Combat Vet Gives Voice to Military Musicians

Sara Moore, American Forces Press Service
2009-02-24

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2009 –

Army Capt. Sean Gilfillan, a reservist who served four years on active duty and a tour in Iraq, started To the Fallen Records in 2006. The record label, which takes its name from a tattoo Gilfillan bears to commemorate fellow servicemembers who died in combat, signs only musicians who are military members or veterans.

Gilfillan said he was inspired to start To the Fallen by the many musicians he met during his time on active duty, and the powerful message their songs had. After he left active duty, he met his wife, and seeing how interested she was in the music made him realize it might appeal to a larger audience, he said.

“It’s so emotional,” he said. “It’s so personal, and we don’t see this stuff on TV or on the radio. Unfortunately, we only hear about the attacks and how many people are killed and when bad things happen.”

The couple started the record label to bring music from servicemembers to the civilian world and to bridge the gap of understanding about military life and combat.

“If civilians hear military music, they might understand. They’re never going to be in those shoes, but they can at least empathize and understand what three tours really does to someone, to someone’s family,” Gilfillan said. “Not only that, but war … what happens during war, during patrols, and what it takes to actually psyche yourself up to go out to war, and the struggles when you come home with [post-traumatic stress disorder], with relationships, and how every normal everyday struggle is made more difficult by you being away for so long.”

Since its inception, the record label has grown into a platform to showcase all military musicians, even those not talking about combat. But the bottom line, Gilfillan said, has always been quality music.

“If the music isn’t good, if the quality isn’t there, then we won’t feature you,” he said. “It has to be radio quality.”

In its first year, the record label saw almost instant success, being featured in Rolling Stone magazine and the New York Times and releasing its first three CDs, which were compilations of hip hop, country and rock music. Today, the label has a database of about 2,000 artists and 200 producers it works with, Gilfillan said. It also maintains a database of recording studios that offer discounts to military members.

Establishing a credible record label is very important to Gilfillan, he said, because he wants to give the military musicians a chance to establish a fan base, which is key to any musician’s success. He said he follows the military’s philosophy that no one person is more important than the organization.

“To the Fallen will always exist,” he said. “The artists might change, I might change, but the label will always exist. So, hopefully the name builds enough prestige where any artist being linked to the name will get a leg up.”

To the Fallen sells its music online at its Web site and that of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, and physically, at Green Beans Coffee, which has stores in Iraq and Afghanistan. The label is working on several new projects, including a reality TV show based on military musicians.

Another new project Gilfillan and his wife are working on is in creating a nonprofit group that will use musical therapy to help rehabilitate wounded veterans. The group is in early development, but the vision is a place where wounded veterans can learn about the entire musical process, including recording and production, and use it as therapy, Gilfillan said.

“We would kind of just recruit and train our own military musicians and give them a trade and, in return, we would do musical therapy for anyone who needs it,” he said. “I really believe in musical therapy as a viable way to recuperate.”

To the Fallen already donates part of its profits to charities that benefit wounded troops, and once the nonprofit organization is established, money would go into that also, Gilfillan said. But more important than the money, he said, is giving military musicians an opportunity to get their music out there and letting the world hear the quality of music servicemembers create.

“These are not hokey artists,” he said. “This is real music.”

Sheriff’s Office coordinating Honor Flight for WWII veterans

PICKENS — The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and American Legion Post 11 of Pickens are teaming to provide a way for local World War II veterans to visit Washington, D.C. and tour the memorial honoring their service.

Assistant Sheriff Tim Morgan said the tour, organized through Honor Flight Upstate, part of the National Honor Flight Network, is completely free for male and female World War II veterans. Donations and sponsorships from individuals and organizations defray the cost of $500 per veteran for the flight and tour.

“These people really sacrificed, and I’m proud to have an opportunity to participate in something like this in order to say thanks,” Morgan said, adding that the initial tour is scheduled to take place around the middle of May.

