Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-10 16:03
ohsuzan wrote:
> <<So I'll be leaving Dec. 28th >>
>
> This all seems rather precipitous -- but I suppose, as
> Shakespeare almost wrote, if it is well that it's done, it is
> well that it's done quickly.
>
> I do hope you will be able to continue to participate on the
> board. They won't be holding you incommunicado, will they?
>
> Could you share something of your thought process leading up to
> your decision to make this move? I know we have discussed the
> merits of service band membership, and I know you have been
> casting around for direction in your life. So what finally
> tipped you over?
>
> After a couple years of this, you will NOT be an amateur any
> more.
>
> Susan
Certainly I can explain my thought process. I was never very serious about clarinet until about three years ago. Three years ago I found myself playing more and more and more (on my own free time, no doubt).
First off, let it be known that I did spend 1 year, 9 months and 29 days in a military college, and although that's not a true representative of the military, I had been through the college's form of basic training (called Basic Cadet Training) so I do know pretty much what the training will be like, I do know the various customs/courtesies between officers and enlisted and for the military in general, I did live on a base and while my main specilization was that of a student, I did interact often with various military personnel and did ask them questions while I was there about life as a regular (cadet life is anything BUT regular) member of the military.
I chose to leave that academy after seeing the prospective jobs that would have been available to me as an air force officer. After finding out that I was no longer eligible to become a pilot (due to my eyesight and due to the Air Force no longer allowing applicants to receive laser correction to fix their eyesight to become a pilot/navigator), I realized that there weren't many jobs as an officer that I would enjoy doing, and thought that the best way for me to serve my country would be to leave the academy, and one day return in the enlisted ranks.
As per the clarinet part of it . . . .
I had seen a few posts on this board regarding military clarinetists and reading throiugh them it set the idea in my head. Not to mention, I know that I wanted to rejoin the military at some point in the future. However at the time I had a girlfriend which I thought would be serious, and I didn't want to leave her. After that didn't work out, I spoke briefly with Ms. Heather Van Beek (band liason) through email in order to see what would be the process and I continue to look at it (this was about a year ago).
I joined UPS, and after working for two years, the military was constantly lingering in the back of my mind. I was getting a math degree in college and NOT looking forward to the prospective jobs that degree would allow me to take. I got promoted through UPS to a driver rather quickly (I'm a very hard and good worker) and after driving around for a bit, immediately had my doubts as to whether this career was for me. Although the money would have been very good, I didn't see myself being happy dropping off small boxes on porches for the next 25 years of my life. So I had resolved that (A) in a few years, if I don't like it, I'll join the military and see just what the enlisted life is like for a minimum of three years or (B) if something went wrong and I lost my driving priviliges, I would join the military.
My thoughts ALSO took/take into account that I'm currently 23 years old. If I sign up for the military or worked UPS and didn't like EITHER of them, I could get out before I was thirty and still have enough time in life for ANOTHER career change if I wanted one, and both these jobs would look good on a resume should I want one.
Well, I screwed up, and hit a low branch (never could get used to how HIGH those trucks were) and damaged the truck, thus ending my driving priviliges for one year. So went to a recruiter's office to check out what was available.
I was VERY nervous about auditioning, and after mentioning an audition only had about two days to prepare (one of which was spent going through the Military Entrance Processing Station or "MEPS" where I was given my ASVAB test - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery - and a full physical to make sure I was qualified to enter).
For any interested in the Army, the ASVAB is an aptitude test testing a variety of things (math, general science, word comprehension, paragraph analysis, mechanical comprehension, stuff like that) and is scored out of 99. You need a 31 to enter. I think the different scores will also help guide you as to what job you would be eligible for in the military (for instance, if you do HORRIBLE on the mathematics section, chances are they won't recommend you to be a nuclear engineer, and certain fields have minimums on each portion). To become a clarinetist, there is no AVSAB minimum or minimum on a particular section. You only need to pass (31).
I did pass the audition however (not very good scores) but I firmly believe that once I enter the School of Music, and once I'm playing for a living every day, that I will be able to learn much more quickly than me studying on my own in whatever free time I have after work (what I've been doing for the past three years) and will hopefully reach my full potential in a few years.
As to how quickly they signed me in, once I passed the audition, I went to MEPS to contract. In my contract, due to being prior service (the time spent at the academy) I was ineligible for any of the bonuses that are advertised for joining (I couldn't get the $3000 enlistment bonus for joining a military band, nor the $6000 for having over 60 college credits, nor the $2000 for joining the band specifically as a clarinetist, nor whatever money would have been due to me depending on how many years I enlisted for). When I heard that, that was a REAL bummer!!! On the flipside, since I'm considered prior service, I have already spent about 22 months in the military so I can retire 22 months sooner than someone who is just joining. Which means, potentially, I can retire at the age of 51 with 3/4 pay per year.
The earliest opening for school of music meant that I should enter basic training January 6th. If that particular session for the AIT had been filled, I would have entered basic training January 23rd. I ship out about a week earlier than the start of basic training to ensure that I have time to fill out my paperwork and receive the necessary uniforms BEFORE it begins.
As for being incommunicado for however long, I can only assume that the rules of this basic training will be similar the basic cadet training I took in the past. Which means no access to computers, no snacks, soda, etc. etc. for the 9 weeks. I have NO clue how much free time I will have at the school of music, nor how I will be able to spend it, but while I'm there, I'm going to concentrate as hard as possible at getting the most I can out of the six months there, and so even if I AM allowed access to computers (I don't know if I am or am not), will probably only use it to do some online banking/bill-paying and to switch my car insurance company to USAA (thereby saving myself a TON of money per month).
Alexi
Retired, playing more sax than clarinet, but still playing clarinet and still loving it!
|
|
The Clarinet BBoard
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
