REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- For those who know Lt. Gen. Jim Pillsbury, his first words during a special presentation as part of the Army Materiel Command Band's debut concert in Huntsville were very telling of the future.
"It's good to be home," he said, looking out at an appreciative audience of about 150 who attended the AMC Band's Community Appreciation Concert on March 21 at Columbia High School.
Pillsbury, now deputy commander of the Army Materiel Command who established family roots in Huntsville during his time as commander of the Aviation and Missile Command, plans to make the move with AMC when it relocates to Redstone Arsenal in 2011. The AMC Band will also move to Redstone Arsenal.
"The AMC's own will be a permanent fixture sometime at Redstone Arsenal about a year from now," Pillsbury said of the band.
Emphasizing that band members are Soldiers first and band members second, Pillsbury described AMC band members as "world-class musicians" whose musical talents are much appreciated by AMC Soldiers all around the world.
Pillsbury's comments came about two-thirds way through a top-notch concert of patriotic music that gave a glimpse at a Soldier's journey from the Revolutionary War up to present day. Music, played under the theme Soundtrack of Soldiers and featuring a multimedia show and solo performers, included Fantasy of Army Strong, Fandango, Shenandoah, Band of Brothers Suite and American Anthem.
While band master Chief Warrant Officer 4 Fred Ellwein led the band, incoming band master Chief Warrant Officer 4 Pete Gillies, who has already become part of the Redstone/Huntsville community, made his AMC Band directorial debut on Black Granite during the concert. Gillies will take command of the band in May and is overseeing construction of the band's new facility at Redstone Arsenal.
Also during the concert, Pillsbury conducted a re-enlistment ceremony for Sgt. 1st Class Deborah Levine, who will be moving to Redstone Arsenal with the band.
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