312th Army Band
Press Release
The 312th United States Army Band was activated on October 1st, 1973 in Lawrence, Kansas, as part of the 89th Army Reserve Command, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. For a brief period it existed as the only all female band in the Army Reserve. In 1977, an aggressive recruiting campaign was undertaken for both male and female musicians.
The 312th Army Band has grown from those early years to its present roster made up of soldiers from about thirty different professions and academic studies. The band schedules 15-25 performances each year and has performed at Kansas City Royals’ and Chiefs’ games, an Oakland A’s baseball game, and the National Boy Scout Jamboree. The 312th was also name an official “Bicentennial of the United States Constitution” band and an official “Eisenhower Centennial” band.
The 312th Army Band has performed hundreds of concerts throughout the country including West Point, New York and in Atlanta, Denver, Des Moines, Kansas City, San Francisco, St. Louis, and San Antonio among others.
The band features a marching band, concert band, stage band, jazz combo, brass ensemble, woodwind quintet, ceremonial detail and the newest addition, “Operation: Smart Choice,” performing today’s contemporary music for young people.
“Operation: Smart Choice” is the 312th’s contribution to the Army’s Drug Demand Reduction program designed to reach young people at their most impressionable age and deliver the message to “Just Say No!” to drugs. The premier performance was in Atlanta, Georgia, in the summer of 1992 and was covered by national television.
In October, 1995, Warrant Officer Robert N. Claggett assumed command of the band from CW4 Paul D. Gray (who was the commander for 18 years prior to Mr. Claggett). Mr. Claggett began his military career with the 4th Division Band at Ft. Carson, Colorado in 1975. In 1978, he moved to the Lawrence, Kansas area and joined the 312th Band. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Kansas in 1982. Mr. Claggett was the Field First Sergeant and Training NCO of the band prior to assuming command of the band. He currently makes his home in Eudora, Kansas, with his wife and two daughters.
The 89th Army Reserve Command was reorganized in 2003 and renamed the 89th Regional Readiness Command (RRC) and is the major command for over 15,000 Army Reserve soldiers in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
The 312th Army Band is the first Army Reserve Band to receive the Colonel George S. Howard Citation
of Musical Excellence for Military Concert Bands. The prestigious international award recognizing
military concert bands is administered by The John Philip Sousa Foundation.
The 312th Army Band received this citation December 16th, 2005.
Stop by and visit our webpage at http://www.kansasoz.com/band/