What is “USA Express”? Fact Sheet

•USA Express is a band consisting of up to nine active duty soldiers who go on tour to perform for soldiers and other special audiences for 120 days.  The basic musical components are bass, guitar, percussion, drums, keyboard, and vocals.  These may be augmented by brass, woodwinds, harmonica or other specialty instruments based on the talent of the soldiers who audition.

•USA Express is produced by the Army Entertainment Division at Fort Belvoir, Va.  The AED is an Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation activity of the U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center, a headquarters Department of the Army agency based in Alexandria, Va.  The soldier band members are assigned to the USACFSC for temporary duty.

•The members of USA Express are selected primarily from performances in the All-Army Battle of Bands and/or Stars of Tomorrow*, two annual competitions designed to showcase the musical talents of soldiers who participate in the performing arts as recreational pursuit or as an avocation.

•The soldiers who make up USA Express — or participate in any AED program — are normally not professional musicians as their Army job.* They hold military/tactical jobs such as radar operator, automated supply logistician, military police, artillery crew, infantryman, mechanic, truck driver, medical technician, personnel specialist, etc.

•Applicants/selectees must demonstrate a high degree of musical competence, versatility, and maturity.  They must also be outstanding soldiers in their units.

•Soldiers must have their commanders’ approval and be released for 120 days. Once selected, the soldiers are assigned to the Army Entertainment Division’s military detachment with the same chain of command as any unit (commander, first sergeant).

•USA Express is also a fully deployable squad/unit. They are able to travel to remote or sensitive locations where civilians may not be authorized access or where entertainment options are limited or restricted by the military mission, mobility, threat factors, or host country societal attitudes.

•At Fort Belvoir, duty days can run 12 hours or more. Soldiers spend days learning and rehearsing a wide range of music, from classic hits to songs just breaking the charts in all genres: country, R&B, rock and roll, jazz, hip-hop, and rap.  During their 90-day tour, they will play for a  audiences with a wide range of musical tastes.

• USA Express members learn all the technical aspects of the musical, lighting and audio equipment they use.  On the road, in addition to performing, they are responsible for packing, loading, and shipping as many as 30 crates and cases, and are accountable for property valued at more than $500,000.  They set up and break down the sound system, cables, lighting and instruments at each site,

•USA Express is one of several productions of the Army Entertainment Division.  Others are:  the United States Army Soldier Show, AED competitions (Battle of Bands/Stars of Tomorrow Talent Search, and AED Special Events (Summer Concert Tour/Theatre Bravo!).

•The mission of the Army Entertainment Division is  “entertainment by the soldier, for the soldier,” a tradition that began with Sgt. Israel Beilin (Irving Berlin) during World War I.
 

*Battle of Bands and Stars of Tomorrow were cancelled due to the events of 9-11 and subsequent deployments. Therefore in order to keep the program operational and have enough musicians for USA Express 02-01,  there are two musicians who are members of Army bands. 
  
                                                               Click here to see past Show participants