Large C-17 formation to take off from Joint Base Charleston on Wednesday

A multi-ship C-17 formation is scheduled to take off Wednesday morning, April 10, to conduct a variety of training missions.

Up to 21 C-17s will take off in the morning and will depart on a training route that will include airdrops, aerial refueling and low level tactical training.

The exercise has been coordinated with the Charleston County Aviation Authority and will not delay regularly scheduled flights at Charleston International Airport.

This large formation exercise (LFE) is a total-force effort with aircrews consisting of active-duty Airmen from the 437th Airlift Wing and Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing. The last LFE was conducted in 2010. This exercise is not in response to real-world events.

Wednesday’s event will complete over 600 training requirements and will maintain mission readiness. LFEs are an efficient method of training C-17 Globemaster III aircrew, maintenance and support Airmen on a wide variety of requirements in a short period of time.

These skills are needed at all times to ensure the Joint Base Charleston team can move large amounts of forces, cargo or passengers when called upon or when ordered to evacuate due to an incoming hurricane.

"The skills we test today are the same skills we would use to provide our country’s response to a crisis or a conflict anywhere in the world," said Col. Trevor Nitz, 437th Operations Group commander. "Despite current challenges, Airmen are obligated to maintain mission readiness and stand ready to deliver our country’s resolve."

PERFORMANCE CANCELED - North Charleston to Host Free Concert by USAF Heritage Brass Quintet

The United States Air Force Heritage Brass Quintet’s performance hosted by the City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department on March 17, 2013 at Sterett Hall Auditorium has been canceled.

It has been reported to the City of North Charleston that this cancelation is due to national budget cuts. Yesterday, March 6, 2013, it was announced that travel funds were immediately suspended for all military bands, thus tours of the USAF Heritage Brass Quintet were canceled.

Representatives with the USAF Heritage of America Band were apologetic to the public for this inconvenience.

The City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department is proud to host a free afternoon concert by the United States Air Force Heritage Brass of the USAF Heritage of America Band at the Sterett Hall Auditorium on the former Charleston Naval Base on Sunday, March 17, at 3:00pm. The concert will feature the diverse talents of five professional Airman-musicians from Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia, whose commitment to excellence has earned worldwide acclaim and military distinction. From Bach to the Beatles and patriotic favorites, Heritage Brass offers a musical experience sure to be enjoyed by all audiences.

The Heritage Brass, formed in 1973, tours the Mid-Atlantic region from South Carolina to Delaware, always leaving audiences impressed and delighted with the ensemble’s world-class musicianship and entertaining showmanship. From classical to jazz and popular music, the quintet brings its brilliant brass sound to all music genres, providing a variety of music that’s as educational as it is exciting.

These gifted musicians hold master’s degrees from several of the nation’s top music schools, including Eastman, Indiana, and Carnegie Mellon, and bachelor’s degrees from Texas University at Austin, Lynn University, Roberts Wesleyan College, and California State University, East Bay. They’ve performed with the Pittsburgh, Midland-Odessa, New World, and Virginia Symphonies. The group has also performed the National Anthem and other patriotic music at Phillies and Orioles games and NASCAR’s Dover 400. Additionally, Heritage Brass performs in a variety of other venues including concert halls, theaters, schools, museums, and hospitals, and often presents clinics at the elementary, secondary and collegiate levels. Aside from their concert tours, Heritage Brass provides patriotic music and fanfares at important military ceremonies. Recently, the quintet participated in the opening of the Fisher House at Dover Air Force Base and the merger of Naval and Air Force Bases in Charleston, South Carolina, to form Joint Base Charleston.

The USAF Heritage Brass concert is free, but advance tickets are required. Tickets may be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope with request to: Tickets, City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, PO Box 190016, North Charleston, SC, 29419-9016. Please limit 6 tickets per mail-in request. Tickets are also available for pick up Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm, from the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department office on the second floor of North Charleston City Hall, located at 2500 City Hall Lane, North Charleston, SC 29406. Unclaimed seats will be available to non-ticket holders 15 minutes prior to concert time.

For more information about this concert or other programs and services offered by the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, call 740-5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit http://bit.ly/culturalarts