James Thomas Dutch Perry

James Thomas Dutch Perry was born September 18, 1943 at Erie Proving Ground, Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio. He traveled with his father, James Washington Perry, an Army, later Air Force Officer, his mother, Carrie Mae Ryman Perry, and family until graduation from Torrejon Dependents' High School, Madrid, Spain in June 1961. The family includes Al, Dick, Bob, Carol, Rex, and Linda. During this period he became a Texan & Georgian, and lived in Massachusetts before having the wonderful privilege of living and spending his high school years primarily in Casablanca, Morocco and Madrid, Spain. And, because they always returned there, he was a repeated resident of Faith, Arkansas. So he grew up in rural, small town, and military base America, until he lived in Muslim and Spanish cultures.

Upon graduation from high school he had originally planned a military career but changed his mind at the last minute to become a musician by attending Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He had a wonderful preparation for Arranging and Composition by studying with Herb Pomeroy, Alan Dawson, Everett Longstreth, Ray “Muzzy” Santisi, Bob Shore, Jim Progris, Bill Maloof, Bill StLaurent, and Jack Weaver. This was where he turned into a working musician. The few highlights amid lots of big band work, a multitude of trios and quartets, shows, and town band gigs included working with the Elgart & Lanin bands, Buddy Morrow, and Nat Cole. Dutch Perry became a jazzer during the early 60s in Boston. In order to get a degree, Dutch attended Boston Conservatory as a music major. He studied with and learned about orchestral performance and Armenians from Rueben Gregorian. His foundation for conducting came from the distinguished Italian gentleman, Atilio Poto. Although he never learned to like to play the piano, he learned much music through studying piano with Al Lee. He honed his percussion and hearing skills with Harold Thompson. He studied history with Gerry Faverman, literature with Pat Wolf, Fine Arts with Don Outerbridge, and English composition with Al Levensen. Boston still has a lot happening at its museums and music halls, and then it was teeming with cultural life. What an education!

After completing his undergraduate education in Boston, Massachusetts, during a war, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a musician on September 8, 1965. Dutch Perry completed initial training at Great Lakes, Illinois. He served on the staff of the School of Music, Norfolk, Virginia as a Music Librarian. It was here he met Don and Beverly Christensen and got an introduction to Pauline Medeiros. Before he was able to marry her he had to serve aboard the USS America (CVA-67) as drummer and Leading Petty Officer of the band. After service with Commander Carrier Division 4 and Commander Naval Air Atlantic, Dutch got a taste of sea duty and logged a large number of hours in the P3 Orion. But Dutch got to marry the love of his life when he came off the America on October 7, 1967. He then returned to Boston to serve in the First Naval District Band as a Navy Musician and Enlisted Bandleader where Joel was born.

After separation from the Navy as a First Class Petty Officer on May 7, 1970, Dutch assumed employment as a music educator in the public schools of Pauline's home town, Fall River, Massachusetts. Jimmy was born in Pauline's home town. Dutch transitioned into graduate studies in Systems Analysis and Music Supervision at Boston Conservatory and became the Music Education Resource Lab Supervisor at the conservatory. After seven great years in New England, Dutch took a position as an Instructor on the Music Faculty at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas under the great Gene Witherspoon.

Dutch returned to active duty completing Minuteman Training (accelerated Basic Combat Training) at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in October 1977. He was then assigned to the School of Music, Norfolk, Virginia for twelve years, an unusual occurrence in the military at the time. He was first used as a curriculum developer, instructor, and textbook writer (Basic Music, Ear Training, & Harmony books). During this time he met and worked with Staff Sergeant Gary Canova and Chief Warrant Officer Vic Owens among many other fine sergeants and officers. After attending the Master Fitness Trainer course, Dutch became an athlete. Sergeant Perry ran fifteen Marathons, scored the maximum of 300 points on the Army Physical Fitness Test twenty five times, completed ten thousand miles in the Army's Run For Your Life program, and run over 37,000 miles on active duty. It later kept him alive. In spite of all that physical training, or maybe because of it, Joshua and Jesse were born. Mr. Owens shamelessly encouraged him by making sure he was a Course Manager for both the Basic and Advanced NCO courses and taught all the physical training for Army advanced courses. After this wonderful military training, Dutch was selected as First Sergeant of the Student Company. "Can you say 15-6 Investigation? I knew you could!" The crucible is hot, but it ‘tries' the metal. The closest I ever had to a mentor was the Commandant at the time, Major Tom Davis. He worked me through a demanding transition in the world of Command and Control and turned me into a First Sergeant.

