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Here's some navy questions for you:

1) Is this strictly a musical employment, or are members subject to other duties (such as those so well laid out by an above poster)?

2) I'm Canadian, can I join? Do I have to become a U.S. citizen?

GO ARMY!! Maybe I'll get to take out your appendix someday.

kontrabass wrote:Here's some navy questions for you:

1) Is this strictly a musical employment, or are members subject to other duties (such as those so well laid out by an above poster)?

All military members are subject to military duties and other standards such as physical fitness, weapon qualification, qualifying for a security clearance, and being drug free. Military schools involving leadership are expected before being promoted through the ranks.

kontrabass wrote:2) I'm Canadian, can I join? Do I have to become a U.S. citizen?

Legal residents can sign up for the US military. This means having a current green card, which all students should have. Members of the US military presently qualify for nearly instant US citizenship, although the paperwork may be daunting.

Matthew Kaufman wrote:...Talk to someone in the band rather than a recruiter to see what they actually do.

Absolutely. It's rare to ever find a recruiter that knows anything about bands besides that they have instruments.

At the other end of the extra-duty spectrum, the 1st Marine Division Band is over in Iraq right now, doing perimeter guard duty. It's not too often that they pick up their instruments now, but they still have the occasional ceremony to perform.

I am certainly grateful for all of those who serve in the guard/reserves. But when I left "active duty (1995-1999)," I declined to join the guard.

You may not realize this but in terms of stress and time commitment there is no longer much of a difference in the Guard/Reserves/Active Duty. A huge number of "citizen-soldiers(sailers, airmen, marines)" are currently deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia. . . If you want to serve, I would strongly suggest opting for active duty: you know what you're in for, you don't have to worry about negotiating a civilain job during "drill" and deployments etc. I truly do not know how those currently serving in the Guard/Reserves manage to deal with the absolute unpredictability of the current usage of guard and reserve units.

When I was in basic training the drill sergeants used to joke that National Guard meant "No go [to war]." While this may have been true for many people in the 70s it is no longer an accurate portrayal of the use of our guard amd reserves.

Hooah! (that's for you Army guys)

I would look into the AF Band program. One thing to think about is that after basic you DO NOT have to go to technical trainig school. You report directly to the band. You are not trained in any thing else outside the band. Yes you will do additional duties around the squadron but they will be for the band.

The AF Band program has 8 stateside bands and four overseas bands


Good luck

Albert Islas, SMSgt, USAF
Tubist, USAF Band, Washington, DC