Photo By Kathryn Summerhill | U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Braun, lead singer for Controlled Det,...... read more read more
By US Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Ruth Adams,
Task Group Trident/Task Force Titan Public Affairs
CAMP SABALU-HARRISON, Afghanistan – “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
Petty Officer 1st Class (IDW/SW/AW) Michael Braun always admired those words, spoken by President Theodore Roosevelt. Throughout Braun’s 10 years of service in the Navy, those words served as motivation. Braun spent many of those years traveling around the world, forcing him to make the best of all circumstances, both for himself and his shipmates.
Braun is a singer. He decided early in his career that he would use his talent to boost the spirits of his fellow sailors. Wherever he was he would do his best to put together a command band. This endeavor proved logistically challenging at some of the far-flung destinations to which Braun traveled, including Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Norfolk Naval Base and across the Atlantic Ocean on-board the Gunston Hall (LSD-44). However, instead of letting roadblocks stop him, Braun followed President Roosevelt’s advice and did what he could.
“Having musical instruments, speakers, and microphones shipped and finding locations to practice have always been challenges, but nothing that can’t be overcome with a little creativity,” said Braun.
One challenge Braun said never arose was finding band members.
“Wherever I’m stationed there is so much hidden talent that it is never a problem finding band members,” Braun stated. “Everyone loves music. That is what I want to bring to everyone, that feeling music brings - home!”
Bringing “home” to his shipmates meant singing in dining halls, USOs, fire barns and even on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic, and now, Afghanistan.
Recently, Braun left Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and deployed to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. Upon arrival, he knew he wanted to continue the tradition of starting a command band. In a combat zone, morale and welfare are always on the mind of leadership. For that reason, when Braun presented the idea of a unit band to Cmdr. Stanfield Chien, commander of Task Group Trident, he was enthusiastic about the idea.
”Our deployed sailors sacrifice so much that the idea of a band to boost spirits was a fantastic initiative,” said Chien.
With Chien’s blessing and Braun’s enthusiastic efforts, the idea of a TGT band came to fruition: Controlled Det.
Forming a band in a combat zone is not easy. TGT is a mix of sailors from across the U.S. and is not a single deployed unit. With such a variety of personalities and backgrounds, the talent pool was deep but a little cloudy. However, through his guidance and the other five members’ raw talent, they put together a band that "tours" all over Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. This would be the fifth command band Braun organized.
Controlled Det has seven performances under their belt so far, each at different locations throughout BAF. Most recently, the band played for the Army National Guard’s birthday celebration and the Army National Guard adviser for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, Col. Larry Howl, felt they were a hit.
“Controlled Det was phenomenal; they rocked,” exclaimed Howl.
“Lead singer Michael Braun’s poise, charisma and humor on stage connected well with their new fans. Their unique style and energy, coupled with their musical talent, captivated all of us. I salute Controlled Det’s commitment to entertain. They were the highlight of the National Guard’s 376th birthday celebration.”
“The amount of good that Controlled Det has done for deployed service members is immeasurable,” stated Chien. “The National Guard birthday is yet another example of Controlled Det providing service members with a sense of normalcy in a warzone, which is hard to accomplish.”
Braun, whose time in Afghanistan is drawing to an end, stated that the first thing he will do at his next duty station is start asking around for talented musicians so he can once again do what he can with what he has.
At only 10 years into his naval career, there is still a lot of singing ahead for Braun.
| Date Taken: | 01.27.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 01.29.2013 03:28 |
| Story ID: | 101162 |
| Location: | CAMP SABALU-HARRISON, AF |
| Web Views: | 219 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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