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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => The Basement => Topic started by: Tim Hite on May 14, 2021, 01:53:22 AM
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Info is here:
https://www.music.af.mil/Auditions/Upcoming-Vacancies/
It's a steady job with solid musicians. Not much military stuff going on other than wearing uniforms to work. Requires a 4-year active duty commitment, but you can more or less be done after that point. Has a steady paycheck and fair amount of travel for shows. I've worked with one of the USAF bands when I sold them a a video wall and got a bit of the inside scoop from the band members. Lots of good music going on and a fairly busy calendar.
Probably one of the most stable jobs in pro audio. Lots of perks, too.
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Probably one of the most stable jobs in pro audio. Lots of perks, too.
Hey Boss, can I borrow an A-10 for the weekend? I've got this neighbor........... ;D
Chris,
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Info is here:
https://www.music.af.mil/Auditions/Upcoming-Vacancies/
It's a steady job with solid musicians. Not much military stuff going on other than wearing uniforms to work. Requires a 4-year active duty commitment, but you can more or less be done after that point. Has a steady paycheck and fair amount of travel for shows. I've worked with one of the USAF bands when I sold them a a video wall and got a bit of the inside scoop from the band members. Lots of good music going on and a fairly busy calendar.
Probably one of the most stable jobs in pro audio. Lots of perks, too.
That would be an excellent job opportunity - here's my story.
I got a call in 1987 from the California Air National Guard base in Fresno to provide audio reinforcement for the Air Force Band at the annual base open house. I told them sure, I'd do the job and at a reduced rate as it was for a community open house and I was in fact a former member of the unit from 1972-1978. A couple of week pass and on the Saturday morning of the event, I load up a pole mount setup with dual 12's per side and headed out to the base which was on the corner of the airport complex. I drove up to one of the gates and identified myself as instructed, and security opened the gate and I proceeded down to the flightline area. As soon as I transitioned from the roadway to the tarmac in front of the hangers I knew immediately that I needed to come back there.
Did the show, the Air Force Band sounded great. Monday afternoon I was in the recruiters office - I believe I was sworn back into service that Thursday under Commander in Chief Ronald Reagan. First enlistment was Food Service as lots and lots of people were hiding out from the Viet Nam war draft. At that time the guard units were overstaffed. The second 1987 enlistment I got my career field preference of Avionics. After just under a year of full time avionics training, I landed a job in the avionics shop at the base in 1989 to help out during the transition from the F-4D Phantom to the Block 15 OCU/ADF F-16. After working about 6 months in the avionics shop running the Automatic Test Stations, the General Dynamics Field Engineering Reps showed up. After working with two of them in the ATE backshop, they approached me about working for GD. I gave them my resume, was setup for an interview and flown to Fort Worth. In September I got a pretty good job offer for a spot as a Field Service Engineer and I accepted it.
At the tail end of the 31yr career in defense aerospace that's been good to me. 15 years F-16 field service and mods, 6 years on the F-22 program doing avionics mods, much of it the field leading a team - spent a year and a half of that time in Panama City Florida at Tyndall AFB, and now year 11 on the F-35 program working in project engineering. Traveled many places, both stateside and overseas.
Currently transitioning back into professional audio. :)
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I don't know if you'd stay there, but San Antonio is not a bad place to live! It's on the edge of some of the most beautiful parts of Texas.
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I don't know if you'd stay there, but San Antonio is not a bad place to live! It's on the edge of some of the most beautiful parts of Texas.
There are two postings, one is for regional bands, which could wind you up on one of several places. The other is for the USAF Academy band in Colorado Springs, which is a gorgeous place to live and work.
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There are two postings, one is for regional bands, which could wind you up on one of several places. The other is for the USAF Academy band in Colorado Springs, which is a gorgeous place to live and work.
Weird. The auditions seemed to be at Lackland. I have no idea how the military works.
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Weird. The auditions seemed to be at Lackland. I have no idea how the military works.
