Icemen sing along with Tops in Blue

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Zachary Perras
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Members of the Iceman Team and their families enjoyed the sounds of Tops in Blue as the group finished its Pacific Air Forces segment of their 2012 world tour at the base theater here Dec. 7 and 8.

Airmen from all around the world make up the Tops in Blue team, now preparing for its next leg of this year's "Listen!" tour. Music performed ranged from country to the classics of Michael Jackson to please every member of the audience.

Senior Airman Joleen Dedmon, Tops in Blue vocalist, saw the group perform three times, once during Basic Military Training and once during a deployment, before she decided to audition. She said it was special to her to hear the performances, especially during difficult times.

Dedmon, a dental assistant assigned to the 944th Medical Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, said she has learned a lot about herself throughout the tour, but most importantly is that her performances are meant to be a gift to others. In a remote location such as Eielson, Tops in Blue was able to bring a bright light to the darkness of winter.

"It's not about you - that's the absolute truth," she commented. "This year is in no way about me or about any other member on the team. It's about serving the Airmen and their families, it's about serving others and maybe bringing a little bit of what they're missing out on back to them."

The idea of giving back is one shared by all members, said Airman 1st Class Joseph Kay, Tops in Blue vocalist. It pays off when the audience feels that energy and reciprocates.

"Seeing faces and hearing the voices of people singing along with us is one of the best feelings about touring," said Kay, 7th Force Support Squadron fitness apprentice, Dyess AFB, Texas. "Combined with traveling the world and uplifting morale of all our Airmen, can life get any better?"

Tops in Blue's history spans nearly six decades, and since its first world tour in 1953, the group has traveled to countless locations to uplift morale and support Airmen and their families. For Eielson, the performance brought energy and entertainment to an otherwise cold winter night.