BIOGRAPHY
Andrew Lloyd Gelt enlisted as a Contract Student in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of New Mexico in 1969. His third class cruise was on a Guppy III Submarine (San Diego), and his second class cruise was Naval Flight Officer (NFO) orientation aboard the A-2 Fighter/Bomber (A-6 Intruder predecessor) in Coronado, CA. He was given a slot in the NFO Program and subsequently offered enrollment into the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis.
In 1971, MIDN2(MO) Gelt took the U.S. Marine Corps Option, and attended the "Tactics of the Marine Rifle Platoon" class at the Marine Corps Institute in Washington, DC. Soon after, he was assigned as Commander/Instructor, Foreign Midshipmen Platoon, which consisted primarily of Greek and Iranian Naval Cadets.
He completed thirteen parachute jumps and received a Bachelors Degree minor in Amphibious Warfare & Naval Science in 1973, attending commencement exercises at the rank of Second Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps Reserve (Brevet, awaiting additional six weeks training).
Following an injury in 1973, he enlisted in the 240th Army Band "Ronald Reagan's Own," of the California Army National Guard (redesignated the 40th Infantry Division [Mechanized] Band), was promoted to Woodwind Group Leader, and performed at many of the future President's functions.
1980 Sergeant Gelt joined the 63rd Army Band of the New Jersey National Guard at the Sea Girt Military & Police Academy, during which time he performed for many important State functions with his own combo.
In 1981, he became a member of the 13th Army Band (North Miami), Florida National Guard, culminating as Assistant Conductor and Woodwind Group Leader.
November of 2001, SFC Gelt retired from the National Guard and joined the U.S. Army Reserve's 1013th Reinforcement Training Unit, Miami, as Administrative Supervisor and Frocked 1SG.
In May of 2004, he transferred to the 3220th AG Garrison Support Unit, West Palm Beach, FL where he worked in both the Adjutant General and Quartermaster branches.
In April of 2008, he transferred to the Army Reserve Medical Command (AR-MEDCOM) in Pinellas Park (St. Petersburg), Florida, and is currently a full-time Military Funeral Honor Guard & Bugler in the Southern Florida area.
SFC Gelt has conducted groups and given personal performances for functions held by CINC Generals Wesley Clark, Charles E. Wilhelm, Peter Pace, as well as U.S. CINC General Peter J. Schoomaker, and others. He has also performed for both Department of Defense and Department of State functions overseas, in countries such as Panama (just prior to Operation Just Cause), Costa Rica (during the Contra/Sandinista conflicts), Morocco (Operation Desert Shield), Germany (Operation Enduring Freedom), and the Dominican Republic.
Among his some 35 military decorations are the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal with two Bronze Oak Leaves, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Gold Hour Glass, Navy Expert Pistol Medal with Silver "E" device, U.S. Marine Corps Expert Rifleman's Badge, Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation Ribbon, Florida Distinguished Service Medal, and the Basic Parachutist Badge.
Sergeant First Class "Doc" Gelt is one of few enlisted personnel in the United States Armed Forces who possess a Doctoral degree in his Military Occupational Specialty area (42R). In the civilian sector, he has played for entertainers such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis, Jr., and has performed for every U.S. president since and including Richard M. Nixon.
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