Tops In Blue serving operation enduring freedom. (Armed Forces Recreation Society).Putting on a series of performances in your community is not an easy task. But what if your plan was to put on a series of showsover a 10-day period, 3,000 miles from your headquarters, using a variety of facilities (tents, recreation facilities, plywood plywood, manufactured board composed of an odd number of thin sheets of wood glued together under pressure with grains of the successive layers at right angles. Laminated wood differs from plywood in that the grains of its sheets are parallel. stages), all in the war zone of Afghanistan and Pakistan? The challenges may be enormous, but the goal is simple, says Tom Edwards For the musician see Tom Edwards (musician) Tom Edwards born in British radio presenter and television announcer, born in Norwich on March 20, 1945. He began his working life as a journalist, before becoming the announcer on a Border Television programme called , director of Air Force Entertainment: "To reach as many people as possible and thank them for their commitment to serving our country." Tops In Blue Tops In Blue is a touring performance ensemble made up of active duty members of the United States Air Force. However, unlike members of the various Air Force band units, members of Tops In Blue have "regular" Air Force jobs when not on tour. consists of 26 active-duty Air Force personnel. Because it's made up of military members, their performances can reach places most entertainers can't go. The team is committed to going wherever American forces are in need of a little touch of home, patriotism Patriotism See also Chauvinism, Loyalty. America, Captain comic-strip character known as the “protector of the American way.” [Comics: Horn, 155–156] American elm traditional symbol of American patriotism. and great entertainment. "Each of the sites gave us phenomenal support," says Edwards, "which let us know how important it was for Tops In Blue to be there." Before leaving for the region, Tops In Blue downsized its equipment to an expeditionary ex·pe·di·tion·ar·y adj. 1. Relating to or constituting an expedition. 2. Sent on or designed for military operations abroad: the French expeditionary force in Indochina. Adj. 1. format. "The set and equipment were drastically dras·tic adj. 1. Severe or radical in nature; extreme: the drastic measure of amputating the entire leg; drastic social change brought about by the French Revolution. 2. reduced, but the show was as energetic as ever," says Tech. Sgt. Dave Davis, a former Tops In Blue manager now deployed. "I'm just happy they were able to come downrange down·range adv. & adj. In a direction away from the launch site and along the flight line of a missile test range: landed a thousand miles downrange; the downrange target area. ! You think you know the impact of Tops In Blue when you are touring, but until you sit in the audience at a very remote site, you never really understand how important it is for Tops In Blue to visit." This one-of-a-kind program is operated by the Air Force Services Agency and is sponsored in part by AT&T and First Command. Each year, a worldwide talent search is conducted among the military, and the top performers are chosen as "expeditionary entertainers" for a one-year tour. Next year, Tops In Blue will celebrate 50 years of entertaining its Air Force family across the globe. In preparation for this banner year, applications are currently being accepted for the upcoming Air Force Worldwide Talent Contest. For more information, see www.airforcetopsinblue.com. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion