 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Miles
Date: 2001-06-10 22:55
Hey All, Just wanted to know how many of you are in the Military Bands now? And maybe you all who have served in the past with Military Band's. Just thought this would be a fun topic.
Thanks, Miles
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Author: jerry
Date: 2001-06-11 00:29
My teacher was in a USMC band unit and taught 4 years at their band school.
~ jerry
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Author: Mike Harrelson
Date: 2001-06-11 03:06
I was a navy clarinet player once upon a time (and at that time navy clarinet players spent 99% of the time playing sax in a dance band).
I did play in a navy concert band my last six months in the service and it was fun to play in a group that had good players on every part (the "last chair" players were not your average "last chair" players....)
Regards,
Mike Harrelson
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Author: Brian
Date: 2001-06-11 03:32
I've been a clarinet player in the Army for almost 12 years now.
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Author: susannah
Date: 2001-06-11 03:40
I did work experienece at a band in the army, but it was kind of boring...
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-06-11 04:23
do all musicians in the military bands have to go through basic training?
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Author: clar21
Date: 2001-06-11 04:55
I have two friends who are currently in military bands. They had to go through all the basic training. Believe me, they got beat up because of it!
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-06-11 05:51
Four years, including basic training, '55 - '59 in the Air Force. One year in California, three in Germany. It was a wonderful experience. As stated above, you get to play with first chair capable players on all parts. And, you get paid for practicing! How can you beat that?
It's the nature of military bands to be 'on the road' a LOT  They're considered (at that time, anyway) public relations units so language training and constant travel was part of the deal. It gets a little tiring after a while but, hey, a three year all expenses paid tour of Europe was not bad duty. It was also peacetime when I served. My primary classification was 'machine gun operator' LOL. But it was for the most part a lot of fun and very educational.
- ron b -
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Author: Bill
Date: 2001-06-11 10:26
Does the military issue instruments and/or provide an allowance for purschasing an instrument. Who's responsible for repairs.
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Author: Dan Borlawsky
Date: 2001-06-11 14:20
At the time I was in ('61 - '63), the military issued instruments and was responsible for maintenance; I'm quite sure it's the same now.
Regards,
Dan
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Author: William
Date: 2001-06-11 14:41
Not pursueing a musical career in the military after college is one of the great regreats of my life. One of my good friends, a trombonist, auditioned for the Marine Band "Presidents Own" after graduation and was accepted. During his tour of duty in Washington, DC, he completed his DMA degree (compliments of Uncle Sam) at Catholic University and, after a distinguished career with the "best band in the land" is now back at his old University as Professor of Trombone, drawing not only a handsome academic salary but a military retirement pension as well. And to have enjoyed playing all of that great music with those musicians, everyone a "pro level" player. My hats off to all of you military alumni out there. Good job!!!!!!
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Author: Ken
Date: 2001-06-11 20:37
1) All US military band programs (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force) require new recruits (officer and enlisted) to attend basic training. The only exception to this rule is the "The President's Own" Marine Band in Washington DC, you sign, issued your uniforms and go direct duty into the band.
2) All US military bands have a unit budget of some kind, it can be as low as $5,000 to over $1 million annually, source funding varies but in the "big picture" it's taxpayer money and approved by Congress. Bands all have a unit supply section where instruments, equipment and accessories are purchased stored and maintained. Military bands are "supposed to" provide each member with an instrument to play, (new, used, quality and availability depend on what's sitting on the shelf). Bands providing (government) instruments to their members are "required" to service them. If a troop doesn't like the instrument they're issued regardless of condition, they're not forced to sign it out and play it and welcome to play their personal horn. However, in that event, it's unlikely the band will pay for repairs. Again depending on budget and commander priorities/musical need the band might purchase a new horn for their people, sometimes even fly the person to the shop to try one out, pay mileage or shipping costs to try them out by mail. Military bands almost always purchase from the same retail music stores as everyone else.
