St. Charles Christmas Parade

Fire Departments throughout Illinois and Indiana have had to, or may have to face the difficult task of being involved in an official funeral for one or more of its members. One traditional element of these funerals is the presence of a Bagpipe and Drum Band to accompany and play music at selected times throughout the services.

The Band of Brothers Pipes and Drums is a bagpipe and drum band comprised solely of active and retired firefighters from Illinois and Northwest Indiana Fire Departments, with our primary purpose of providing musical support at the funeral services for Firefighters, Police Officers, and United States Military Personnel, killed in the Line of Duty. 

The Band of Brothers Pipes and Drums was originally formed as the Hammond Indiana Fire Department Pipes and Drums in 2002. The band comprised of 12 members of the Hammond Fire Department that were willing to volunteer their time to provide musical support at the Line of Duty Death funerals, a nearly 200 year old fire service tradition. With the help of Chester Milen, a retired Illinois State Trooper, founding member of the Bagpipes and Drums of the Emerald Society-Chicago Police, and father to Hammond firefighter David Milen, the dream became reality. 

Popularity immediately grew and the band expanded its membership to area firefighters. In 2007, as the membership had vastly increased, the band created its own separate organization, and officially re-named to The Band of Brothers Pipes and Drums. 

We continue to grow, and our membership continues to grow. 

Currently, the band is comprised of over 20 members representing numerous fire departments in the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana regions. 

Each year, the band performs in Line of Duty Deaths, Memorials, Parades and Many Other Events.