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Stacey returns to old base, but just briefly

Phil Stacey’s descent back into the real world continued this week when he was reunited with his Navy Band shipmates at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., for the first time since he left to appear on “American Idol” five months ago, the Navy announced.

Stacey, a musician third class and lead singer of Navy Band Southeast “rock” group Pride, left Jacksonville for Los Angeles on Jan. 22 to begin performing live on the Fox reality TV show, and returned this week for the first time.

“It feels good to be back. I’ve had a lot of support and love from Jacksonville, especially the military community. I wanted to represent the Navy and Jacksonville, but I also want to be an example for people who are set on accomplishing something they dreamed about doing,” Stacey said in a Navy statement.

He didn’t stay in Jacksonville for long, however — Stacey was scheduled to fly back to Los Angeles midweek to get ready for appearances as part of the “American Idol” finale, when viewers will at last pick the winner of the contest, who will receive a recording contract.

Stacey and the Navy still aren’t saying definitively that the sailor will accompany the top 10 “Idol” contestants on the show’s “American Idols Live” concert tour this summer, although he told Navy Times in a phone interview May 3 that “things looked very promising for me to go on the tour.”

Also unclear is exactly what Stacey will do whenever his “Idol” gig ends — his enlistment is up on October 2008, and he says he won’t extend it, but neither Stacey or the Navy know exactly what Navy assignment he’ll get, and when.