File photo by Bonnie Heater Chief Warrant Officer Jonathan Ward, 434th U.S. Army Band commander directs the band during one of the Christmas performances in the First Baptist Church of Augusta. Fort Gordon's chief musician is moving on. Chief Warrant Officer Jonathan Ward, 434th U.S. Army Band commander, will soon depart the post for Fort Stewart, Ga. and an assignment in Iraq.

He will become the division commander for the 3rd Infantry Division Band. The 3rd Infantry Division, nicknamed the Rock of the Marne, is a U.S. Army infantry division based at Fort Stewart. The 3rd Infantry Division was the first conventional U.S. unit to enter Baghdad during the 2003 invasion, and the first division to serve three tours in Iraq.

"I am looking forward to this assignment, said Ward. "I very much want the experience."

The 3rd ID Band will serve as a musical outreach mission in Iraq much as the U.S. Army Signal Corps Band does, according to Ward. "Through our performances in Iraq we will help maintain peace and build communities there," he said.

"The Iraqi Army has a band, and the country has a symphony based in Baghdad. Maybe there will be an opportunity to perform with them," he said.

While the 3rd ID Band will be performing throughout Iraq its main mission will be playing for U.S. troops. "We will play at forward operating bases, dining facilities, and recreation areas," he said. "We will take the music to them."

Although Ward looks forward to his next assignment he leaves Fort Gordon with many fond memories.

Fort Gordon has been a great assignment, said the Lincolnton, N.C. native. "It was my first command, so I felt every day I was learning something new. I'm sure that I'll feel the same about being in a division."

"I think the biggest accomplishment of the U.S. Army Signal Corps Band that I am most proud of is when we traveled to New Orleans that spring after Hurricane Katrina and helped St. Mary's Academy, a large Catholic middle and high school, move to a different facility," he said.

"It was our first sergeant, Leslie Knock, who is now a sergeant major assigned to the 1st Calvary Band at Fort Hood in Texas, who got us involved in the humanitarian project," Ward said.

"She contacted the chamber of commerce in New Orleans and inquired how we could help the citizens there.

"St. Mary's Academy was destroyed in the storm in 2005 and they acquired another facility, but it wasn't ready for the kids to show up," he said. It had also sustained some damage during the hurricane.

"So we cleaned it up, moved a lot of books and furniture, and scrubbed the cafeteria and kitchen," he said. "We also cut the grass, trimmed the bushes and hauled off a lot of debris. "It was fun, but exhausting work."

Besides working to give the community a school for its children the band performed nightly concerts. "We worked on the school during the day and in the evening we went downtown and played shows for the city," Ward said.

"We gave one performance each of the seven nights we were there. We played at Jackson Square Park, the French Market, the World War II museum and the Citibank Pavilion."

After the band returned from the humanitarian mission, Ward and his wife Jocyln became involved as music ministers of their church, Augusta First Church of the Nazarene. "It takes a lot of our time," he said. "Plus we have a 4-year old daughter [Hannah] and she takes up the rest of our time."

Ward, a devoted Family man who loves to cook, is also the father of Marisa, age 12. She lives at Fort Belvoir in Virginia with her mother and stepfather.

Music has been a big part of Ward's life since age 12 when he started playing guitar and piano. "Like any other hobby, playing an instrument for me was just a fun way to pass the time," he said. "It's like playing video games. I didn't have to force myself to practice I just wanted to.

"When I entered junior high school I took up the trumpet and became a hardcore band geek," he explained. By my senior year I had earned a scholarship in music and headed off to the University of North Carolina to study music.

"To this day, I'm a diehard University of North Carolina Tarheels and avid Carolina Panthers fan," Ward said. "North Carolina will always be home."

Shortly after graduating from college Ward joined the Army. "I joined to become a bandsman," he added. "Musicians have been an important part of the Army since its beginning. They sounded the charge and retreat in battle.

"Their job is still important today because they help keep Soldiers motivated," he said with pride.

"My replacement is Chief Warrant Officer Gary Dorrell," said Ward. "My advice to him is to have fun and enjoy the ride. I know he will be absolutely superb here at Fort Gordon."

The change of command for the U.S. Army Signal Corps Band is slated for 11 a.m. March 27 behind Shelton Hall, Building 29609, on Barnes Avenue. During the ceremony Ward will relinquish command to Dorrell, the present commander/bandmaster for the 3rd ID Band. A barbecue is planned following the change of command ceremony.