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Air Force brass quintet plays for Haitian music students

  • Published
  • By Spc. Eric J. Cullen
  • USNS Comfort
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti --  Tech. Sgt. Jeffery Castle had the privilege to play for Haitian children at the U.S. Embassy in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti April 15. The members of the U.S. Air Force Band of the West, based at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, are aboard hospital ship USNS Comfort as part Continuing Promise 2009. 

Castle heard about a career in music in the military while attending graduate school at Rice University in Houston, Tx. 

"I wanted a career serving as a performer," said Castle. "I love to boost morale and play in the ceremonies for our troops." 

Castle said the performance went well at the Embassy. The audience of mostly youth received the band with open arms. 

"It was great," said Castle. "The kids were wonderfully behaved, very attentive and very appreciative. It feels good to be partners and friends with them." 

Continuing Promise 2009 combines U.S. military and interagency personnel, civil service mariners, non-governmental organizations, academia and partner nations to provide medical, dental, veterinary and engineering services afloat and ashore alongside host nation personnel. 

Comfort is on a four month humanitarian and civic assistance mission to Latin America and the Caribbean as part of CP09. Comfort will visit seven countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Panama. 

"Anytime you can interact with the audience and everyone is engaged in the music, it is very exciting," said Castle.