USStuba04 wrote:the navy is paying out at least $35,000 for a few of the peoples school loans at the music school....
also... all in the "presidents own" are not marines.... civilians can audition for the spots and they dont go to boot camp...
and they get paid E-6 not E-7
As for the "not Marines" comment, it is untrue and I take great exception to it.
MGySgt John Cradler USMC
Tuba Section Leader, U.S. Marine Band
The military consists of all kinds, not just infantrymen who run around bayonets fixed screaming, "KILL!!!". Non-combat MOS's are as much a part of the military as combat MOS's.
No one in the Air Force "really" goes to basic training , but I would not say they are "not Airmen" because of that.
navyeuph wrote:I am stationed at Navy Band Mid-South in Memphis, TN (well just north of there actually). Yes, there is still a base here, although most people don't realize this.
Was the band downsized in recent times? How large is it, and is there still a jazz big-band?
Leland wrote:
That being said, if "doing the Marine thing" seems like it'll be fun, then
Then you either are off your rocker, or don't know what the "Marine thing" is...
Fun is not a word I'd use. EVER!
Semper Fi.
Hehe... Yup, definitely true. The people who go out of their way to approach a Marine recruiter in the first place are at least a little kooky (and those are the normal ones).
Ask about possible stations, and get in touch with band members there too see if you have a chance of going there.
Best single sentence of advice so far. Recruiters almost never know the important stuff about music MOS's, and stories & legends never really cover the true day-to-day existence of these bands. The people who are already there -- and NOT the ones whose job is to attract more new members -- are the people who will give you the straight scoop, who will explain why there is no "typical day" in a military band, and who will tell you what the recruiters gloss over.
I would say that if you're looking for the best playing situation, generally the Air Force is the way to go. If you're in it for the "goodies" I believe that the Navy is second only to the Army in "goodies" awarded to enlistees.
__
Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra and Auburn Symphony Orchestra
I auditioned for the Washington Marine Band when they played Mobile and was told by the director to call him when I completed boot camp and he would put in a request for me.The Vietnam war was heating up and upon completing boot camp I was sent to aircraft electricians school after being told the needs of the service come first.Working on jet fighters was exciting work so I did not kick up a fuss about not being a musician-especially after I found out the bandsmen were used as strecher bearers in combat areas.
The Fart Man
This information is from my Air Force field band days, circa 10+ years ago. Details may have changed a bit...
At that time, Air Force field bands comprised 1/4 of one percent of the total Air Force enlisted force structure. That small group, amazingly, held 70% of all the graduate degrees in the Air Force enlisted force structure. Now, you don't necessarily have to have a degree to enlist, but it gives you an idea of what the career field looks like (at least relative to the rest of the enlisted Air Force).
Average age coming in was 29-30, and almost everyone had varying amounts of college/professional training. As stated, you have to pass an audition and are hired with the understanding that you're fully qualified to perform your duties as a musician. Unless something radical happens, you know exactly where you're going post-boot camp.
My own highly personal observation was that music and the military are strange bedfellows. Sometimes you get a good commander, sometimes not. Daily life varies from one band to another (some are great, some not so great). Things can also change within the unit as personnel come and go, especially at the senior level.
During my time (90-94), I saw a lot of unbelievably talented cats come and go. My feeling at that time was that you had two types of folks in the career field - an old guard that "got in under the wire" when playing requirements were pretty lax, and another group of young guns, fresh out of college and busy professional careers, who were looking for a chance to play for pay and work towards some kind of retirement.
CLASH!!!
While you may be a musician first (and in practice, solely) in the Air Force, it's still a military gig. Another way of putting it might be to say that if you're not a very strong player, there are other things to excel at and be recognized for that don't involve playing your axe.
Not to say that everyone who'd been in a while couldn't hack it, but there sure were a fair number of them who, perhaps feeling intimidated, chose to "do the military thing" pretty heavily. This made life miserable for those troops who were quite happy to spend four to six hours a day in the practice room.
I saw an unbelievable amount of talent leak out of the career field in my four years. It was confluence of massive drawdowns in all branches of the service, career field instability, and bad times within the unit itself. There were a lot of guys who hated going into work every day, but with mouths to feed, free medical bennies, etc., they didn't feel as though they had any other choice but to wait it out and hope things would eventually change for the better. All in their heads? Wellllll.... doubtful. Maybe some of it was, but I saw a lot of frustrated faces every day at work. A lot.
So to the original query - Air Force vs. Navy - hmmmmm... If one's happiness is tied to music vs. military (higher ratio of music being good), and other branches of the service involve a whole lot of soldiering, then you might want to think about that.
when i posted that all are not marines...i meant that you dont have to be a marine to join the marine band...
civilians can audition as well... but do not have to go to bootcamp and are not trained like a marine... but to me they are still marines, just ones that have been hired by our country to serve in the greatest band in the world...its like telling me im not a real sailor because im an MU... still a sailor, but MUs have a specific job to do that you can not just train anyone to do in 6 months....
hope i cleared myself up there...
i have nothing but respect for each person serving in the marine band
USStuba04 wrote:but do not have to go to bootcamp and are not trained like a marine... but to me they are still marines,
I have great respect for the "President's Own", but I don't, personally, consider you a Marine unless you went through Paris Island. Ok, maybe I'll accept the "Hollywood Marines" too...
I'm sure there are many Marines in the group, but it's not required. I think it should be, but it's not. Same for any branch of service, If you don't go to boot camp, your not really in the service.
, but I would not say they are "not Airmen" because of that. 
