Previous Stories

Tops in Blue selects Spangdahlem Airmen for 2012 touring season

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Daryl Knee
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  An Airman from the 606th Air Control Squadron here recently earned a position with the Air Force's premiere entertainment touring group.

Airman 1st Class Jessica Pitts, 606th ACS cyber systems operations apprentice, leaves March 17 to join Tops in Blue for the group's 2012 touring season.

The Tops in Blue team serves as an expeditionary unit to entertain the Air Force family, especially service members stationed at remote or deployed locations. The unit also promotes community relations, supporting recruiting efforts and serving as ambassadors for the United States and the Air Force.

Pitts said she can't wait to contribute her part to the Tops in Blue mission.

"We'll boost morale everywhere we go," she said. "We'll be a connection from the family at home to Airmen in the field.

"We're ambassadors of the Air Force," she continued. "All our events are done as a team. As a team, we have to be outstanding members of the Air Force -- everything we do or say reflects on the service as a whole."

Pitts showcased her singing and trumpet talents during a worldwide talent search at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 9-17, 2012. The outgoing Tops in Blue team and production staff judged the competition, and they chose 37 out of the 88 contestants. Pitts was among those selected.

Now that she has a spot on the team, Pitts said she can't wait to begin the two-month training session before the touring season begins.

"I'm really excited to experience growth," she said of the rigorous training and touring schedule. "I'll grow as a musician, an entertainer and a person. I am just a tool used by God, and I have been blessed with these gifts."

Staff Sgt. Jacob Smith, 606th ACS theater deployable communication journeyman and Pitts' supervisor, said he first noticed Pitts enjoyed singing because she spent a lot of her off-duty time volunteering with a local church choir. He and another NCO in the 606th ACS researched performance opportunities for Pitts and found the online application for Tops in Blue.

"She's so soft-spoken at work, you wouldn't believe it when she's on stage," he said. "She's just so passionate about singing and performing. We talked it over, and she decided to submit an application."
Pitts sang and recorded "I Know Where I've Been" by Queen Latifah during Spangdahlem's 2011 Diversity Day. She submitted her performance to the Tops in Blue staff, and the staff invited her to the talent search.
"From my experience in the worldwide talent search, I learned that Tops in Blue is all about giving," Pitts said. "I'm so privileged to be a part the team."

Smith encourages supervisors to be attuned to their Airmen.

"Find out what your Airmen are into," he said, "and then push them. Help them along the path to realizing their full potential."

Pitts urges anyone who has had the dream of entertaining to recognize, accept and conquer performance anxiety. Performing for an audience may seem daunting at first, but continual training and perseverance is the key to success.

"Go after it," she said of people who are unsure of their own talents. "Do it. If you feel like you're not ready, practice as much as you can, and then still go after it. Learn from feedback."

Those wanting to apply for 2013's Tops in Blue touring group should visit http://www.topsinblue.com/application.html to read application guidelines, view available positions and communicate with a Tops in Blue specialist.
Previous Story
Next Story