“So that was cool,” remarks Sgt. 1st Class Curtis Moss, the operations noncommissioned officer in charge of the 100th Army Band out of Ft. Knox, Kentucky. Inside rehearsing, Moss is conducting the practice. “Can trumpets do that again with the little New Orleans sound? Makes it a little dirtier.”
The instruments sound again, emphasizing the New Orleans jazz ‘flair’ in their tone while playing “Dog Face Soldier” written by Bert Gold and Ken Hart. Moss smiles, “That just seemed more fun.”
The 81st Readiness Band rehearses for the Cadet Summer Training basic camp graduation. The readiness band consists of three smaller Army bands that have come together to play this mission: the 100th Army Band from Kentucky; the 208th Army Band out of North Carolina; and the 313th Army Band from Alabama.
Sgt. Jeffrey Crayton Yelverton Jr. is a french horn player from the 208th Army Band. He completed one service term of active duty before transitioning to the Army Reserve. Sgt. Yelverton made that decision so that he could pursue his musical passion. “It’s still a fantastic opportunity to play and have time to go to school,” he said.
Yelverton became the unit historian for his active duty unit, the 282nd Army Band out of Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. Upon researching the national archives in Washington, D.C., he uncovered ten battle streamers that the unit had been awarded. From there he went to the Department of Heraldry to change the banners as well as the band’s drums. Additionally, Yelverton learned that the 282nd had a Medal of Honor Recipient from the Battle of San Juan.
Completing this research is another passion of this Army musician’s. “That’s the beauty of Army historians . . . Even if I don’t find a bunch of stuff that’s fine, as long as the history is not lost. So much of our history gets lost and obviously the unit rightfully deserves the history.”