Touch 'n Go brings holiday cheer to Camp Leatherneck

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Brian Jones
  • Camp Leatherneck Public Affairs
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan --  The U.S. Air Forces Central Band, "Touch 'n Go," spread some holiday cheer with a performance for service members here, Dec. 22.

The USAFCENT Band is the first permanently assigned Air Force Band to the CENTCOM area of responsibility. Based in Southwest Asia, the band is comprised of deployed airmen from the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band from Sembach, Germany.

Touch 'n Go has been performed 30 shows throughout the AOR since October. Camp Leatherneck is one of the last stops on the group's "FOB hopping" tour of Afghanistan.

The musicians played a 90-minute set on a makeshift outdoor stage for the service members who gathered on a chilly night on Leatherneck.

"This is the best part of our job being down here and getting to play for the deployed troops," said Tech. Sgt. Mark Frandsen, Touch 'n Go's non-commissioned officer in charge. "We hope to provide a little relief from the day-to-day grind and bring a little bit of home."

A break from the grind seemed to be exactly what Cpl. Christopher Ramos, Combat Logistics Regiment 15, needed as he joined the group's vocalist, Staff Sgt. Rachel Trimble, on stage for a song.

"They're playing their hearts and souls out for us," said Ramos. "It warms up the holidays and puts you back in a comfort zone."

Performing this close to holidays adds a little something special to the show, according to Frandsen.

"We are trying to bring a message from home that (there are people) that miss and care for the people down here deployed," he said. "We just hope everybody has fun."

The band will redeploy back to Germany after wrapping up their tour of Afghanistan.