Every service branch has it's own premier band and other regional or field bands. Some serve overseas on deployments, others never leave the CONUS. They routinely do auditions all over the country to allow easier access to the best musicians graduating from music school.
Some of the bands require you go to basic training and have an alternate MOS. Other's like the President's Own Marine Band and Pershing's own Army Band are exempt from basic training and only have to meet the physical fitness standards. In those bands your organization teaches you the fundamentals of military structure and etiquette, etc...
Not serving has been one of my biggest regrets. I was actively looking into it 17 years ago. But the recruiter was pushing me to go into intelligence as an interrogator. I wasn't having it. If I were 10 years younger I would do it.
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I have no idea how the military works.
And the military intends to keep it that way... ;) ;D ;D ;D
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And the military intends to keep it that way... ;) ;D ;D ;D
Lol.
I broke my leg when I was 8 and it healed back a little off-kilter. I was never considered eligible when it was presented to me. I hear they are a little more lenient now. Looking back the military would have been excellent for me. It was for my oldest brother for sure. Most of my HS friends joined the Air Force too.
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Looking back the military would have been excellent for me. It was for my oldest brother for sure. Most of my HS friends joined the Air Force too.
It is a very good way to get a solid supply Spam. ;) Or at least it used to be :'(
I know the people of Austin, Minnesota would like to thank the armed services for the support and patronage over the years. ;D
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Weird. The auditions seemed to be at Lackland. I have no idea how the military works.
If you look at the left column, the positions open for the premier bands are listed. Center is regional bands and you will likely end up somewhere other than Lackland, which happens to be centrally located.
USAF Band of the Golden West is up at Travis AFB between Sacramento and SF, for instance.
I'm working with a few Former Marines now, and they have nothing but good to say about the bands in that branch.
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That would be an excellent job opportunity - here's my story.
I got a call in 1987 from the California Air National Guard base in Fresno to provide audio reinforcement for the Air Force Band at the annual base open house. I told them sure, I'd do the job and at a reduced rate as it was for a community open house and I was in fact a former member of the unit from 1972-1978. A couple of week pass and on the Saturday morning of the event, I load up a pole mount setup with dual 12's per side and headed out to the base which was on the corner of the airport complex. I drove up to one of the gates and identified myself as instructed, and security opened the gate and I proceeded down to the flightline area. As soon as I transitioned from the roadway to the tarmac in front of the hangers I knew immediately that I needed to come back there.
Did the show, the Air Force Band sounded great. Monday afternoon I was in the recruiters office - I believe I was sworn back into service that Thursday under Commander in Chief Ronald Reagan. First enlistment was Food Service as lots and lots of people were hiding out from the Viet Nam war draft. At that time the guard units were overstaffed. The second 1987 enlistment I got my career field preference of Avionics. After just under a year of full time avionics training, I landed a job in the avionics shop at the base in 1989 to help out during the transition from the F-4D Phantom to the Block 15 OCU/ADF F-16. After working about 6 months in the avionics shop running the Automatic Test Stations, the General Dynamics Field Engineering Reps showed up. After working with two of them in the ATE backshop, they approached me about working for GD. I gave them my resume, was setup for an interview and flown to Fort Worth. In September I got a pretty good job offer for a spot as a Field Service Engineer and I accepted it.
At the tail end of the 31yr career in defense aerospace that's been good to me. 15 years F-16 field service and mods, 6 years on the F-22 program doing avionics mods, much of it the field leading a team - spent a year and a half in Panama City Florida at Tyndall AFB, and now year 16 on the F-35 program working in project engineering. Traveled many places, both stateside and overseas.
Currently transitioning back into professional audio. :)
I had similar experience; that is, working avionics. I worked on RF-4C, F-16, and F-111. Now I work at the first F-35 operational wing in the USAF.
I imagine the audio engineer job in the USAF is a good gig. They start you out as a Technical Sergeant (E-6), which is pretty good. Lots of benefits.