Nationally, Earl Morse, a physician assistant and retired Air Force captain, conceived the idea several years ago as a way of honoring the veterans he had taken care of for the past 27 years. More than 900 veterans have since realized their dream by visiting the World War II memorial.

Morgan said he became involved after viewing a CBS Morning Show segment on the Honor Flight program.

“I was moved when I saw the presentation and wanted to be a part of saying ‘Thank you’ to these great men and women,” Morgan said. “It stirs the emotions because these individuals literally saved the world during World War II. So, getting together with the American Legion, we wanted to do something for these folks.”

Realizing that World War II heroes are dying at a rate of more than 1,200 per day, Morgan said time is of the essence. While the trip is free of charge to veterans, Morgan pointed out that fundraising efforts from individuals and organizations are needed to pay the cost of the flight and tour.

“We’re going to contribute as much as we can and, hopefully, other groups will also want to participate,” Morgan said.

Donations are accepted through the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, People’s National Bank and at honorflightupstate.com. Honor Flight Upstate is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.

Morgan said the trip involves flying veterans to Washington, D.C. early in the morning and flying them back home later that evening. Caregivers accompany the veterans during the trip that, in addition to touring the World War II Memorial, also includes the Korean and Vietnam memorials and a visit to Arlington National Cemetery to

witness the Changing of the Guard.

While touring the nation’s capital, Morgan said veterans would be provided lunch and soft drinks and coffee funded through donations.

“It’s their day,” he said. “It’s really catered to them and their needs and making it their day.”

Richard Reece, of American Legion, Post 11, of Pickens, said he has learned there are 353 veterans still living in Pickens County of which records exist.

“Some will be unable to participate due to age and health but, for those who are, we want to make this program available to them and take them to Washington, D.C.,”

Reece said. “It’s essentially our way of saying ‘Thank you’ to those World War II veterans who have given so much.”

Reece said he has handed out fliers, contacted ROTCs in all four high schools in Pickens County and is willing to speak to churches and civic groups in an effort to raise

funds for the trip. He can be reached at (864) 878-1014.

Morgan is hopeful sponsorships for the local veterans can be obtained.

“This may be the ‘last hurrah’ for many of these veterans,” he said.

Written by Greg Oliver of www.upstatetoday.com

http://www.upstatetoday.com/news/2009/feb/16/sheriffs-office-coordinating-honor-flight-wwii-vet/

Written by Will Armstrong, History Associates Incorporated

The M10 crews of the 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion had experienced a tough morning.  Before dawn, the veteran 10th Panzer Division began pummeling American positions around the Tunisian town of El Guettar, and as the advancing 899th hurried to join the fight, a forward group of panzers caught them by surprise.  Facing combat for the first time, the 899th paid a heavy price in the engagement that followed—seven of its M10s were lost.  Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., watching from his command post, lamented the 899th’s charge: “gallant but green.”

Yet on this day—March 23, 1943, just one month after the disastrous and morale-breaking American defeat at Kasserine Pass—the U.S. Army, including the green 899th, held the line.  The 10th Panzer never got past the 899th’s M10s, and as the smoke cleared it was the surviving German panzers that were pulling back.  The battle would continue until late afternoon, but the Germans were unable to break the American lines.  By nightfall the Germans were in retreat, and Americans celebrated their first American victory over Hitler’s army.

The 899th was the first to use the M10 tank destroyer in combat.  With its 3-inch gun, the General Motors-built M10 was designed to be faster and cheaper than a tank, yet able to take on any enemy armored vehicle.  Its true capabilities were more modest.  The M10 was mismatched against heavier German armor such as the Tiger tank, and its speed and low cost came at the price of limited armor protection.  Even so, the M10 was far superior to the Army’s other front-line tank destroyer in 1943, an M3 half-track converted to carry a 75mm cannon.  At El Guettar, in a defiant stand to the east of where the 899th fought, the 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion lost two thirds of its M3s. It soon received new M10s to replace its half-tracks.

