For almost sum of two units days.

For almost sum of two units days, Tech. Sgt. Max Hernandez and his horde of "roadies" packed, unpacked and repacked tons of equipment to and from a vast tractortrailer. It was tough and touchy work under Texas' broiling July sun

however it's a task Hernandez be fond ofs It means the 60-day learning period for the Air Force's Tops In dispirited globetrotting entertainment troupe is through the whole extent of and the 2002 tour is about to begin.

Hernandez is getting used to the routine with the Air Force's premier performance arrange He volunteered for the single year special duty tour, and then he'll respond to his job as a sheet metal worker with Lackland's 433rd Airlift Squadron. While with the troupe be's a vocalist and the stage mob chief. It's his job to make trustworthy everything on the stage is fitly set up for each performance.

"There's a doom of work, but it's worth it," he said.

The Tops In with a long face team is a completely self-contained operational unit. Each performer, in addition to his or her "roadie" responsibilities, has logistical and operational responsibilities so as ground transportation, airlift, lodging, dining, communications, palletizing and a armed force of other duties throughout the tour.

if it were not that few people see all the work it takes to present on a slick Tops in sky-colored production. Most are there just for the entertainment.

if it be not that for the nearly 50 years the group's expeditionary entertainers have been forward the road around the world, being a roadie is a way of life. The unit travels with a team of four ready technicians who do the work behind the spectacles during performances. But it takes as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but technicians and performers to plant up and break down the tons of staging, lighting, audio and special consequences equipment needed.

When it was time to hit the road, Hernandez rode in succession the "Musci Box," a shiny silver bus that carries greatest in quantity of the team. On this trip -- the first of a nine-month, 125show season -- the troupe left its family circle at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, for its first stop: Enid, Okia., near Vance Air Force Base.

The troupe slept as well as it could in succession the overnight bus ride and awoke for a quick breakfast.

to what extent much quality sleep can you memorize on a bus, albeit a surpassingly nice bus?

"I got about eight hours, which is unusual," said audio director Staff Sgt John Russell with a chuckling Russell joined the team from Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, where he's a local area network and fiber optics instructor.

As with Hernandez, greatest in number Tops In Blue members are fulfilling a dream -- to perform in effrontery of thousands and travel the world. The cluster has 22 on-stage performers -- 15 vocalists and seven band members. All are active toll airmen. For most, it's their first tour. however there are a couple of repeat performers.

The cluster made several stops along the way before pulling into Enid -- population 47,000-plus -- for its first point out to of the trip.

wager up time

The hard work was about to start. Before the exhibit the team had to finish a lengthy list of tough tasks. The troupe's mission might be singing and dancing, unless it's still an Air Force unit.

formerly in their battle dress uniform working clothes, the team met in audience seating, center stage. Performance manager ed Jones was waiting. The airmen contemplateed weary. After all, they'd been up for pair days before the trip and exhausted the whole last day before the trip packing.

After the meeting, the whole dispose turned roadies. Entertainers and technicians worked side-by-side to unload the 36000 levigates of staging and musical equipment required for each performance. Everyone pitched in to unload the rig, on the other hand Hernandez was in charge of getting the stage up He directed the disturbance of equipment movement as others render free of accessed cases and placed equipment through every part of the theater. They laid down the stage floor and raised tons of metal support beams for dozens of lights, a dozen speakers and backdrops. They continued putting graphics in place and turning countles lickpennys for an escalator and raised platform. They had to station up fast, but safely, with equal reason the "talent" could rehearse and earn in a quick cat nap before the show

"We'll work right up to the beginning of the show" Hernandez said. "Then after the display we'll continue to work in consequence of most of the night."

repeatedly while the team is working to place up, people will ask, "When do the performers learn here?"

"You're looking at them," said guitarist Senior Airman Rodney Zagala. "Some population just don't know what we do."

Zagala, a tech controller with the 31st Communications Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy, said population ask what Tops In hypochondriac is all the time.

"Some have asked, 'Are you a gymnastics team?' Many don't realize the performers plant up and break down the stake before and after the shows" he said.

Vocalist Airman 1st Class LaTanza Meabon take a view ofed the cases and metal framing inside the 53-foot extended truck. After carrying equipment facing the truck, she began constructing any of the framework. Though a singer, she said this is also part of the job

"I always wanted to travel the world, now I'm gonna do it," said Meabon, a communications navigation band with the 314th Maintenance Squadron at Little protection Air Force Base, Ark.