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This is it! DCI Finals 2014


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What's up with the sound? Can barely hear the drums.

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Besides appearing at shows like this, what exactly is the purpose of the Marine's drum and bugle corps?

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Besides appearing at shows like this, what exactly is the purpose of the Marine's drum and bugle corps?

Community outreach and public relations mostly. Same for the Silent Drill Team. They don't have a troop support mission like other military bands, or a White House support mission like the President's Own. All military bands do community support and public relations as part of their mission, but for the Commandant's Own, that's pretty much exclusively what they do.

Edited by Kamarag
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Besides appearing at shows like this, what exactly is the purpose of the Marine's drum and bugle corps?

"The Commandant's Own,"The United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps performs martial and popular music for hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Comprised of over 85 Marine musicians, dressed in ceremonial red and white uniforms, it is known world-wide as a premier musical marching unit.
Throughout the summer months the unit performs in the traditional Evening Parades held at Marine Barracks Washington, and in the Sunset Parades at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. The Drum & Bugle Corps travels more than 50,000 miles annually, performing in nearly 500 events across the nation and abroad.
The history of the unit can be traced to the early days of the Marine Corps. In the 18th and 19th centuries military musicians, or "field musics," provided a means of passing commands to Marines in battle formations. The sound of various drum beats and bugle calls could be easily heard over the noise of the battlefield and signaled Marines to attack the enemy or retire for the evening. Through the 1930's, Marine Corps posts were still authorized a number of buglers and drummers to play the traditional calls and to ring a ship's bell to signal the time.
The United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps was formed in 1934 to augment the United States Marine Band. The unit provided musical support to ceremonies around the nation's capitol and, during World War II, was tasked with Presidential support duties. For this additional role, they were awarded the scarlet and gold breast cord by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, which they still proudly display on their uniform.
When the war ended, the Drum & Bugle Corps resumed performing at various military and public ceremonies.
In the early 1950s the unit gained considerable acclaim performing for an increasing number of civilian audiences. Music composed specifically for their unique selection of instruments helped establish their reputation for excellence during this period. These factors also led to the unit's formal designation as "The Commandant's Own”—a title noting their unique status as musicians for the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
In the tradition of their "field music" predecessors, these musicians in "The Commandant's Own" are Marines in the truest sense of the word. Every enlisted member is a graduate of Marine Corps recruit training and is trained in basic infantry skills. Prior to enlisting, each Marine must pass a demanding audition for service in the Drum & Bugle Corps. Following Recruit Training and Marine Combat Training, the Marines are assigned to "The Commandant's Own."
The unit travels the world along with the United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon and the Official Color Guard of the Marine Corps as the United States Marine Corps Battle Color Detachment.
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Community outreach and public relations mostly. Same for the Silent Drill Team. They don't have a troop support mission like other military bands, or a White House support mission like the President's Own. All military bands do community support and public relations as part of their mission, but for the Commandant's Own, that's pretty much exclusively what they do.

Is it a full time gig, or are the members in other ensembles too? How often do they perform?
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