The 601st and 899th together played a major role in the German defeat at El Guettar, and both would serve with distinction through the remainder of the war.  The M10 became the primary U.S. tank destroyer for most of World War II, and also saw service with the British, Canadians, and French.  Later in the war the M36 Jackson, an improved version with a 90mm gun, began to replace the older variant in U.S. service.

An M10 in Tunisia, March 1943. NARA, Photo 208-N-9126

Sometimes problems are large.  Just ask Citibank or Barry Bonds.  Other times problems seem small, but are still important.  I’ve been grappling with the latter—when to use lower or upper case letters in museum materials.

In which sentence do you think the capitalization is correct?

I ran this dilemma by a veterans committee representing the different branches and inquired at the Pentagon.  Guess what?  There were several answers and no long-standing policy regarding capitalization for these generic terms when referring to United Sates military personnel.

The Army, Navy, and Air Force have largely been OK with lower case, but there are lots of exceptions.  General Petraeus insisted on capitalizing Soldier, for example.  A Marine may say that Marine is always capitalized, but I can easily find places where marine isn’t capitalized.  And so on…

My decision?  We will capitalize Soldier, Sailor, Marine, Airman, Coast Guardsman, Reservist, and National Guardsman in every case when we are referring to member of the United States military. I believe that is what the Pentagon prefers now as well.  So sentence #3 above is now our standard.

I say these military men and women deserve our respect and admiration…and Capitalization.  Hooah!

Written by Will Armstrong, History Associates Incorporated

Every generation in American military service has found ways to communicate with friends and loved ones, often through letters and postcards, all typically censored for content.  By the 20th Century, however, new developments had changed—at least to some extent—the ways in which those in service could connect with those back home.

Although a soldier stationed on the home front in World War I might be able to phone home, overseas personnel still relied on the written word—picture postcards were a favorite in the American Expeditionary Force.  The speed with which letters reached service members may have improved over the next few decades with the advent of the airplane, but most correspondence was still carried on board ships and took a while to reach its destination.

During World War II, “V-Mail” often replaced the usual letters home.  The letter writer would obtain a sheet of V-Mail paper—too short for any lengthy correspondence—which was passed through the censor and then microfilmed.  The microfilm was easier and cheaper to transport to and from the States.  Once across the ocean, small printed versions of the letters were generated from the microfilm and sent on their way.  V-Mail saved weight, space, and costs needed for critical war materiel, but didn’t reach its destination any faster than traditional mail.  For those fortunate enough to have the opportunity, a WWII or Korean War-era service member who found themselves in a rear area might also make an audio recording for loved ones on a Recordio, a wax-coated cardboard record that could be mailed home and played on any record player.

During the Vietnam War, fortunate service members in some overseas areas were able to talk to loved ones at home via telephone.  By the time of Operation DESERT SHIELD in August 1990, service members could use phone cards for a direct connection to the States.  By the mid 1990s phone cards were ubiquitous, and AT&T established military phone centers in the Persian Gulf and the Balkans to provide unlimited direct-dial service for service personnel who could afford it.  Letters, however, remained a less expensive alternative.  By the end of the decade American forces operating in Bosnia had access to the internet, including e-mail and video conferencing, through the Army’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation program.

Today, the internet is revolutionizing communications with the ‘folks at home’.  E-mail, instant messaging, texting, blogs, and cell phone technology have all advanced communications between home and those at the front.  Service members can send messages and chat in real time, upload and share photos in seconds (even those that have never been near a military censor), and keep up with family and friends via Facebook and MySpace.  Indeed, the ability to so quickly and widely disseminate information from the front has caused concern, and led the military to restrict some activities such as the posting of combat videos and photos on YouTube and Flicker, respectively.  Those with their own computers, and access to non-DoD networks, find ways to skirt such restrictions.  With internet access, personnel overseas can even read their hometown newspaper, watch American television programming, and listen to their favorite hometown radio station.  No matter how much technology advances, however, there will never be a true substitute for home.

I apologize for the delay in getting the link to our Blackwater video up, but here is our day of gunslinging at Blackwater

Many thanks to Uncle Jimbo for putting this together.