77th Army Band names new commander

1st Lt. Jaxon T. Lewandowski, a former Field Artillery officer at Fort Sill, never thought he would get the chance to use two of his biggest passions, music and the Army, as a career. But Wednesday, he assumed command of the 77th Army Band to do just that.

Lewandowski said he was selected by Col. John Barefield, the Chief of Staff, due to Chief Warrant Officer 2 Martin Johnston departing about a month ago.

“An email had gone out and my battalion commander at 218 Field Artillery Regiment asked if I was interested in the position and I said yes,” Lewandowski said. “So I went through the grapevine [and] the interview process and eventually had an interview. I think the interview went really well. I think what I said spoke to them and it’s what they were looking for.”

Bryan Araujo, Public Affairs Specialist for Fort Sill, said usually the position is reserved for an Army musician. But even though Lewandowski is a Field Artillery officer, he still has credibility for the position.

“During my interview, one of the things that they really liked about me was my Bachelor’s degree in marketing (from The University of Illinois in Chicago),” Lewandowski said. “I think that was one of the biggest things considering a lot of the focus. I think that really spoke to them like, ‘Oh, he’s a marketer.’

Lewandowski said in his downtime, he is a musician and has been producing music since 2013.

“I think that had some impact,” Lewandowski said. “In some regard, I am an artist. I understand what it’s like to be a soldier and an artist.”

Lewandowski said getting the position is “quite significant.”

“The 77th Army Band is the pride of Fort Sill,” Lewandowski said. “There’s a lot of eyes on the band. They do a lot of events and things in the community and beyond.”

Lewandowski said he will bring a new perspective to the band.

“As a Field Artillery officer for the past three and a half years I’ve been in the Army, I have experience on the inside, knowing how soldiers are and how the Army as a whole works,” Lewandowski said. “When we go to these events, I have a unique perspective. If I have to go talk in front of a high school, I can give an accurate picture of what the Army’s all about. Not just what it’s like to be an Army musician, but what it’s like to be in a combat arms branch.”

Lewandowski said he’s been at Fort Sill since February 2021. He plans to hold the position until June or July of next year.

“I may be the commander, but I still can learn so much from all of these people,” Lewandowski said. “For me, personally, this might be, possibly, the greatest job I’ll have in the Army.”