After the Gulf War, Veteran Anthony Thomas turned a passion for the recording industry into a career.

By U.S. Veteran, Anthony Thomas, (aka Big Sleep)

I’m writing this blog entry as a veteran, on my experiences at Omega Recording Studios, The Omega Studios’ School, music production school and the music business in general. As a veteran, and a person who is serious about a career in the recording industry, I sought out and received tuition assistance to attend classes at the Omega Studios’ School through a special program available through the Veterans Administration. That program has been a great help in my educational pursuits, and while this particular program has expired, financial aid is available through a number of other programs. If you’re a veteran and you’re looking to use your benefits to move on to the next phase in your life, I think you’ll find the staff at the Omega Studios’ School very helpful in discovering what’s possible for you.

After serving during the Gulf War era in the United States Navy, transitioning from the military wasn’t easy. When I first came back from having been all over the world, I felt like an alien in my own country. Through many adjustments, trials and tribulations, I started my own trucking service in and around the DMV area (Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia), and we are now serving the various parts of the southeast region as well. I have always been involved in music in some shape or form prior to finding Omega. I’m the General Manager of a record label called Catch My Game Entertainment, that I run with a friend I made in the Military while serving overseas. With these business ventures in place, in 2013 I decided to follow my dream and make myself into a valued commodity in the music industry. I saw the kind of professional hands-on instruction that Omega offers as the perfect way to make that happen.

Omega has a tradition of audio engineering excellence in the recording industry. The studios are state of the art and the staff is second to none. Omega is committed to excellence in every facet of their business, from the studios to the school.

At Omega, I found I could study in state-of-the art recording studios, and I learned about how the careful design of the rooms allows the engineers at Omega to capture incredible sounds. I learned how to operate recording consoles and studio equipment used by artists from around the world, who came to Omega to record their albums. For me, it was like a dream come true. In addition, I learned about synthesizer programming, synchronization technology, live sound reinforcement, music business, Pro Tools, and many software programs related to Midi based systems offered in the curriculum.

I am currently enrolled in the Comprehensive program, and I will soon graduate from Omega. With the help of Omega’s Director of Job Placement Robert Scott Adams, I secured an internship in the Programming & Artist Liaison Department at SiriusXM Radio in Washington, DC.
I feel strongly that Ed Petersen, the owner of Omega Recording Studios and the director of the Omega Studios’ School, has assembled an excellent team to provide me with the skills I need to succeed in the future. I think being a Veteran at Omega is truly a great experience because of the support you receive from the Veterans Representative and school administrator, Jeff Girdler. I cannot say enough good things about the staff, but there are a few names I would like personally say Thank you to: Pete, Scotty, Neal, Robert, Jim, Amy, Jeff and the owner Edward Peterson.