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[Bob Leonard]

Times have changed. In Vietnam it really didn't matter what branch of service or what you did. If you were needed you went and did what you were told to do. I will agree there aren't many safer jobs, but I also know for a fact that an MCPO from the traveling navy band that stopped in Danang earned a purple heart when a 122mm rocket exploded and a piece of shrapnel blew through the shit house and hit the toilet he was sitting on. 

[Justice C. Bigler]

We had the President's Own Marine Band here a couple of years ago. I got to talk to the sound engineer for that group about his experience and how he got in. Basically, he got in through an audition process a year so out of college. He studied recording technology. And yes, he enlisted at the rank of sergeant, and didn't have to go through AIT since he already knew the stuff that he would need for his job. He had to go to basic training, and qualify annually, or semi annually at the rifle range. But he also wore khakis and a polo shirt while on duty. The band themselves wore nice civilian clothes, until show time, when they wore their dress uniforms.

The funny thing was that they had some Marines traveling with them who were not musicians or techs, basically, their stage hands. I asked their sound guy about them and he said that they were just normal Marines who enlisted and were sent to the band as their duty station. He also indicated that they were well meaning and tried hard, but they weren't the smartest guys in the Marine Corps. and were they guys that you wouldn't really want carrying a bunch of live ammo, firearms and explosives around you.

As the country transitions to a garrison military, serving in the bands is a pretty sure bet for safe service (unless Russia starts acting funny).

I would do it, and am fully qualified with the strong music and music theory background that I have. But, I turn 35 in June, and I can't drop enough weight by the audition date to make a plausible case to hire me. Though both of my brothers said that everything in the Army is Waiverable.

[Thomas Bishop]

After I posted my question I started doing some research, and now reading all of your experiences confirms that you would be an enlisted soldier.  No thanks.  Basic training?  Haha!

[Mark McFarlane]

After I posted my question I started doing some research, and now reading all of your experiences confirms that you would be an enlisted soldier.  No thanks.  Basic training?  Haha!

Thomas, Staff Sergeant is a noncommissioned officer (NCO) slot.  VERY different from entering the service as a grunt, and it is a position of respect.  Basic training is good if you come prepared to ignore the phsycological BS and just take it as a personal challenge to see what you can accomplish.

Personally I wouldn't write off an opportunity like this due to a 10 week intensive exercise class with sadistic personal trainers and getting an NCO job slot.  There may be other good reasons but these wouldn't rate high on my list of negatives.

[Doug Fowler]

We had the President's Own Marine Band here a couple of years ago. I got to talk to the sound engineer for that group about his experience and how he got in. Basically, he got in through an audition process a year so out of college. He studied recording technology. And yes, he enlisted at the rank of sergeant, and didn't have to go through AIT since he already knew the stuff that he would need for his job. He had to go to basic training, and qualify annually, or semi annually at the rifle range. But he also wore khakis and a polo shirt while on duty. The band themselves wore nice civilian clothes, until show time, when they wore their dress uniforms.

The funny thing was that they had some Marines traveling with them who were not musicians or techs, basically, their stage hands. I asked their sound guy about them and he said that they were just normal Marines who enlisted and were sent to the band as their duty station. He also indicated that they were well meaning and tried hard, but they weren't the smartest guys in the Marine Corps. and were they guys that you wouldn't really want carrying a bunch of live ammo, firearms and explosives around you.

As the country transitions to a garrison military, serving in the bands is a pretty sure bet for safe service (unless Russia starts acting funny).

I would do it, and am fully qualified with the strong music and music theory background that I have. But, I turn 35 in June, and I can't drop enough weight by the audition date to make a plausible case to hire me. Though both of my brothers said that everything in the Army is Waiverable.

That business of the President's Own Band members not being "real" Marines ruffles a lot of feathers.  Pass the audition and some other requirements and you're in.  I ain't down with it, but whatever.....

I know an audio guy in Chicago that was in one of the Marine division/air wing bands but he enlisted and took that MOS.  Different story, that.

[Justice C. Bigler]

That business of the President's Own Band members not being "real" Marines ruffles a lot of feathers.  Pass the audition and some other requirements and you're in.  I ain't down with it, but whatever.....

Not sure what you are referring to. All of the members of the President's Own had to go through basic training, and rifle qualification etc.. AFTER they passed a rigorous audition process. After Basic, they did their AIT in the Marine Band further honing their musical skills. They are Marines first, and the couple that I talked to, including their audio engineer all considered themselves  Marines and riflemen first, then band members.

[Brad Weber]

My sister played low brass in the United States Army Europe Band and Chorus.  She went through basic at Fort Jackson, through AIT at Little Creek and spent some time at Fort Leonard Wood (also known as Fort Lost in the Woods, Misery) as well as the time spent touring Europe out of Heidelberg, the USAREUR Band & Chorus base at that time.  She had to meet the standard physical and marksmanship qualifications.  Her seondary MOS was Military Police and they tried to get her to re-enlist for a CID assignment, which she actually considered until the realization dawned that most of the people she'd be investigating or arresting had weapons and had been trained to use them.

[Doug Fowler]

Not sure what you are referring to. All of the members of the President's Own had to go through basic training, and rifle qualification etc.. AFTER they passed a rigorous audition process. After Basic, they did their AIT in the Marine Band further honing their musical skills. They are Marines first, and the couple that I talked to, including their audio engineer all considered themselves  Marines and riflemen first, then band members.

Negative :-)

From an official web site (1st MarDiv Band):

Do Marine Musicians have to go through boot camp?
All Marine Musicians wishing to join either the U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps or one of the 12 Fleet Marine Corps Bands are required to attend Recruit Training, or Boot Camp. Recruit Training is held at one of the two Marine Corps Recruit Depots, San Diego, California or Parris Island, South Carolina. Members of the “President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band are not required to attend Recruit Training. 

IOW the regular Fleet bands' members go through recruit training and combat training, but the President's Own does not.  The guy I know was in one of the division bands IIRC.

President's Own members don't wear regular insignia, with a lyre replacing the crossed rifles.

[Bob Leonard]

Absolutely correct Doug. The presidents own is a hand picked group of musicians who were USMC uniforms because they look "snappy". Unless they're being taught how to kill you with a tuba there's not much to fear. There's also some resentment expressed by mud marines towards this group due to their being allowed to wear the same uniform, at least according to the grunts I know.

Also, for those that don't know, the expression "grunt" is a result of the sound most of us make when putting on an 80lb pack.
 
PS - The one exception is the drum major who is an enlisted gunnery Sgt. chosen from the one of the other enlisted bands.

[Doug Fowler]

Absolutely correct Doug. The presidents own is a hand picked group of musicians who were USMC uniforms because they look "snappy". Unless they're being taught how to kill you with a tuba there's not much to fear. There's also some resentment expressed by mud marines towards this group due to their being allowed to wear the same uniform, at least according to the grunts I know.

Also, for those that don't know, the expression "grunt" is a result of the sound most of us make when putting on an 80lb pack.
 
PS - The one exception is the drum major who is an enlisted gunnery Sgt. chosen from the one of the other enlisted bands.

Interestingly, the other Marine bands have a non-music duty: provide security for H&S Company for whatever unit they are attached to. 

[ProSoundWeb Community]