Military Bands

The whole band thing has baffled me.. if you are proficient with an instrument and enlist you come in as an e-6 I believe. That is nuts!!!
 
Bullet and I went to an R.A.A.F ball at Bolling AFB about a month ago. We were serenaded by the AF Strings for about 10 minutes while we ate! They did a great job, but absolutely no reason we should pay tax dollars for their existence, it made no impact on the night.

I give her credit for axing these programs. I only hope that the 82nd AB acapella will still be funded. They are different from what I was told when we were there at Bragg. They try out for the group and it is a 1 time assignment. After that assignment they go back to the OP world. No career opportunity to stay forever singing.

I remember seeing them at every event/ ball, and I was wowwed when they entered and sang this:
Different group, but you get the idea.

After they sang they acknowledged every division that they came from and are basically on loan for 1 assignment Unlike Tops in Blue where that is their career!

If you can ever see the 82nd AB chorus, see them!
 
The whole band thing has baffled me.. if you are proficient with an instrument and enlist you come in as an e-6 I believe. That is nuts!!!

They just stay in the band, so it's not like they move around as an E-6.

To have as many bands as the services have is a waste.
 
I love them all, bands and choral groups, but they are sacred cows whose funding should be diverted elsewhere in the personnel and healthcare accounts. Maybe not all of them... my desert island band would be The President's Own.
 
LITS is correct...they do not move around, unlike the 82nd acapella. They are assigned as a career to the WH.

Between 2003 and 2010 I was a Realtor in No. VA. I represented several of these members. To say I was disgusted by their schedule/perks is an understatement.
~ 1 of my clients entered as an E5, prior to entering she worked on a cruise ship. Her duty day was 10 to 4 and was home by 5 to make money by teaching students the saxophone. Deployment was for her a 2-3 week tour visiting bases where nobody would show up for the free concerts, but yet she made TDY pay.
~ Another was selling since he was retiring after 20 yrs., and never ever moved in his 20 yrs.
~ Another was buying up because he was getting promoted and after owning that home for 10 years, and knowing they would not move him he wanted to buy their "FINAL" home because they knew he would not move again.

I wish we would kill the bands, but it will never happen. Why? Because it comes down to the Dog and Pony Show for functions. When China comes and gets their meet and greet on the front lawn of the WH it will be expected to have 1 of these bands for the pomp and circumstance. Same with the State or Defense Dept.

Great thought, but it is naive to think that any President or Secretary of State/Defense will not strong arm Congress/Senate to keep the bands alive. You have a better chance cutting someone from their staff than cutting this or their floral budget. Just keep saying Dog and Pony show! It is all about image.
 
I can understand a single band, but the number of bands is what gets me.
 
It's been a while...well a long while, since I was involved in the National Honor Guard world but I imagine the Bands are pretty much the same now as they were then.

The National Service Bands, the ones that musicians audition for, are based in DC. These are the bands that members audition and enlist as E-6 and remain in the band for their entire time in the military. Nearly all these members have at least a Masters in Music and are accomplished musicians, the reason for the higher rank upon enlistment. The Army for example has several bands, and vocal groups, often the members will do double duty in more then one group. This would include everything from the Full Honors Concert Band to the Trumpeters that line the Portico of the White House during Full Honors Ceremonies. I have a feeling these bands will stay around.

When the article talks about there being 137 bands I do not doubt they are including the local Base Bands, these are not part of the National Band program but still fall under the same funding. These bands are not a musician for life type of band, they are usually staffed by service members from each base. For example, if you visit the Arizona Memorial and the Missouri you'll sometimes see and hear a band playing on the stern of the ship, this is not a National Band, it is a band made up of local sailors stationed at Pearl.

I would imagine the bulk of the budget is spent on the national bands since they do tour the country performing concerts. I would agree that there needs to be a tighening of the belt when it comes to all the local bands as well as looking at how the National Bands are used.
 
Look up Max Impact...

(I support A band per service for funerals at Arlington and state events.)

Exactly. The Coast Guard has one band. Members of that band can be pulled to do other things (jazz, string quartet, etc.).


On a side note, the Coast Guard Band is out of New London, Conn. There have been talks to move it to DC, but it doesn't look like those talks have give anywhere.
 
Look up the new "Force Of The Future" initiative from Mr. Carter. Civilians in critical fields (for example cyber) may enter with grade up to O-6 or enlisted E-7. This will not go over well with those in the Up or Out.
 
Look up the new "Force Of The Future" initiative from Mr. Carter. Civilians in critical fields (for example cyber) may enter with grade up to O-6 or enlisted E-7. This will not go over well with those in the Up or Out.

It looks like the proposal includes more flexibility in regard to Up or Out, giving service members more time in grade before promotions for education or special training. I have a feeling that those civilians that are given O-6 or E-7 will be at the top of their fields and wouldn't doubt that a majority will be Reserve or NG. Just my opinion and water cooler rumors.
 
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