Command Team
Commander: CW2
Ashley Alexander serves as the Commander and Conductor of
the Oregon National Guard’s, 234th Army Band.
Mr. Alexander joined the 234th Army Band in 2002 as a
bassonist and was featured as a soloist with the band, performing the Portland Premier of Concerto for Basson and
Wind Ensemble by Eric Ewazen in April 2004. Mr. Alexander also served as the Unit Supply Non-commisioned Officer
until commissioned as a Warrant Officer in August, 2007. Mr. Alexander deployed to New Orleans with six other
members of the Band in support of Operation Katrina, temporarily being appointed as the Battalion Supply NCO for
the 41st Troop Battalion. Mr. Alexander is the seventh Commander of the 234th Army Band since their activation in
1919. In August 2009, Mr. Alexander conducted "Oregon! Oregon!" in collaboration with Pink Martini, Portland's
popular music ensemble. Mr. Alexander graduated from DePaul University in 2009 with a Master of Music in
Performance. In December 2008, Mr. Alexander married his wife, Erin Rose. Mr. Alexander has received threee Army
Achievement Medals and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
First Sergeant: 1SG Joseph
Worley serves as the unit's primary Enlisted Leader and plays tuba in the 234th Army Concert Band and
Brass Ensemble.
1SG Worley joined the 104th Army Reserve Band in 1983 at the start of his senior year of high
school. Upon completing one year of college, he served three years of active duty with the 9th Infantry
Division Band at Fort Lewis, WA. Specialist Worley was offered a scholoraship to return to studies at eh
University of Oregon, and left active duty, joining the 2/162nd Infantry in Cottage Grove as a combat medic.
Three years later, Specialist Worley moved to Portland to attend Oregon Health and Science University to become
a paramedic. He joined the 234th Army Band in 1992. In 1994, then-Sergeant Worley joined the 1042nd Air
Ambulance in Salem, OR as a flight medic. He rturned to the 234th Army Band in 1996. 1SG Worley resiedes with
Carol, his wife of 20 years, and his threee children in Bonney Lake, WA, where he works as a firefighter and
paramedic. His awards include: Two Army Commendation Medals, Five Army Acievement Medals, 2000 Senior Band NCO
of the Year for the National Guard, and the Oregon EMS Unit Citation. 1SG Worley retains a Bachelor of
Music in Performance from the University of Oregon.
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