Homestead Airmen featured during Dolphins halftime show

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Erik Hofmeyer
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  When the Air Force Academy Band requested support from Homestead Air Reserve Base during the Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots halftime show on Oct. 21, dozens of servicemembers eagerly volunteered to share center stage with the band and get a free ticket to the game.

The invitation was also extended to other military installations in the Miami area such as U.S. Southern Command Headquarters, Coast Guard and University of Miami Air Force ROTC for joint participation, and a handful of active duty personnel volunteered.

The group marched in formation alongside the band to the Dolphin on the 50-yard line of Dolphin Stadium to participate in the 4-minute halftime performance when the band played a three-song set including the Air Force song.

Regardless of which branch of the military or whether they were football fans, servicemembers enjoyed the afternoon at the stadium.

"This is wonderful for the military. We're a community, and when we have a chance to get together as a community it's wonderful," said Petty Officer 1st Class Jayson Fuller from U.S. Southern Command in Doral, Fla.

The Academy Band maintains a busy schedule of regional and national concert tours and performances for The United States Air Force Academy, and the prospect of working with Homestead Air Reserve Base Airmen and performing at such a high-level event made the venue quite attractive for the AFA Band.

"We're always looking for opportunities for base involvement, and the last time we worked with Homestead was when it was an active duty base," said Master Sgt. Eric Thomas, AFA Band touring manager. "And the Dolphin organization was great; they provided as many tickets as we needed."