CONTACT: Sgt. 1st Class Becky Rapp, band operations sergeant, (914) 788-7336 or becky.rapp@us.army.mil

FOR RELEASE: Saturday, Mar 07, 2009

ALBANY, N.Y. (03/04/2009)-- New York Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Mark L. Kimes, commander of the 42nd Infantry Division Band will guest conduct the U.S. Army Field Band performance this weekend as part of the Army Field Band Spring Tour 2009. The concert will be at the Hart Theater, Empire State Plaza for the Performing Arts in Albany on March 7 at 3:00 p.m. Admission is free, but tickets are required for entrance. For tickets or additional information about the performance, call The Egg box office at (518) 473-1845. From Boston to Bombay, Tokyo to Toronto, The United States Army Field Band has been thrilling audiences of all ages for more than half a century. As the premier touring musical representative for the United States Army, this internationally-acclaimed organization travels thousands of miles each year presenting a variety of music to enthusiastic audiences throughout the nation and abroad. Through these concerts, the Field Band keeps the will of the American people behind the members of the armed forces and supports diplomatic efforts around the world. The band will be touring through the North East this March as part of its 2009 Spring Tour.. The band will perform in venues in New Jersey, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. More information about the Army Field Band can be found at www.armyfieldband.com. The New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division Band is based at the Camp Smith Training Site near Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. Members of the division band mobilized and deployed for service in Iraq from 2004 to late 2005 as part of the 42nd Infantry Division's support to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The deployment marked the first time a National Guard band has deployed to a theater of combat since the Korean War. Chief Warrant Officer Kimes commanded the unit during the band's deployment overseas. The Soldier/musicians of the band performed security duties at Forward Operating Base Danger in Tikrit, Iraq while supporting musical performances across the entire division area of operations. Musical performances by the division band included both morale and recreation events as well as joint U.S. and Iraqi military ceremonies.