughout United States Division-North.
"We did a little mini tour with both of our rock bands: Four Horsemen of the Arockalypse and Sasquatch," recalls Hinojosa. "One of the places that I really enjoyed was playing at Forward Operating Base Warhorse. It's a smaller FOB and it really stuck out to me because those guys don't get a lot there, they don't have much. It's nice to take your music and what you do for the Army to a place where they have little to no entertainment. The Soldiers there appreciate it immensely."
"The Task Force Marne Band is the best Army Band in the world," said Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse Andrews, Task Force Marne command sergeant major, who came out to show his support for the band.
"The band is a combat multiplier... they are just as lethal with their instrument as our most qualified infantryman out there with the tip of their spear in our operating environment."
| Date Taken: | 03.14.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 03.23.2010 13:19 |
| Story ID: | 47088 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IQ |
| Web Views: | 294 |
| Downloads: | 105 |
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