Klarinet Archive - Posting 000935.txt from 1997/02

From: Nathaniel F Johnson <clarinat@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Other side/military bands
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 03:56:34 -0500

Steve, I have been in a National Guard band for eight years now (and love
it). When I first tried to join, I also was rejected because I wear
custom arch supports in my shoes. It took several months, but I went
through National Guard Bureau in Washington D.C. and got a waiver. My
guess is that using arch supports and having flat feet (which I
don't...yet) are the same thing in the eyes of the military, so it may
have been techinically possible for you to have gotten in, but, depending
on how long ago this was that you were rejected, the bureaucratic climate
might not have been right for a waiver.
In answer to your other question: To the best of my knowledge the West
Point band has never been handed "guns" (we of course refer to them as
weapons or rifles :-) other than the yearly target practice and
qualification that they probably have to do just like the rest of us.
There is a trumpet player in my Guard band who was with the West Point
band and is also working on his Doctorate up here at UNC. I'll ask him
tomorrow and if I'm wrong I'll post again.
I'm also not a recruiter, but if anyone is interested in more info about
National Guard bands, I'll be glad to discuss it further (although I
believe that we had this discussion on the list a couple of months ago).

Nathaniel Johnson
Conductor / Clarinettist
All-Around Good Guy
University of Northern Colorado
clarinat@-----.com

On Wed, 26 Feb 1997 11:08:44 -0600 Steve Prescott
<mipresc@-----.EDU> writes:
>David,
>
> I'll not quote everything you wrote but I will say this: I
tried
>out for the West Point Band (a few to many years ago than I care to
>remember) which most of you know is a premier band. I made the band
>but failed the physical exam (flat feet). I hadn't even thought of this
as
>a problem as it hadn't/hasn't bothered me (as far as I know). I asked
>the recruiter what flat feet had to do with playing the clarinet. His
>responsewas that if the country was attacked they would hand the band
guns. I
>toldhim that if "they" are handing the band guns, we're in deep do-do.
>
> Though I have a great respect for players in military bands, I
>am soured toward the process. So far, the West Point Band has not been
>handed guns...have they?
>
>my .02 cents
>
>
>Steve
>
>Steve Prescott
>Instrument Rep.Tech./ Clarinetist
>Indiana State University
>mipresc@-----.edu
>