Army Position: Army Band Person (42R) Location: Armed Forces School of Music, Norfolk, Virginia Rank: Specialist Band: Army Ground Forces Band Instrument: Trombone

My name is Specialist Adrian Hernandez. I'm a Bass Trombone player from Dallas, Texas. I'm completing my fifth month here at the Armed Forces School of Music, and I'm currently preparing for my F2 audition.

I first thought about doing Army Bands when I visited the Eastern Trombone Workshop, which is hosted by the Army Band. I had actually talked to Soldiers in Army Bands at Fort Drum and they had told me what life was like and what kind of training they had gone through. They made it clear that it's definitely a mix between Soldier and Musician—so you've got to keep a balance of both.

It's two different worlds you have to keep on your plate, being a very good Musician and a very good Soldier. During the day, especially during training, I'm practicing, doing my ear training, theory studies, performing in drill band, a couple of the rock bands and jazz ensembles. That's definitely something you do a lot of, especially when you're a brass player and that's your primary instrument.

Then at night, I'm either practicing or trying to squeeze in as much composition as I can. I don't have much time to write, so it's really something I do on my own. It's all mixed into one, and that's what makes up your whole life in Army Bands.