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The Troopers, the American Legion, and a Rebuttal


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That would be the 11th Ohio Cavalry to be exact!!

Thus their "Magnificent 11" show last year with its eleven different "11" formations.

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A little about how Troopers got their name....

James E. "Jim" Jones, a Casper, Wyoming building contractor and a veteran of the World War II United States Army Air Forces founded the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps in 1957 as an activity for local youth. He decided to name the new corps the Troopers to honor the 11th Ohio Cavalry, a United States Army unit stationed at Fort Caspar, Wyoming Territory, to protect supply trains during the Indian Wars of the 19th Century.

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the Troopers had this "identity" issue years ago. I think if anything, making finals in 09, then bombing for a few years after hurt them. Last year they made the almost miraculous run at the last finals spot, and this year not far out. the identity isnt the issue as I see it...it's retention. keep staff. keep kids. when you do that good things happen

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Right. So I think it's important to directly confront the pernicious critique that Troop is a museum piece and thus not worth an audition. The danger is that too many kids will believe it.

That attitude towards this corps is not really going to go until they move away from continuously doing American music. It's considered "uncool" (heck, I somewhat have that type of sentiment too deep down...) and "historical" etc.

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By the looks of the numbers that have auditioned the past few years, the numbers of the program and the amount of kids that still want to be a part of the tradition of the Troopers.....i.e., playing American Music, the "old style" or still original look of the corps, the history, etc..... their is something to be said about the way they have kept to their traditions through all the changes drum corps has taken over the past 20 years or so. Something that I noticed this past year was that the staff and design team are continuing to develop the program to move forward....All sections are improving.....I would suggest it is hard to say that the corps is a "museum piece" unless you are within the corps, have been around the corps and really know what it means to the kids to be a Trooper!!

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Right. So I think it's important to directly confront the pernicious critique that Troop is a museum piece and thus not worth an audition. The danger is that too many kids will believe it.

Was this actually said anywhere? I could take the post you linked as saying people in 1977 could enjoy the show just like people in 2014. Seriously unless there is another post buried somewhere this could be taken in different ways and you took it as an insult and it was off to the races on DCP.

And again this was written by a person who marched in 1977, not a "kid". Yet some of the posts here make it sound like a younger person wrote it.

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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I love the passion iwith the OP!

BUT.......(LOL) all this analyzing for drum corps? I thought we did some weird things back in the 70's but some of you topped us by far!

Has anyone done a test on the loudness of Bb vs. G bugles? How many rudiments are played 1976 vs today?

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All I have to say is so... so what... so the Troopers want to be on the side of traditional drum corps. I want variety in my drum corps. I like that a corps has a style. I don't want every corps to be the same so I am watching the same thing up and through the top 12 even.

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