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Re: Questions for military band members

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2014-10-20 07:02

I was in the Army Field Band 45 years ago at the height of the Vietnam War, so I'm not sure how current my general knowledge of military bands would be, but I don't think the "Special Bands" (the Washington bands, the Field Band and the military academy bands) have probably changed much. In 1969 you first auditioned for the band (they advertise openings and there needs to be one in order to audition). If you were accepted you went to a recruiter and enlisted for the specific Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of Special Bandsman. Somehow (it was long before computers, faxes or any other electronic communication except the telephone) the recruiting processors were authorized to set up the assignment to the band that had accepted you and off you went to Basic Combat Training (except for the Marine bandsmen). Eight weeks later (then - I don't know how long Basic is now) you "graduated" from basic and received your orders (if nothing got messed up) to report to your band.

The special bands were stable assignments - you stayed in that band for your entire enlistment as long as you didn't violate discipline badly enough to be re-assigned. We started after completing basic at E4 and after 4 months were promoted to E5. Most of us were E6 by the time we finished our first enlistment and those who re-enlisted generally were promoted fairly quickly to E7.

The hair wasn't an issue then - there were no women in the bands (they started being accepted shortly after I left). I wouldn't imagine women's hair would be an issue as long as you can make it go under the hat of a Class-A uniform.

Keep in mind, though, that no matter what your primary MOS is, you're part of the U.S. military and ultimately you do what you're told and go where you're sent. In "peacetime" a bandsman isn't likely to be sent anywhere dangerous - you'd be more of a danger to your fellow troops because your combat training would be only minimal.

Karl

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