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Iowa’s 34th Army Band “Scrap Metal” group performs whirlwind weeklong tour

185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard

Video by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot

Feb. 3, 2022 | 5:33

The Iowa National Guard’s “Scrap Metal” music group is performing at several venues in Western Iowa this week. On Thursday morning the New Orleans style brass ensemble performed in Sioux City at Bishop Heelan High School, before making their way to Storm Lake for an afternoon performance.

The group is part of the 34th Army Band Headquarter in the southeast Iowa community of Fairfield. This week the “Scrap Metal” group is making their way through several Western Iowa communities before their tour ends at the end of the week.

The 34th Army Band is the only band assigned to the Iowa National Guard. The Army Band is one of the few military organizations whose public facing mission primarily involves interacting with the civilian community.

As part of the Army band’s mission, the group performs at venues like the Heelan High School event in order interact with and foster community support for the mission of the Iowa National Guard.

The Iowa National Guard has units in communities around the state, with nearly 10,000 Soldiers, Airmen and civilians who serve both a state and federal mission. According to Staff Sergeant Eric Newman, performances like the one in Sioux City allow positive interaction with the Iowa National guard.

Newman said the kind of music they perform is similar to groups like Trombone Shorty, Lucky Chops or Young Blood Brass band genre of music.

Their performance is not just for recruiting. Newman said it is important that Iowa National Guard members have the support of the communities where they serve. He said band members are thrilled to be ambassadors of the National Guard mission.

The band draws membership from a wide geographic area across the state. The group is made of professional bandsmen with a passion for music and a desire to incorporate their trade into service.

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Staff Sgt. Eric Newman
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Iowa’s 34th Army Band “Scrap Metal” group performs whirlwind weeklong tour