Whoosh.
With one fluid motion he pulled off his shirt and threw it down behind him. This act in and of itself impressed me, because it was a snug fitting, button up (plaid) T-shirt, and all but the top button were fastened.
“You wanna fight?!”…
…It’s only days away from September 11th, 2011. It is hard believe it’s been ten years since the devastating and cowardly attacks on American soil. The chaotic images are burned into my mind. Vivid as if it was yesterday…
But in so many other ways
…
This is the season of chilled beer and barbecued hot dogs, where grown men lounge in kiddie pools while small children launch bottle rockets at each other. Freedom and apple pie scent the air, while the Stars and Stripes fly proudly over many a green
…
I held a variety of “regular” jobs before joining the Army Band. Everything from selling flowers on the corner to being the errand boy for an animation company. Some I liked (movie theater) some I didn’t (food service). But they all had one thing in
I’ve been checking out some of the recent blogs here at MusicianWages, in particular, How to Actually Make $50,000 a Year and How Do I Get A Job After Music School… and felt something really should be said about the military musician, since many of
Continue Reading →…
It’s a dark, gray morning. A cold fog weaves through the branches and covers the dead leaves. Light drizzle blankets us, pushing the temperature further down. The knit cap under my helmet droops over my right eye partially obscuring my view. My rifle is thick
Free Health Care for You
Tikrit, Iraq.
Tired of limping around in pain, I strap on my rifle and hobble down to the Aid Station for some painkillers.
After waiting for 20 minutes I head back behind the curtain to see the Doctor (a wise…
Walter Pincus, an award winning journalist from the Washington Post, has recently been suggesting… that Military Bands are a waste of taxpayer dollars.
I must respectfully disagree. Here’s how:
By asking the following questions . . .
Is it a waste of taxpayer dollars to
Zero dark twenty five in the morning. 35 cold and groggy folks gather in identical gray workout uniforms on a field of dead grass.
“You got all your folks?”
“Yeah, Top.”
“Got all yours?”
“DiStefano’s missing, First Sergeant.”
“Where is he?”
“The rear tire fell…
photo credit: The U.S. Army…
Recently I played the Imatra Jazz Festival in Finland. The Nato Jazz Orchestra (which I am a proud member of) opened for McCoy Tyner and Joe Lovano. McCoy and I even played on the same piano, although it sounded quite
Editors note: After several months of talks with the U.S. Army, we’re happy to add Staff Sergeant Joshua DiStefano as a regular guest blogger to MusicianWages.com.
Josh has played piano as a soldier with the U.S. Army for 14 years and is currently stationed in…
