Leadership
First Sergeant Christopher D. Truchon, Acting Commander and Enlisted Bandleader
First Sergeant Christopher D. Truchon assumed the duties of First Sergeant and Enlisted Bandleader of the U.S. Army Signal Corps Band on August 21, 2009. A Birmingham, Alabama native,
he enlisted in the Army in August, 1993. First Sergeant Truchon's previous assignments include the Ninth Infantry Division Band at Fort Lewis, Washington, the U.S. Army, Europe, Band and Chorus in Heidelberg, Germany, the Infantry Center Band at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Eighth Army Band in Seoul, Korea, the Army Ground Forces Band at Fort MacPherson, Georgia, and the Training and Doctrine Command Band at Fort Monroe, Virginia.
First Sergeant Truchon is a graduate of the Warrior Leader Course, the Army Band Advanced Leader Course, the Army Band Senior Leader Course, the Battle Staff Noncommissioned Officer Course, and the First Sergeant Course. His civilian education includes a B.A. in Mass Communications with a minor in Music from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a B.S. in Music from Excelsior College, and a M.S. in Management Information Systems from Nova Southeastern University. In addition, he has completed undergraduate work in music at both the University of Alabama, and Florida State University. He has studied trombone with Paul Welcomer, Second Trombonist of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Dr. John Drew, Professor of Trombone at Florida State University, Daniel Drill, retired Professor of Trombone at the University of Alabama, and Wm. Newell Sheridan, retired Bass Trombonist of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
As both a tenor and bass trombonist, First Sergeant Truchon has performed with numerous ensembles around the world, including the Virginia, Tuscaloosa (AL), Olympia (WA), Columbus (GA), and Mannheimer-Stamitz (Mannheim, Germany) Symphony Orchestras, as well as performing as a featured soloist with both the concert and jazz ensembles at several military assignments. As a member of the Soldiers of Swing jazz ensemble of the U.S. Army, Europe, Band and Chorus, he had the opportunity to perform at the Montreux, North Sea, and Umbria Jazz Festivals. He has passed the audition required to serve as an instrumental instructor at the Army and Navy Schools of Music, and has twice been a semi-finalist at the Eastern Trombone Workshop's National Solo Competition, held annually at The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) in Washington, D.C.