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I was just curious to how many Navy music guys were lurking around here. After 3 years of freelancing and private teaching in Dallas, and with a crapload of student loans from undergrad, and grad school in England my wife (who has been a middle school band director) and I decided that monetarily the military would be the wisest choice, and also I just can't wait around years for another premire job to open up while throwing money away at student loans. We both made the program and leave for basic in January, I know, Great Lakes will be unbearable that time a year especially for a home grown Texas boy. I was just wondering if any of the current or former Navy cats could give any tips about basic or the SOM or the job overal, both my wife and I are already set about going career so we can retire at 47. Thanks!

Karl

I'm not a Navy guy and don't even play one on TV but I live near a lot of Navy bases in the Seattle/Bremerton area.

You get to ride around in big gray boats and march down the street in cool white uniforms. You wear patent 'leather' shoes so you just wipe 'em off and don't really shine 'em. When the Army guys call you a Squid, you get to call them Groundpounders. "Anchors Away" is mainly whole notes so it is pretty easy.

Five men in my neighborhood growing up were in the Navy or the Merchant Marines in WWII so pea coats and black Navy sweaters were popular as well as wearing our Dad's dixiecup Navy hats. The pea coats were warm in the winter. Mine wore out thirty years ago but I still have my Dad's belt buckle with the anchor on it. My Mother would always buy me black oxford shoes and shame me into shining them by telling me "You wouldn't make it in the Navy like your father did with shoes like that. Shine them until you can see your face in them." I miss my Mother.

Good luck.

Having survived Navy boot camp almost 12 years ago (Jan 23-Apr 12 1996) here's the mantra that will allow you, as an MU, to make it through with your sanity intact:

NAVY= Never Again Volunteer Yourself

IMO, boot camp is about keeping a low profile--if you get on your RDC's (or whatever they're called now) bad side early on, you're going to be really strong when you leave Great Lakes from all the extra pushups/situps/8-count bodybuilders/etc...

That being said, when you get to your first duty station volunteer yourself for everything--in Navy Music that's the only way you'll ever get promoted.

Best of luck to you. PM me if you have specific questions.

MUC Jarrod Williams
Naval Academy Band

I was at Great Lakes in January waaaay back in 1965. I suspect it's still pretty darned cold there in January... despite Al Gore's 'global warming'!

jarrod.williams wrote:Having survived Navy boot camp almost 12 years ago (Jan 23-Apr 12 1996)

Man...was it that long ago?

Euphonium410 wrote: I plan on auditioning for the navy and army music programs once I graduate with my bachelors, and would really like to pursue military music as a career... any experienced military music veterans have any advice?

Try out for the "special" bands first, ie the DC bands. Also, if money is not your only concern, don't overlook the services that don't offer the best dollars and rank right off the bat. For your auditions, make sure you have all your major and minor scales down pat at a decent speed, and be able to sight-read your butt off.
Once in the service, be prepared to get at least some of your job satisfaction from freelancing on the side. 20+ years of J.P. Sousa marches can get a bit tiresome (if you're lucky, you'll play a few Alford or King marches, too).
Get in good shape, too. Pain is just weakness leaving your body. Good luck.

As always . . . YMMV.

usstuba04 <<<<<<<<<<< navy guy...

USStuba04 wrote:usstuba04 <<<<<<<<<<< navy guy...

Tell us about it. What's it like? Does the uniform help ya get chicks? I know the tuba must....

If you GONAVY and not GOARMY (a little solicitation there), try to get to the Bremerton/Bangor Navy Band. That part of the Pacific NW is a beautiful area to live and work. We here at Ft. Lewis do a lot of mass band and COMREL stuff with the Navy throughout the year. The Commander/Conductor in the Bremerton/Bangor Navy Band is a low brass guy, I believe.

I went to Great Lakes July August and Sept. 1977 It was hot back in the good old days when then ships were made of wood and the sailors were made into steel. Great lakes and basic training was nothing compaired to BUDS training (1st part of SEAL training) Now that was tough. 65 started 14 finished So have fun Join the Navy see the world. Dont forget to test the temp. of the ocean by sticking your finger into a WAVE. (wave =woman in the navy)