• Symbolic cymbals

  Marching band unit honors former member serving in Iraq.

• Every break the talk would gravitate back to Adam.
  
  "The drumline meets a week before the rest of the band in August and all of the cymbals were returning members, or were in the band last year, so we had lots of time to spare," said Susie Schreck.
  
  "And we talked about Adam a lot."
  
  That's because instead of wearing the uniform of the Iowa State University Cyclone Football "Varsity" Marching Band, Adam Storey is donning the uniform of the United States Marine Corps. He is currently serving as a reservist in the Marine Corps and has been stationed in Iraq for the past two months.
  
  But before his duty in Iraq, the Des Moines resident was a forestry major at Iowa State his freshman year where he was a cymbal player in the marching band.
  
  Yet his duty with the Marines almost derailed his chance to be the marching band as a freshman.
  
  "I got lucky getting in," he writes by e-mail. "Iwas at boot camp during tryouts, but my high school director was an Iowa State alum and he pulled strings for me.
  
  "Being in the drumline was the best thing I did at Iowa State and I'm so glad I got a chance to be a part of that group."
  
  In just a few short weeks, Storey made quite an impression on his fellow cymbal players.
  
  "When he first showed up last year after missing all of band camp, I was surprised because he was at the Music Hall ready for band at nine on a Saturday morning after graduating just the afternoon before," said Rob Franz. "I was expecting a very disciplined, very serious no-nonsense type of person due to the fact that he had just come from boot camp.
  
  "It didn't take me long to realize, however, that he was one of the goofiest guys I know. But he was also the kindest and most caring person I know."
  
  So during breaks in marching band camp this past August, the conversation among Storey's fellow cymbal players typically turned to the goofy, kind and caring cymbal player in Iraq.
  
  One of those discussions led to a symbolic gesture in support of Storey.
  
  "We wanted to come up with a way to remind ourselves of Adam, but also to show other people that we were thinking about him as well and were missing him," said Sarah Besch.
  
  So instead of talking about Adam one break, the group decided to do something tangible.
  
  A trip to Hobby Lobby later netted handkerchiefs with stars and stripes and some puffy paint. The group met at an apartment and spent the rest of the afternoon decorating their cymbal bags with homemade American flags made from the handkerchiefs and messages to Adam.
  
  "We didn't do this to show other people necessarily, or to make people pay attention," Schreck said. "We mostly did it for ourselves and Adam."
  
  Schreck's fellow cymbal players agree.
  
  "The concept of putting the flags on the bags was an extremely thoughtful one to me," said Nick Elliott. "But it wasn't until later on in the season that I realized that it was the least we could do, considering what Adam is doing for us and our country."
  
  "We think about him every game - it's just not the same without him," Besch said.
  
  The tight-knit group continues to correspond with Storey on a weekly basis through AOL instant messenger. Schreck, who attended high school in Des Moines with Storey, says she tells him about life on campus and with the band.
  
  "Susie tells me how the line is doing," Storey said. "When I heard about the flags, I was very surprised. I can't believe all the support I got from those guys.
  
  "Their concern more than anything has been very touching. I only knew them for one year, and they care that much for me. My friends from the drumline, and specifically the cymbal line, have really shown me a lot of love and given me more than I ever gave them."
  
  The caring goes beyond the decorated cymbal bags. Invariably the conversation during breaks turns back to Storey.
  
  "We just talk about Adam, telling stories and sharing what we've heard from him," Schreck said. "We plan on sending him a package with this year's drumline and cymbal shirt and other items."
  
  "This is just something our section does because we miss him a lot and want to show our support of him to others and to include him on the (cymbal) line while he is in Iraq," said Rita Tisinger.
  
  Other members of the cymbal line include Kylie Behm, Ross Bradshaw and Kristi Kingland. It was Behm's idea to decorate the cymbal bags.

Sarah Besch, Rita Tisinger, Ross Bradshaw, Susie Schreck, Nick Elliott, Kristi Kingland, Kylie Behm, Rob Franz.

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November 1-15, 2004