Editor's Note: This story is the third in a four-part series examining the military at Ohio University.
On March 14, 1945, Ohio University junior John Connors' great uncle was killed during World War II at the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Connors was born exactly 54 years after the day of his namesake's death. That isn't Connors' only familial connection to the military; he had numerous relatives who served. He naturally was predisposed to a future in the armed services.
It sort of just went along from the beginning
knowing my namesake and having somewhat of a love for the military and the United States said Connors, who is studying trombone performance.
Connors is in the Army National Guard but is not likely to see much time in battle - he is in the 122nd Army Band, which has approximately 65 members, he said.
Being in a military band does not mean Connors is an infantryman who plays music in his spare time. He is enlisted as a Military Operations Specialist whose specialty is playing music. Members of military bands usually perform with their units once a month and tour the country for a few weeks each the summer.
Several times a year, a regiment in the Army reserves or National Guard might be called upon to play for a special occasion, such as a unit's return from active duty.
Connors said he thinks that though the bands do play for soldiers, the majority of the performances take place in front of civilians.
For us as a National Guard Band
our primary role is to play for the public and to be kind of like a recruiting tool but also a face of the National Guard
Connors said.
That's the case for members of the National Guard or those in the reserves, but some musicians are called upon to play mostly for those abroad or on active duty.
Rod Gorby, a graduate assistant studying music composition at OU, was one of those musicians for a time.
After working as a freelance musician in Orlando, he joined the United States Army and became a member of the 1st Armored Division Band based in Germany.
Gorby said while on active duty, he often played for soldiers to provide a release and opportunity to relax.
The band gets a lot of people like me
classically trained
and they come in and want to play Brahms and Strauss and the Blue Danube
what they played in school
but it doesn't entertain the soldiers
he said.
What they really want is like rock musicians. Really screaming jazz guitarists
guitar soloists. Singers are more valuable than gold
