Comedian Sinbad entertains Airmen at former favorite TDY spot

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Comedian Sinbad came through RAF Mildenhall June 11 to perform for Airmen stationed here.

The stop was one of the first on his European tour with Armed Forces Entertainment, which he kicked off at RAF Alconbury the previous night. This was the first time the former Airman performed for United States Air Forces in Europe crowds.

The 53-year-old comedian brought his family, including his wife, son and daughter, Paige Bryan, who opened the show with several songs off her recent album.

Sinbad sat down to answer questions a few hours before the lights went down and the laughs went up at the Northside Fitness Center.

RAF Mildenhall: So why are you here?

Sinbad: I'll get right down to it - I was an Air Force man back in 1979. I started off doing comedy for Tops in Blue. I tried out for Tops in Blue back in, oh, God, man, 1980. I did that because I knew comedy was what I wanted to do. I was kind of lost in my life, and it was because of the Air Force - although I was a crazy Airman; I was a nut when I was in the military. Having been in the military, I know what it's like to be away. As cool as these places are, you're still away from everything. You know, it's a different kind of lifestyle. I saw groups come through when I was in the military so I know what it means to have them come through.

RAF Mildenhall: You used to be a boom operator, right?

Sinbad: Boom operator, baby.

RAF Mildenhall: Did you ever come through RAF Mildenhall?

Sinbad: Oh yeah, TDY baby. Yeah.

RAF Mildenhall: What all has changed since you were here?

Sinbad: You know what? This was - Mildenhall was the place. There was March Air Force Base in California, that was happenin'. McQuire in New Jersey was another place to hang out, but Mildenhall! Man, when I first got into the military, everyone said 'Mildenhall, baby, you gotta get to Mildenhall. You gotta go - gotta get a TDY to Mildenhall.'

RAF Mildenhall: What aircraft were you on?

Sinbad: KCs.

RAF Mildenhall: 135?

Sinbad: Yeah. I tested the first 10, actually. There were no 10s when I was in. I was in the first group of guys to go to Barksdale and test the 10.

RAF Mildenhall: What do you miss about the Air Force?

Sinbad: Meeting people. You get to meet a lot of great people. You don't have a lot of time to learn how people are, so you accept a lot of things, and cats are moving in and going out all the time. I miss some of that - I miss having fun with friends. I'm not so good with orders and stuff *laughs.* I'm good with people.

RAF Mildenhall: Have you seen anything that we're doing these days that you wish they'd been doing when you were in?

Sinbad: You know, I think what they're doing these days - it's not so much just about the military. It's about life. There's a lot of things you can take advantage of now, like education and stuff. You can walk out with a degree - you can walk out with a lot of stuff if you do it right. But when you're young, you ain't thinking about that stuff, you're just hangin'. And I remember a lot of the older guys saying 'Hey, take advantage of this stuff,' but I didn't. But I did in that I did Tops in Blue and I'm here now, so in that sense I did.

RAF Mildenhall: Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for the Airmen here?

Sinbad: First of all, don't ever think that people at home don't think about you, 'cause they do. Sometimes I think, in the military you start to think that people don't know what you do, and that they aren't worried. But people are worried, especially during this time. With the war and all, it's a crazy time. Being in the military can really be a jump ball - you can make it a career or you can take it and go somewhere else. That's up to you. You're going to miss it though, one day. You're going to miss riding through Europe, and travelling. Use it to travel, man. Take advantage of what you can while you can.

RAF Mildenhall: What about Airmen who may have a dream like you did?

Sinbad: I'd tell 'em the Air Force made my dreams come true. Although my dream was not a career in the Air Force, it made my other dreams come true. I came in to play basketball. I wanted to be on the Air Force basketball team. I was amazed at the athletes in the military. Look at what other dreams have come true - bands, music... So much music has come out of the military. Heatwave, in the '70s, man, one of the baddest groups ever, man, they were in the military stationed in Germany. So use it.

Editor's note: No federal endorsement implied or intended.