530th Air Force Band
Encyclopedia
The 530th Air Force Band supports global Air Force
and Air National Guard
missions by fostering patriotism and providing musical services for the military community as well as the general public.
on October 10, 1950. The band was stationed in Alexandria, Louisiana until 1952, when it was released from active duty. In 1953, the Georgia Air National Guard
reformed the band with Chief Warrant Officer John Love as Commander, a position he held until his retirement in 1960. Under his leadership, the band achieved recognition as the best Air National Guard band in the United States
. Previously known as the 530th Air National Guard Band, the group was renamed Air National Guard Band of the South in 2002. One of eleven Air National Guard bands, the Band of the South provides music for military ceremonies, official protocol functions, and recruiting and retention events, and community relations.
Under the direction of Captain Alan B. McConnell, the Air National Guard Band of the South averages fifty performances a year, and performs regularly throughout its primary area of responsibility (Georgia
, Alabama
, Florida
, North Carolina
, and South Carolina
) as "Goodwill Ambassadors" for the Georgia Air National Guard. Throughout the years, the band's reputation has led to requested performances in Mississippi
, Louisiana
, Tennessee
, Wyoming
, Montana
, Indiana
, Michigan
, Delaware
, the Azores Islands, Norway
, and the Dominican Republic
. The band has performed for many notable figures, including President Harry S. Truman
and the President of Tanzania
, honored generals from one star to four, and serenaded dignitaries from mayors and congressmen to governors and presidents.
Within the Air National Guard Band of the South are a concert band
, ceremonial band, Eagle's Flight Jazz Ensemble, a rock/pop ensemble known as Sound Barrier, Space-A Rock Band, Brass Quintet, Woodwind Quintet, and High Flutin,' a flute
ensemble. All members of the band are traditional guardsmen, serving one weekend a month, two weeks during the year and other times when called to duty. Along with all other Army
and Air National Guard units, we are proud to be known as "America's Citizen Soldiers."
The unit performs for audiences all over the world, although it primarily serves communities throughout Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
missions by fostering patriotism and providing musical services for the military community as well as the general public.
History
Originally formed in 1946, the Air National Guard Band of the South was activated for federal service with the 116th Air Control Wing116th Air Control Wing
The United States Air Force's 116th Air Control Wing is a joint active duty/Air National Guard air control wing located at Robins AFB, Georgia.-Mission:...
on October 10, 1950. The band was stationed in Alexandria, Louisiana until 1952, when it was released from active duty. In 1953, the Georgia Air National Guard
Georgia Air National Guard
The Georgia Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is, along with the Georgia Army National Guard, an element of the Georgia National Guard...
reformed the band with Chief Warrant Officer John Love as Commander, a position he held until his retirement in 1960. Under his leadership, the band achieved recognition as the best Air National Guard band in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Previously known as the 530th Air National Guard Band, the group was renamed Air National Guard Band of the South in 2002. One of eleven Air National Guard bands, the Band of the South provides music for military ceremonies, official protocol functions, and recruiting and retention events, and community relations.
Under the direction of Captain Alan B. McConnell, the Air National Guard Band of the South averages fifty performances a year, and performs regularly throughout its primary area of responsibility (Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
) as "Goodwill Ambassadors" for the Georgia Air National Guard. Throughout the years, the band's reputation has led to requested performances in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, the Azores Islands, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. The band has performed for many notable figures, including President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
and the President of Tanzania
President of Tanzania
The President of the United Republic of Tanzania is the head of state and head of government of Tanzania. The president leads the executive branch of the Government of Tanzania and is the commander-in-chief of the Tanzania People's Defence Force....
, honored generals from one star to four, and serenaded dignitaries from mayors and congressmen to governors and presidents.
Within the Air National Guard Band of the South are a concert band
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
, ceremonial band, Eagle's Flight Jazz Ensemble, a rock/pop ensemble known as Sound Barrier, Space-A Rock Band, Brass Quintet, Woodwind Quintet, and High Flutin,' a flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
ensemble. All members of the band are traditional guardsmen, serving one weekend a month, two weeks during the year and other times when called to duty. Along with all other Army
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
and Air National Guard units, we are proud to be known as "America's Citizen Soldiers."
Functions
The 530th provides music for military ceremonies, official functions, recruiting and retention events and community relations. The band averages fifty performances a year and performs regularly throughout its area of responsibility as "Goodwill Ambassadors" for the Georgia Air National Guard. Members are typical guardsmen, serving one weekend a month, two weeks during the summer and at other times when called to duty.The unit performs for audiences all over the world, although it primarily serves communities throughout Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.