“There’s no value, no price, on morale.” That is the belief of Regina Coonrod Pullin, a retired USAF Chief Master Sergeant that performed as a vocalist for the Premier Air Force Band.
Having served for 20 years, from 1999 to 2019, Pullin has a story that is unique among most veterans in Sparta. Her position in the military was one that is not often talked about, and it is even rarer in a town so small. Despite that, hers is still a story that deserves to be told like any other that has served the country.
Pullin started her service with the Air Force, stationed at Joint Base Andrews. Whenever she auditioned for the Air Force Band, she had no idea that she would land a vocalist position for the premier band. Once in this position, Pullin spent the next decade either performing for government officials, at high-end events like President Reagan’s funeral, or out in the field bringing her voice to the soldiers.
“They called it small deployments, but I always tell people I saw more action in the band, because we had to take convoys out, and we go to the places the larger bands don’t go,” Pullin said. “We were smaller so we could be trained. We would perform and put on that show for the troops. That was really the most important part, most rewarding experience of my career. Those performances helped me grow and see the big picture and see how music can bring even those troops together.”
There was also the benefit of diplomacy with the band and her singing.
“You realize how you were a cog in that wheel that could help smooth over relationships with, for example, the Australian ambassador or something like that,” Pullin said. “You are a part of that conversation. You are softening that conversation, so it is easier for the diplomats to deal with. We tried really hard to cater to whoever that guest was, but to know what you were there for? We called it soft power. You could really change hearts and minds in so many ways.”
Something Pullin has had to face, or even combat, are some folks that have tried to diminish her service because it was as a musician. Pullin feels that is not only dishonest to her work but that is a disservice to those that did the same work and did not make it home.
“We have friends that didn’t even make it home,” Pullin said. “Some try to say that they should just join in like me, but don’t act like it’s so glamorous. Nothing in life is guaranteed. You might deploy, riding out in the convoy to sing to folks, and there’s no guarantee you will come home. You know some people aren’t going to make it back, sometimes friends, too.”
After her time as a vocalist, Pullin continued her service in a more managerial position as a resource manager. Working in this position and as an operations director, Pullin finished out the rest of her service until 2019.
More than anything, Pullin realized how important her voice could be to the nation’s benefit.
“You realize how blessed with a gift you really are, and it needs to be shared,” she said.
Pullin is also set to be a featured vocalist in the upcoming Southern Stars Symphonic Brass concert, on May 4, at Stone Memorial High School, in Crossville, where she is set to perform George Gershwin’s “I’ve Got Rhythm” and Josh Groban’s popularized “You Raise Me Up.” Pullin has also been featured in several recent performances at Cumberland County Playhouse.
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