Posted on 10/27/2006 5:49:58 PM PDT by SandRat
10/25/2006 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- Staff Sgt. Vladimir Tchekan's life almost reads like a movie script. He has dodged tanks, was a musician in a popular rock band and even helped orphans in Thailand. Sergeant Tchekan is not a movie star, but he is living the American dream - Air Force style.
Born and raised in Moscow, Sergeant Tchekan spent his youth living under the thumb of the Russian Communist regime. The son of a railroad engineer and doctor, Sergeant Tchekan's dream was to study music.
However, when his turn came to serve in the Russian military, he found himself playing with tanks instead of playing music.
"Because I was a musician, I hoped I would get lucky and play in the field band," said Sergeant Tchekan, U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific-Asia trombone player. "Instead, I was assigned to a tank division as a foot soldier to run behind the tanks."
After two years, Sergeant Tchekan's obligation to the Russian military was up, and it couldn't have come at a bette time.
"My time was up just as President Ronald Regan and Mikhail Gorbachev began talks," said the sergeant. "For me, that meant freedom."
His discharge from the military meant that he could get back to his first love - music. He reunited with his local Russian band mates and before long, they had a following. They even opened at the 1989 Moscow Music Peace Festival for bands like Bon Jovi, Motley Crue and Ozzy Osbourne.
But once the band's fame waned, Sergeant Tchekan knew he had to move on. Before serving in the Russian military, Sergeant Tchekan studied music in college. He knew he wanted to finish school but at the time, he didn't have many options in Russia. He set his sights on America and the rest is history.
"I came to America on a student visa. I got scholarships and worked hard to learn English," said the trombone player. "Before long, I had a degree, but still needed a job."
After several years of traveling and performing, he longed for more stability.
"I made friends with some people who were in the United States military and they encouraged me to join," said Sergeant Tchekan. "It sounded so different from my time in the Russian military. More freedom, more benefits and a system based on values."
Sergeant Tchekan had only one question before joining the Air Force in 1999, "Am I going to run behind a tank?"
Not only is he not running behind a tank, Sergeant Tchekan is doing what he set out to do all those years ago.
He is an accomplished Air Force musician and performing all over the world. And those performances have allowed him to see places in a different light.
"I have been to countries that have suffered just like Russia," he said. "To see them as an American is very different."
Several years into his enlistment, his life as an American citizen came full circle when he was called to perform at the funeral of someone who unknowingly changed his life.
"I was able to leave Russia because of President Ronald Reagan. Then I was called to perform at his funeral," he said.
For Sergeant Tchekan, the experience was life-changing.
He can recount each detail of the funeral service and said he is grateful for the opportunity to give back.
"It was a sad but amazing moment. I will never forget it."
U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific-Asia trombone player Staff Sgt. Vladimir Tchekan is pictured here when he was in the Soviet Union military from 1984 to 1986 in the Kantemirovsky Tank Division. (Courtesy photo)
Senior Airman Vladimir Tchekan, recently promoted to staff sergeant, visits with school children while touring with the U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific-Asia in Bangladesh earlier this year. The band played with the Bangladesh Armed Forces Band. (U.S. Air Force photo)
From Russia With Love of the US
Another Russian who has found his/her freedom and escaped from that cesspool. Good for him.
Ping!!!
Only in America. Good on him!
I hope there was security wetting. Kegebun plants are the last thing the country needs.
I thought I read another story here on FR within the last year about a few ex-Soviet commandos now serving with the US Army Special Forces.
Yep me too
"I hope there was security wetting. Kegebun plants are the last thing the country needs."Yet more negativism from you. Is this really your first reaction? Remember, the people who tend to automatically think that way (like the "final phase" worshippers) would probably be prejudiced against you as well because of your background and you would find yourself a target for no little discrimination if they completely had their way. When I read such things coming from my fellow ex-sovoks (now fellow Americans) sometimes I think a bit of discrimination needs to happen. As a reality check :)
In my time I went through the wetting, and consider it absolutely necessary and desirable. Besides, this Vladimir Tschekan might have gone through it too - at least i hope they administered it to him.
My comment was not about the necessity of a security background check, nor do I consider it unnecessary (I agree that it is).
And realistically speaking it was probably in all likelyhood administered to him.
It was about your first reaction to this story.
Are you trying to say "vetting"?
You are correct. i really need caffeine.
It comes from having experience of kegebuns. if you have that kind of experience, your reaction would be the same, and viscerally so. If you do not have it - the most you could hope for would be some vaporous understanding at "antillectual" level.
"If you do not have it - the most you could hope for would be some vaporous understanding at "antillectual" level."Can you enlighten me on the subject, without violating any ITAR or security classification requirements? ;)
He's in the Air Force Band. What's he going to do, send back copies of sheet music of marching songs?
Bass trombone's a lot more fun to play.
I wonder if he's the same Vladimir Chekan (Tchekan) who played trombone for "Brigada-S" in the early 1990s.
If you do not already know "on your skin" what the kegebuns are - the only way to enlighten you on the subject would be to send you to live among and under them, till the enlightenment occurs. [almost in Buddhist terms]. As you see, it does not involve disclosure of any classified materials whatsoever. Just like you cannot really know what a whip is until it has been applied to your back a few times. And the number of necessary whip applications is, indeed, depending on the subject [some are particularly thick skinned and thich skulled] - thus "till the enlightenment occurs".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.