Honor Guard by day, honoring God by night

Published Oct. 24, 2012
By Chaplain (Capt.) Jayme Allen
Kirtland Air Force Base Chapel

KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. -- As the manager and member of the Kirtland Air Force Base Honor Guard, Senior Airman Joshua Harr has been providing the time-honored tradition of final honors to deceased military members and their families for the past year.

When the duty day ends, he continues to serve, in a different capacity. By day, he serves his country and by night, he serves God singing, playing drums, piano and guitar in a Christian rock band called "Ashton."

In 2010, he started the five-piece band as a means to offer a message of hope. He writes all the band's lyrics himself and says, "We've all been there. We channel our lyrics in our music to portray that we've been there. No matter how dark the circumstance, there is hope at the end. We use our music to glorify a God who is bigger than any of our problems."

The name of the band comes from Frank Peretti's book, This Present Darkness, in which a church brings hope to a town named "Ashton."

Kirtland AFB Chapel's middle and high school group Momentum invites teenagers to see Ashton perform live Nov. 3 at the Kirtland AFB Chapel. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. This event is free of charge and there will be door prizes and refreshments.