My job as an Army Band recruiter keeps me on the road quite a bit. I have the mission of auditioning potential musicians for careers in the U.S Army Bands. I spend a lot of time in airports which gives me the opportunity to talk to people about the Army and share my Army story. I love talking to people about the Army and everyone always has that initial surprised look when I tell them I'm a musician. If anyone has ever been multiple flights you know that you can only read that sky mall...read more

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There has been a type of communication that has united all Soldiers throughout history. That instrument has been the trumpet or bugle. From the bronze and silver trumpets found in Tutankhamen’s grave in Egypt to the Civil war battle fields; the bugle has given commands to the great warriors during historic battles. As a musician in the Army I have had the opportunity to honor fallen soldiers as a bugler. The last time I played Taps was at a funeral for one of our active duty...read more

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One tradition that I really miss in today’s Army, other than shining boots , is that in this new high speed ACU uniform you cannot be pinned on with a new rank and have it punched right into your chest. I have had all of my ranks from Private First Class to Staff Sergeant punched right through my uniform and to my skin. It feels like a rite of passage to the next rank. …now we have Velcro rank. With all of the pros of not having to sew-on and pin-on all tabs, badges,...read more

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One of the great days in the life of a recruiter is when an applicant enlists into the Army. It is the culmination of an entire trip that usually starts with an unknown person on a phone saying, “I’m just calling about information about the Army Bands” to the raising their right hand and stating: “I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” The starting line for this journey is different for everyone. People have been...read more

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Band of Brothers Today is just a normal day for me. I wake up, get out of bed, drag a comb across my head and get ready for work. My phone rings and it’s my younger brother Jason saying hi. My brothers, wife Aurora, and my mom are the only people I get daily calls from so to me this is just another phone call. Jason on the other hand just left a hotel at LAX and is on a plane to Ft. Benning, Georgia. Jason is off to BASIC TRAINING! Four months ago, Jason was in college for computer...read more

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In this position of being an Army Band recruiter sometimes the opportunities to actually play music does not come around very often. I’m fortunate to be close to an active duty Army Band so I can occasionally sit in with some fine musicians and have fun. Being in the D.C area I am surrounded by some top musicians who are all looking for the same job so naturally there is no room for a Tuba player that is always on the road. I figured that the only time I would have a steady gig is when...read more

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The first high school presentation of the 2009-10 school year was a very memorable one for a couple of reasons. One, is that this presentation was conducted out of my area, and by out of my area I mean on the other side of this great country, in California. Two, my brother SGT Raymond Lucero was with me. Raymond plays the trumpet in the Army Band and just left the 76th Army Band and is now stationed at the mighty 62nd Army Band at Ft. Bliss Texas. Finally, this presentation was at my old high...read more

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This past week I had the pleasure of performing with the Army Material Command Band out of Aberdeen Proving grounds Maryland. This was their spring musical and recruiting tour that spanned across four states and many great venues. I was there as a representative from recruiting command linking up with local recruiters and telling the Army Story but also at a Tuba player. SSG Gilbert and one the Army’s Newest Soldiers Private Hatfield Since I have become an Army Band Liaison...read more

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As an Army Band recruiter one of my responsibilities is to audition and inform musicians about the Army Bands. I have given dozens of auditions and enlisted many fine musicians into our program. This past week at our annual Army Bands Leadership Training I had a chance to speak to my first applicant who made it through basic training and arrived to the School of Music. A crowd of basic music course students were around our Army Bands recruiting booth and I was hoping that the trumpet player...read more

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My name is Mark Lucero and for the past 8 ½ years I have served in the Army as a tuba player for the Army Band. I have been playing music since 6th grade and took an audition for the Army Band my senior year in high school. My brother, who is also in the Army Band, joined two years before I did and spoke so well about the program that I decided to take that leap into the military as a musician. I was interested in going to college but was not interested in sitting in a classroom for...read more

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