American Music Therapy Association

USAF and Music Therapy Representatives Meet

U.S. Air Force and Music Therapy Representatives Meet to Discuss Collaborations

Brigadier General Kathleen Cook, who is the Director of Public Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, convened an historic meeting on May 26, 2016, to explore the possibility of collaborations between the Air Force Bands and music therapy programs at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (Rebecca, Vaudreuil, MT-BC) , at the Langley Air Force Base (Nicole Drozd, MT-BC) , and at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Lisbeth Woodward, MT-BC). Captain Daniel Boothe, who is a public affairs specialist in the Air Force Office of Public Affairs and a music therapy advocate, initiated discussions that resulted in these proposals. Many of you met Captain Boothe at last year’s annual AMTA conference where he attended numerous sessions and interviewed AMTA members. These proposed collaborations are a great fit with the mission of the Air Force and its Bands, which is to prepare airmen and airwomen for life by focusing on their health and well-being, as well as the mission of AMTA: to advance public awareness of the benefits of music therapy and increase access to quality music therapy services in a rapidly changing world.

Having been an accomplished musician and a graduate of a music education program, General Cook understands the positive power of music and the clinical importance of music therapy. The proposals will involve a tiered level of service delivery ranging from collaborations with songwriting and production of recordings to involvement of soldiers with concerts and band performances to sessions in which music therapists and band members will facilitate soldiers’ participation in ensembles and performances. The proposed programs promise to be a win-win by increasing the reach of the bands and providing increased opportunities for community involvement in music for patients and families. AMTA is serving as an advisor with these efforts with the hope of solidifying a formal relationship between the Air Force and AMTA to develop a myriad of programs and services for airmen and airwomen and their families.

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