Navy vs. Army Band questions: Please read before responding!

[JHardisk]

Wow... I did not expect the response I've gotten, both quantity and tone it's taken. I've been sick for a while and haven't had a chance to keep up with TubeNet, so pardon my absence.

First, by my posting I was not in any way looking to instigate another TubeNet argument. I just wanted some folks to be able to answer questions my student might have about the pros and cons of a military gig in their respective service, without the influence of a recruiter.

By asking for current members, I was not trying to isolate anyone from their opinions or experiences. I know, because I am active duty that things change often, and quickly.

I do appreciate very much the willingness from all the people who've pm'ed me. I'm going to sort through some stuff and get back with everyone next week when I have down time at Midwest.

Again, thanks so much for the overwhelming responses!


As a side item... John Rider.. it is great to see you off and posting on TubeNet! For those of you who didn't gather, John is somewhere in the Middle East right now, defending our country with his Hirsbrunner Howitzer F tuba. He'll miss the holidays with his family. Think of him when you're sitting down to eat a nice holiday dinner, and he's freezing his butt off in some mountainous place that ends in -istan. John, we miss you guys dearly, and hope for nothing buy safe travels while you're over there. And you'd better come back unscathed... I need someone to talk to during ceremonies and our hacking is really sliding down the backside!

[LoyalTubist]

Is this the case for the USCG Band?

If Uncle Sam is paying, your doing the saying.

Chuck

Wrong...

The Coast Guard band does not require military training. There is only one Coast Guard band, located on the campus of the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Now this doesn't exempt one from believing in the cause of the military. You can still be booted out for dereliction of duty. But you won't be thrown in harm's way. The same can be said about the Marine Band in Washington, DC. As far as I know, the other bands all require their members to go through military training. Correct me if I am wrong.

[greatk82]

Is this the case for the USCG Band?

If Uncle Sam is paying, your doing the saying.

Chuck

Wrong...

The Coast Guard band does not require military training. There is only one Coast Guard band, located on the campus of the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Now this doesn't exempt one from believing in the cause of the military. You can still be booted out for dereliction of duty. But you won't be thrown in harm's way. The same can be said about the Marine Band in Washington, DC. As far as I know, the other bands all require their members to go through military training. Correct me if I am wrong.

I believe, correct me if I am wrong, that what is being said is that every military member does an Oath Of Enlistment.

[LoyalTubist]

I mentioned this in a round about way. All I was saying is that you won't have to use something you weren't trained to use, namely a weapon of any kind.

[Chuck Jackson]

I mentioned this in a round about way. All I was saying is that you won't have to use something you weren't trained to use, namely a weapon of any kind.

Dude, you need to come home.

Everyone, ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE, who serves in any branch of the military in any capacity that requires them to wear a uniform, whether or not they attend basic, takes an enlistment oath to defend and uphold the constitution. EVERYONE who does this immediately falls under the Uniform Code of Military Justice even if you don't shoot at other functioning human beings. I'll say it again:

If Uncle Sam is paying, you do the saying.

Chuck

[LoyalTubist]

I am home. I have known folks in the Coast Guard Band in Connecticut and the Marine Band in DC. They do not serve in combat.

[Brucom]

I served five years, seven months and 20 days in Air Force bands (Jan 11, 1974 through Aug 31, 1979).

Top Ten reasons to join (or not) the AF Band:

11. The GI Bill. (I'm an OSU grad, from the Big Televen.)
10. At that time, there were many draft dodgers in AF bands.
9. Basic Training was six weeks of aerobics, first aid and UCMJ training.
8. One song had it's title in the past tense: The Air Force Blue.
7. The Keesler band played lots of Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. (Drinking in formation, topless girls wandering through our formation, The French Quarter, etc.)
6. Recruitment concerts in the high school gyms were a great place to meet girls just a little younger than we were.
5. As soon as you made E-4 you were off the loading crew.
4. Boondoggle from the Panama Canal Zone to Machu Pichu to take pictures of the band.
3. Boondoggles to most of the rest of Central and South America to bring back a C-130 full of souvenirs.
2. The day we played "Retreat" at base HQ and one of the band members took a dump down his pantsleg and left a steaming pile in front of the HQ building.
1. The day I became a civilian again gave me an amazing feeling of freedom that I will remember forever.

(The UCMJ has a statute of limitations, right?)