DCI and Leadership

[TheTrombologist]

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!!

Edited November 3, 2015 by TheTrombologist

[BRASSO]

Short blub: ok... you've asked for " personal experience " of us here, so allow be to ( pardon the pun) " blow my own horn " here on some personal development, leadership development that participation in Drum Corps provided to me... and could potentially for you as well, as a result :

My experience in Drum Corps prior to my military service allowed me to adjust to Military Service life like a duck takes to water. Basic Training was a piece of cake ( compared to others my age ). I was tip top shape. I was confident,yet could take neccessary discipline for the betterment of my unit. I was adaptable on the fly, loved my military unit, was patriotic, knew long hours, was highly motivated to be part of a group that wanted to make our platoon, and company the best in our mix. I was a lean, mean, fighting machine.

Later, after college, I went back and marched in a Military Drum & Bugle Corps. My experiences in Junior ( and Senior ) Drum & Bugle Corps as a DM, coupled with my Military prior service, allowed me to become the Drum Major of that Military Drum & Bugle Corps unit for several years. I learned how to utilize the mace as DM there, and my participation and leadership abilities with this unit allowed me to travel to some great places and meet some wonderful people, including well known state and national dignitaries. While my experiences of Junior Drum Corps participation were just a few years before the formation of DCI, my experiences of life lessons learned would not be much different than today's DCI young marchers, imo... and oh, by the way.. I was not a good student in H.S.. I never really applied myself there. But in my mid 20's, after my DC and military experience, I went back to school a more confident lad. I graduated with Honors, got a Masters Degree, and taught H.S. History for several years( received tenure ) at the H.S. in which I was once such a terrible D student. Later I left the field of Education, and opened up a successful business... one that I intend to pass along to my children soon. It was my participation in Drum Corps in my formative years however that gave me the leadership tools I needed to make my military, college, education, business career hum. And I've been happily married now for 40 years to the same beautiful woman. I could have easily gone down the wrong road however when I was a teenager( as some of my peers did ). But Drum Corps was a game changer for me, especially in developing, and later fine tuning the personal leadership abilities that you are asking about here. Others here can add in how the Music training in todays DCI Corps is top notch too.

Edited November 3, 2015 by BRASSO

[drumcorpsfever]

Best advice I can give you here is to reach out to the director of the corps that you are interested in marching with. All directors that I have known over the years have had a stock letter that provides the benefits, values, education aspects of the drum corps experience. Directors regularly provide such letters to students for schools, fund-raising, community communication, and organization-mission type statements. I am sure they would help you.

[Ghost]

What has been typed above is all great proof about what a DCI experience does for a person. One concern is what you may be missing if you're not on the ship learning your future job even if it's not going to be a career.

[TheTrombologist]

What has been typed above is all great proof about what a DCI experience does for a person. One concern is what you may be missing if you're not on the ship learning your future job even if it's not going to be a career.

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.

[Tim K]

My thought: the best advice would come from those who marched who attended West Point, Annapolis, or Air Force Academy, perhaps the Commendant's Own for a comparison. Drum Corps is rigorous, no question, and not for the faint of heart, and the physical stamina and mental requirements could be on a par, but the academies have certain pieces as part of their goals and agenda. You could be missing quite s bit by having an alternative experience, but the only ones who can speak with any certainty about this issue are those who have experienced these things.

BTW: if you are not excused and cannot march drum corps, make sure you let DCP know. You will be an example of the sacrifice that those in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Maines, and Coast Guard make, often in ways we don't see.

[ScottPREuph]

I'm not sure what the Coast Guard Adacemy summer commitment is. I was an NROTC Mid. and completed my Freshman cruise in Norfolk in June and was able to march the rest of the summer with the Troopers in 2000. Granted I was a 3 year vet so I had some negotiation leeway.

[JimF-LowBari]

Wish I had some advice but enjoying the information being given here about Academy/ROTC commitments. Never served but have worked for the Navy 30+ years now as a civilian employee. Worked with Annapolis grads and know that the Admiral Taussing(sp?) gate at Norfolk is 305 miles from my house (think I've been there enough times?). So interesting to me....

Edited November 4, 2015 by JimF-LowBari

[glory]

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.

I love drum corps as much as anyone, which is why I can say this:

You're kidding us, right? Comparing the leadership lessons in the hornline of a drum corps to the front lines of of the Coast Guard is trying to make a bassoon sound like a baritone.

Of course you can learn leadership in drum corps. No doubt. You could also learn leadership in State U. marching band. Or at State U. frat house. But so what? You're not investing in a Coast Guard Academy to learn just any leadership lesson. You are invested in the Coast Guard Academy for an enhanced leadership opportunity.

The summer cruise is an integral part of that nautical and leadership education. If you spend a summer in drum corps, what's your fall semester going to be like? Your classmates are going to be talking about interdicting drug shipments, boarding vessels suspected of smuggling terrorist cargoes or saving sailors in storm-tossed rescues. And you're going to be talking about the great job your team did packing the food truck? Drum corps absolutely has lessons to impart on team dynamics. No way can those lessons compare with what comes at sea from conflict and danger.

No offense, but I hope the academy turns you down. Drum corps is great. What you are about to undertake in the Coast Guard is so much greater. Get on that cruise. And thank you for stepping up on behalf of all of us.

HH

[Tuba1919]

A member of my contra section in '96 marched and he was in the Naval Academy at the time (it was the year after his plebe summer). Not sure how exactly he worked that out, but he did.