In November 1989, as the Wall was collapsing, First Sergeant Perry was assigned to the Berlin Brigade as the Band First Sergeant. The world was in a state of transition and we didn't watch history, we lived it. I had the privilege of serving with Chief Warrant Officer Ron Bucher for the whole period. We were known to the headquarters company as Ranger Bucher & Ranger Perry. The very real cold-war mission was accompanied by demanding music performance requirements. We were tried and not found wanting. HOOAH!!! I learned to talk German and stay out of diplomatic trouble.

After completing the Sergeants Major Course, Fort Bliss, Texas in July 1993, reassignment was to the First Infantry Division (Mechanized) Fort Riley, Kansas as First Sergeant of the division band with Chief Warrant Officer Bob O'Brien. My previous field experience prepared me well for the Flint Hills of Kansas. It was a premier band in the field, a hard playing band with a full schedule, and a great place to live in the mid 90s before it relocated to Europe. It was also a great place to buy an American Eskimo named Dutch's Snow Queen of Grandview, but she prefers Queen.

In June of 1995 Sergeant Major Perry became the Sergeant Major of the 5th U.S. Army Band, later the 323d U.S. Army Band, MEDCOM's Own. San Antonio was a wonderful place to live and work. The band was a premier band in terms of the performers assigned and there is very little living in the field. General Peak said he wanted to turn Fort Sam Houston into the premier post in the United States Army. Fort Sam Houston IS ALREADY the premier post in the Army. Sergeant Major Perry served with his most experienced commander, Master Warrant Officer John O'Preska. Chief O'Preska topped off a career of serving with exceptional Warrant Officers as commanders. All were exceptional musicians and responsible commanders. Because Dutch Perry never had a bad commander he finished 26 years with military awards including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army and Navy Good Conduct Medals, the Army of Occupation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with Star, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon with 4, and the Army and Overseas Service Ribbons. He is a Navy Master Training Specialist.

After separation from the Army, a traumatic experience, Jim got married, Dutch substitute taught in San Antonio schools, Jesse graduated from high school, and the family relocated to sunny Florida. He went to work for the SAM's Club of Vero Beach learning a great deal about merchandising, inventory control in the market environment rather than the military, and the retail industry, all of which would be useful upon returning to school. While at SAM's Dutch had open heart surgery because hyperlipidemia doesn't show from the outside. Turning into an athlete on active duty probably spared Dutch from becoming an invalid—no heart attack. God smiles!

In January of 2003 Dutch returned to school at Indian River Community College to pursue a Certificate as an Office Systems Specialist. With wonderfully competent instructors, Dutch learned a lot and finished the certificate with a 4.0 GPA, a feat it took a military career to develop the discipline for. While going to school, Dutch and Pauline built a house in the reclaimed swamp in warm, sunny Florida and Joel got married. In addition to an active church life at Calvary Baptist Church in Sebastian, Dutch preaches at a truck stop ministry and Pauline operates the Children's Church. Since completion of his studies at Indian River Community College, Dutch has taken work in the Indian River County Emergency Services Fire Division as a staff assistant and a brief stint at Indian River Community College as the Percussion Instructor in the Music Department. For anyone who's interested—two miles every morning.

It is impossible to thank the thousands of friend, acquaintances, enemies, leaders, pastors, Christians, relatives, musicians, students, teachers, sailors, soldiers, and people I've run into over the years for an exciting and fulfilling life and the tremendous growth I have experienced. This biography is an attempt to say a heartfelt Thank You!

Strength & Honor,

Dutch