Posted by Sean Chisham on July 18, 2000 at 12:01:53:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Service Bands posted by Mike on July 18, 2000 at 11:22:24:
My wife got in last year, and I signed up this year. I can't honestly say I have been in long enough to give good input on what it is like. I am only on week 18 in my Army life and the first 10 were spent in Basic Combat Training. I am still getting used to the fact that I now get paid to perform. Notice I used the word "perform" and not "play music". Although there are musical standards, the show is the highest priority. Like most orchestras in the US, the meat and potatoes of the US military bands are Pops type performances. I don't believe it to be so much the case with the President's Own. John Cradler could correct me on that one.
As far as the soldiering aspect in the special bands, once you leave basic training, there is much less than in the regular army. You still have to salute officers while in uniform and say Sir and Mamm, but you'll most likely never wear your BDU's again. You won't fire a weapon again. No more foot marches. No more organized morning PT, unless you fail the 6 month PT test. You will never even touch constantine wire again. What I have been doing, at least here in the ceremonial band, is playing lotsa Sousaphone for full honors funerals and getting my chops back in shape from the 10 week layoff and the followup 3 weeks of no CC tuba, just F. Both myself and my wife spend a big part of our day practicing at home. It is such a relief to know we are getting paid to do what we want to do, namely play and practice.
sean chisham