Here's some tidbits your recruiter won't tell you: US military bands, Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force are divided into two types, “Premiere” and “Field” (US Coast Guard Band has only ONE band located in New England). There are TWO “premiere-class” bands PER service with the exception of the Marines. (7 bands total) The 4 "premiere" or mother ship bands, Navy, Marines and Air Force are located in Washington DC, the Army Band in Maryland. The remaining 3 "premiere" bands, Army and Navy and Air Force operate from their respective military academies, West Point and Annapolis. The Air Force Academy Band relocated to Peterson AFB, CO, 30 miles outside Colorado Springs. The main distinctions/advantages between the “premiere” and “field” bands are, premiere bands, 1) Enjoy an accelerated promotion system, and/or hire at a "higher rank" to attract better musicians. 2) Have a reputation for hiring only the best/most talented, even world-class, professional-quality musicians 3) Not limited to regional constraints, they travel and play worldwide. 4) A member of a "premiere" band you have the opportunity of "holding" the position for an entire career (up to 30 years or age 55) and exempt from being transferred unwillingly. Each premiere band has between 60-100+ musicians broken down into sub-component groups and play/support a wide variety of idioms.
US Military “field” bands are known as "regional" bands and are located around the world, their numbers vary from service to service. There are roughly 4 to 10 times as many Army, Navy and Marine field bands then Air Force bands. Army, Navy, and Marine Field bands have as many as 40 to 100 bands per service; there are only 12 Air Force Field Bands. These bands overall, are the “work horses” of the services but also boast very fine, professional-quality musicians. Many "field band" musicians audition and are accepted into the "premiere" bands. "Field" bands perform either locally and/or responsible for covering a specific regional/geographic area, usually four or five states or as many countries in Europe, Asia and the Far East. As far as their individual missions some focus 100% on internal support, e.g. troop morale, official base/post protocol functions, ceremonies, military parades, etc. (primarily Army, Navy and Marines) Others serve as public relations and recruiting tools traveling and performing for the general public, high schools, colleges and professional sporting events. Travel time is normally 30-180+ days per year depending on their operating budget and mission goals. In a nutshell, all US military bands' mission objectives center around Community relations, troop support/morale, and recruiting.
Auditions standards for acceptance in premiere and fields bands are broad and target each band’s specific needs. The Army, Navy and Marine "field" band system audition requirements/process are the most standardized; the Air Force is more tailored to "each band's" musical standard. It is common in the Air Force "field band" system for people to fail and audition at one band then drive/fly to another and be accepted.
Today, virtually all "premiere" bands and Air Force "field" bands ONLY hire musicians with at least some college, if not Bachelor’s Degrees in Performance or Education and higher. The Army, Navy and Marine "field" bands follow suit but traditionally/demonstrate a trend of accepting more High School graduates into their programs. There is a reason for this; the Army, Navy, and Marine "field" bands require a hired candidate to attend the Combined Service Music School located at Little Creek Amphibious Naval Base in Virginia. ALL "premiere" bands and Air Force "field" bands DO NOT participate in this program, an accepted candidate "directly joins" their first band upon completing Basic Training.
Military Band "Officer" programs are again form-fitted to each services/bands' needs, but a rule of thumb is "officers" are hired to serve as managers and leaders, conductors and administrators. They normally aren't players and/or performing musicians. If a person wants to play they're better off enlisting.
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Author: John Scorgie
Date: 2001-06-12 18:15
The greatest benefits from my (most interesting) Army band experience:
1) We played so many jobs involving so many kinds of music under so many difficult conditions that anything which could go wrong did go wrong at least once.
This pretty much eliminated stage fright.
2) The workload got me striving to give a good performance each and every time rather than making excuses for my shortcomings.
3) As noted by other posters above, it allowed me to play alongside and learn from several absolutely first rate musicians.
3) Last but not least, a year after I was separated (1966) the GI Bill was reinstituted which allowed me to finish college and then took me all the way through law school.
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Author: nicole
Date: 2001-06-12 22:29
not right now, but i'm thinkin about it......how exactly do you go about doing something like that? do you have to be an officer or something?
i don't really get it, but i'm in a cadet military band, so i already know al the basic fundamentals and what kind of dedication it will take.
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Author: jenna
Date: 2001-06-12 23:59
I haven't served in a military-military band, but I do play with an American Legion band that was started over 50 years ago by some vets. I love it. Not exactly the same idea - but kind of. =)
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