The 2018 Celebrate America Concert will feature the U.S. Army Materiel Command Band from Redstone Arsenal and an 80-voice choir from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Concert times will be at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, June 23, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1804 Sparkman Drive NW, in Huntsville.

The concerts are free and open to the public.

Local civic and military leaders will narrate the patriotic concert and local veterans will be honored.

“It is both humbling and gratifying to express my love in songs and hymns for this great nation, for God’s blessings upon us, and for the freedoms which are ours and which we wish to share,” said Kari Millward, choir participant from the Athens Ward congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. “After having recently returned from England and France and setting foot in the places where so many of our countrymen and allies have fought, bled and died to preserve these freedoms for the world, I cannot understand how one can continue to live in blind ingratitude for freedom hard won in the lives of our fellow men and women. When we look and truly see others as our fellow travelers in this Earth, we are more apt to be kinder, more loving and forgiving, more sharing of time, talents and resources. Christ taught us, ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ When we catch the vision of this vision we sing about, these hymns become anthems in our hearts that truly guide our actions toward others.”

Here is an alphabetical list of the people who will narrate for the Celebrate America Concert:

• State Rep. Mike Ball;

• U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks;

• Dr. Joe Fitzgerald;

• Manna House founder Fran Fluhler;

• WAFF anchor Margo Gray;

• Huntsville Deputy Police Chief Corey Harris;

• Madison County Commissioner Craig Hill;

• Col. Thomas P. Holliday;

• State school board member Mary Scott Hunter;

• Retired Army Col. Bill Marks;

• Brenda Martin;

• Dr. Jennie Robinson; and

• State Rep. Howard Sanderford

Fifth and final

This is the fifth-straight year the AMC Band has performed at the concert. It will also be its last; the band is deactivating at the end of June.

“The Huntsville-Madison community is truly one of the most supportive communities I have been involved with in my career,” said Shared Chief Warrant Officer James Bettencourt. “It is always sad to deactivate a band, but the military has to make the tough choices of putting the right assets in the right places to maximize support for the whole nation. This assignment will be among my fondest memories as a band commander.”

His next assignment will be taking over the NATO Band at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium.

Worldwide reach

The AMC Band serves soldiers and civilians stationed all over the world.

“Currently the band has about half of its 24 members deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas,” Bettencourt said. “Working with people from these areas as well as supporting the troops by bringing a small piece of home to them is a rewarding experience. We all have had different yet equally rewarding experiences. Most recently, in March and April 2018, six of the AMC Band soldiers traveled to Kuwait and Jordan in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.”

“While a few soldiers will be retiring this summer or leaving the Army as their contract ends, most of the AMC Band’s personnel will be moving to the other 22 active duty Army band locations,” said Sgt. David Dorfman, public affairs non-commissioned officer for the AMC Band. “Examples of these locations include Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and Camp Zama, Japan. An additional two soldiers will become Army recruiters.”

Performing with the band are choir members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints representing 15 congregations in north central and northeast Alabama, including Madison and Huntsville. Both concerts will have limited walk-in seating, so organizers recommend reservations, which are available at wecelebrateamerica.org.

2 more gigs

After the Celebrate America concert, the AMC Band will present its final two concerts for the public at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 25, at Big Springs Park and 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 26, in Bob Jones High School Auditorium. The concerts are free and will be fun for all ages. No tickets are necessary. For more information, follow the AMC Band on Facebook.

History of the U.S. AMC Band

The U.S. Army Materiel Command Band was constituted Jan. 15, 1944, as the 389th Army Band, and was activated the following week at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

The AMC Band has direct ties to the U.S. Army Signal Corps Band and the 13th Cavalry Regimental Band, though it does not carry their lineage and honors. The 13th Cavalry Band was organized at Fort Meade, South Dakota, on May 24, 1901. It served at various posts and camps worldwide before arriving at Fort Monmouth in August 1930.

In 1916, while on international border patrol, the 13th Cavalry Band saw action against Francisco “Poncho” Villa’s guerrillas in Columbus, New Mexico. Although the band suffered nine casualties, Poncho Villa’s casualties numbered 192.

In late August 1930, shortly after its move to Fort Monmouth, the 13th Cavalry Band was formally inactivated and retired. In the same month, the U.S Army Signal Corps Band was activated and received personnel and equipment from the 13th Cavalry Band.

In January 1944, the Signal Corps Band was inactivated and the 389th Army Band was formed and activated. It likewise inherited personnel and equipment from the Signal Corps Band.

During World War II, the 389th Army Band was the motivating factor in a campaign that sold more than $1 million in war bonds for the war effort, earning the band the Meritorious Unit Commendation, 1944-1945.

In its 50th year, the AMC Band was transferred to Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland. In August 2005, the band earned the Army Superior Award for exceptional service in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

On Aug. 16, 2006, the Chief, Force Structure and Unit History Branch conferred upon the 389th Army Band the distinctive designation of “U.S. Army Materiel Command Band.” This designation directly associates the band with AMC Headquarters and all of the 65,000 Army Materiel Command military and civilian personnel stationed worldwide.

The AMC Band supports the Army Materiel Command Headquarters, 10 AMC Major Subordinate Commands, AMC installations worldwide, Aberdeen Proving Ground Garrison and 20 tenant organizations on APG, including the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School.

The wide geographical footprint of the AMC Enterprise directly shapes the expeditionary qualities the band must employ. With its five Music Support Teams and combined capabilities, the unit performs more than 200 times each year throughout the country and overseas in support of AMC assets, as well as for local military and civilian community functions. Over the past five years, the AMC Band has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, bringing music to those forward deployed in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Afghanistan.