TheTrombologist

I don't think I will have too big of an issue getting liberty in order to attend the monthly rehearsal camps, and my finals are over before move in day. I've thought about DCA, but since that summer is the year I would age out of DCI it's my one shot, and if I'm jumping through all the red tape to make it happen I figure go big or go home! And, unfortunately, because of how the summer works, I don't see myself being able to do both regular summer training and DCA, even with the lessened time commitment.

My original plan was actually to take a sabbatical for the summer, which basically means I would not be a cadet for the summer, march DCI, return to cadet status in the fall and continue the school year normally and make up the summer training/underway time at a later date. My training officer presented me with the possibility of using DCI as the training itself, but after hearing your comments I definitely will have to think about that more.

Our summers consists of 11 weeks of training, which starts at just around move-in day for most corps, and 3 weeks of leave, so unfortunately I wouldn't be able to do something like that. That's pretty awesome that you were able to make that work though!

Phantom: Spartacus Crown: For the Common Good Cadets: Between Angels and Demons

I have thought about that, but not everyone actually goes out to a cutter that summer. A good number a people actually do internships at different places unrelated to the Coast Guard; a few cadets even interned at NASA and the CIA last year, which is probably what I would do if this doesn't work out. I also intend to become a pilot, so a summer learning the job of a cutter wouldn't be 100% applicable to my career either. All in all I feel like DCI is more valuable to me than a few extra weeks afloat, but I could be wrong.

Hey everyone, I have a huge request for anyone willing to help me. So I'm a cadet at the United States Coast Guard Academy. I thought I would have to give up my dream of marching with a DCI corps after I decided to come here, because every summer we have additional training that takes up the entire summer. However, after talking to the Cadet Training Officer, he may be willing to let me use DCI as my summer training for the summer of 2017 if I'm able to convince him that it would give me just as much leadership and personal development as normal summer training would! For context, my training for that summer would likely consist of spending 11 or so weeks on a Coast Guard Cutter and basically pretending to be a junior officer. So here's were y'all come in, I hope. I know that DCI would be something that would be hugely influential in my life and my development, but having never marched with a corps I don't really have the examples to back it up. If anyone out there is willing, I would be extremely grateful if you could write some kind of statement or blurb about how Drum Corps has made you a better person, a better leader, anything I can use to convince him to let me do this. I'm hoping to assemble a collection of as many testimonies from as many people as possible to present to him and prove that this would be a worthwhile summer experience for me. If there are any military members out there that might be able to relate your DCI experience to your military career, that would be incredibly helpful as well! I know that none of you know who I am and this really has no effect on you, but if you could take just a minute and write me anything, no matter how long, any little bit will help and I would be eternally grateful!!