GROTON, Conn. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Maria Mandico, a native of Colorado Springs, Colorado, serves with U.S. Navy Band Northeast.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Green, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
Mandico graduated from Rampart High School in 2008. Additionally, Mandico earned a bachelor’s degree in flute performance from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2012 and a master’s degree from the Longy School of Music in 2016.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Colorado Springs.
“Colorado Springs has a natural reverence for service,” Mandico said. “I grew up really close to the U.S. Air Force Academy. That town has such a positive light on the military, and there’s a pride around the military in Colorado. There’s a respect built in. I didn’t think I’d ever put on the boots myself, but that’s what the piccolo does to you. Having my family fly out for my boot camp graduation was huge. I had so much respect for my dad, grandfather and cousins who went to the Academy, so to join the Navy felt scary, but also exciting.”
Mandico joined the Navy seven years ago. Today, Mandico serves as a musician.
“I’d finished my master’s degree and I was teaching a lot of early childhood music, but I was craving playing more,” Mandico said. “I knew about military bands from growing up in the Springs. In high school, one of my dream jobs was to be in a military band, and I’d shadowed the Air Force Band of the Rockies. I saw an ad online to audition for the Navy Band. I didn’t know anything about the Navy, but I flew down to Millington, Tennessee, tried out and got the offer. There were so many musicians auditioning for the band, trying to find steady work.”
Established in 1974, Navy Band Northeast is based on board Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, and is one of 11 official U.S. Navy bands worldwide, providing musical support for military ceremonies, recruiting, morale and retention programs, and community relations for events. Navy Band Northeast’s primary musical ensembles include marching and ceremonial bands, the Pops Ensemble concert band, Rhode Island Sound popular music group, Jack Tar Brass Band, Trident Brass and Crosswinds Woodwind chamber quintets, and various protocol ensembles.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Mandico has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“We got to play for Pope Francis in 2021 when I was stationed in Italy with the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa Band,” Mandico said. “We played for one of his Wednesday audiences and took a picture with him. It was a great experience, just knowing that our mission, especially with the Naval Forces Europe and Africa Band, is to be goodwill ambassadors. We’re able to bring our music to people in places where ships can’t go, and we’re able to come spread beauty and the Navy message that we’re warfighters, but we also bring peace and goodwill.”
Mandico serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“The Navy for me is a compilation of so many things that I love,” Mandico said. “I can bring my musical talents and have steady work with it. I can wear the cloth of our nation with pride. For me, the culture of fitness is also important.”
Mandico is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would love to thank my grandma, Lucille DeMoor, who lives in Colorado Springs,” Mandico said. “She’s 92. She was a long-time Air Force spouse and my first music teacher. She came to my boot camp graduation, and I think of her every time I get my piccolo out. I also want to thank my band director at Rampart, Justin Carpenter, for encouraging me to pursue music, and my first flute teacher, Karen Morsch, who predicted my career. She said, ‘The piccolo will be a big part of your life. It’s gonna be your job some day.’ She was right.”