Posted on 07/24/2006 12:12:57 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Marine Corps Cpl. Stephanie Fontilara carries a machine gun as she works security patrol at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq.
But in her other military duties, she carries something far less lethal - a clarinet.
The 2004 Palmdale High School graduate is a member of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band.
Fontilara follows in the footsteps of her grandfather, a Marine staff sergeant.
"I just thought it would be kind of cool to do something different than my friends, who were going to college," the 20-year-old said in a phone interview from Iraq.
Her recruiter saw her perform and asked her if she had thought about making the Marine Corps band part of her enlistment.
"I just ended up joining," she said. "There's not too many people who join to be in the band."
One of 12 Marine Corps fleet bands, the 3rd MAW is regularly stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.
It provides musical support for military units, civilian community relations, recruiting and troop morale and welfare, according to the organization's Web site.
Although their primary jobs are as musicians, the band members go through the same basic training as other Marines and are required to maintain the same physical fitness standards, pistol and rifle qualifications and other military disciplines.
Since being deployed to Iraq in February, the band attached to Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3 has performed once, for a change of command ceremony.
The lack of formal performances does not mean the musicians leave their skills behind.
"We always have to practice," Fontilara said, usually about twice a week, although "it's not always possible because of my job."
When deployed during combat operations, members of the band provide security for the Third Marine Aircraft Wing.
In Fontilara's case, this means security duty
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
And once, when I was at band camp, ....
Music: the internaional language.
Nice article. Thanks for posting it.
I have a friend who is a clarinetist and a band leader in a high school; I asked what he did for his dissertation and he said, "I blew my horn."
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