Vanguard Cadets Announce Hiatus

[scheherazadesghost]

1 minute ago, TubaPlayer said:

To say I'm devastated for them and the members is an understatement.

Same. I'm fuming over here. Y'all're lucky I'm out in the remote desert.

1 minute ago, TubaPlayer said:

I just can't wrap my head around why they would completely put the program on hiatus.

I'm the first to stick up for the largely-alumni staff of the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets... that is, until I hear reports of members not getting enough food, bugs at the housing sites, staff implosions, and other issues disclosed to me that I'm not at liberty to share. If that's what's happening then the organization doesn't deserve what VC members bring to the table. I'm going to give some staffers the benefit of the doubt, hoping that they fought for what was right, but I have limited first hand knowledge of this.

I will say that I've been told by one alum that Vanguard often turns its back on some of its best people. That's alumni doing that to other alumni, folks...

This doesn't excuse pulling the rug out from under them, but it may ultimately be keeping individual MMs safer. If that's the case, then it was the right call. A "right-er" call would have been to give VC the TLC and resources the MMs deserve, but it's too late and VMAPA has to sleep in the bed they made. If alum are ######, they need to be able to handle that ethically, compassionately and fully, rather than leaning on the legal experts on their board alone or primarily. My interactions with them have not given me hope.

1 minute ago, Brian Tuma said:

That always bugged me. There is a corps director from a now defunct WI corps who would preach “class”. If you have to mention that you’re classy, you’re most likely not.

I can't tell you how refreshing this is to hear from another alum. Thank you. Myron would be proud.

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, scheherazadesghost said:

All good. Further disclosure if my own story depends only partially on concerns I've shared on this forum. Sure would help to have support from fellow alum in shifting my decision though *wink*. So far many of them are just as mum as the org.  @Jeff Ream is right, SC doesn't talk about Bruno.

Other disclosures are from witnesses and survivors dating back a ways and those folks haven't given me permission to share their stories. I don't break the trust they've given me, ever. 

The only other category of disclosure would be my direct interactions with leadership, which are relatively minimal. Again, I'd only share that with trustworthy alum first. Then, with their support, guidance and consent I may disclose.

oh i thought they didn't talk about #### #######.

 

and now #### you for putting that song in my head. my house finally escaped that hell last month

[scheherazadesghost]

1 minute ago, Jeff Ream said:

oh i thought they didn't talk about #### #######.

and now #### you for putting that song in my head. my house finally escaped that hell last month

My super bad, lol! It's a really appropriate metaphor so I've been slinging it around like candy.

To get rid of an earworm, I hum or sing a short, repeatable melody. Sometimes jingles are perfect like "Buy Menen." Disney earworms are the worst.

[TubaPlayer]

3 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

I'm the first to stick up for the largely-alumni staff of the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets... that is, until I hear reports of members not getting enough food, bugs at the housing sites, staff implosions, and other issues disclosed to me that I'm not at liberty to share. If that's what's happening then the organization doesn't deserve what VC members bring to the table. I'm going to give some staffers the benefit of the doubt, hoping that they fought for what was right, but I have limited first hand knowledge of this.

Instructional staff had been extremely vocal to the administration about making sure the members were safe and well taken care of. The one dragging their feet were closer to VMAPA than SCVC corps proper. I hope you're catching what I'm implying without going into too much detail. Frankly, the organization does not deserve what the members or the instructional staff bring to the table.

[scheherazadesghost]

2 minutes ago, TubaPlayer said:

Instructional staff had been extremely vocal to the administration about making sure the members were safe and well taken care of. The one dragging their feet were closer to VMAPA than SCVC corps proper. I hope you're catching what I'm implying without going into too much detail. Frankly, the organization does not deserve what the members or the instructional staff bring to the table.

I do and I'm so sorry I couldn't have stayed around to help with any of it. Enough closed doors in my face led me to throw my hands up.

[DFA1970]

11 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

both admitted the full season option was going to be a kind of every other year thing before that year. but BD seems to have fund revenue producing options few other corps have

I get that but news about these two corps touring or not touring seem to have been done in tandem. BDB and SCVC not touring in 2019 and only doing CA shows. Both BD and SCV not doing the tour in 2021. I sincerely hope this is not the case but it would not surprise me one bit.

[Hirsbrunner]

21 minutes ago, TubaPlayer said:

Barnhill was probably told to leave because he stuck out for us too much. And SCVC just won 5 of the last 7 seasons they've done a national tour. With one of the most consistent design staff and instructional staff from DCI top to bottom. To say I'm devastated for them and the members is an understatement. I just can't wrap my head around why they would completely put the program on hiatus.

I’m of the opinion that VMAPA has consistently made a string of terrible decisions. I feel immensely for the void that this creates within The activity and community.

 

I would like to point out, as someone who only had the opportunity to march the A corps, Barnhill seemed to continue the division between the A corps, admin, and Cadet Corps. Not saying that he started it, but in my years the attitude of “we’re more ‘Vanguard’ than the Vanguard A Corps is” only made him look antagonistic and self destructive for both corps within organization. The macho concept of being “Vanguard” or being “more Vanguard than (insert anything here)” was some of most negative experience I have being around either part of the organization. 

 

I admired his ability to run the corps properly, and advocate for his members, but in his efforts and the apathy of the organization, the divide continued between them. To some degree why would A corps be willing to work with such an antagonistic attitude (which, again, I acknowledge was probably initially started by the A corps side)?
 

Similarly the mindset of anti-Texas and out of state membership is destructive to the Cadet Corp’s cause. Drum corps is much long past a regional phase (though I agree there should be increased outreach within the Bay community). Please don’t rope the out-of-state alumni with the administration, we want the Vanguard Cadets to field a healthy summer tour if possible too. 

[Jeff Ream]

16 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

 

I will say that I've been told by one alum that Vanguard often turns its back on some of its best people. That's alumni doing that to other alumni, folks...

 

so this isn't just an east coast problem

[MarimbaManiac]

5 minutes ago, Hirsbrunner said:

I would like to point out, as someone who only had the opportunity to march the A corps, Barnhill seemed to continue the division between the A corps, admin, and Cadet Corps. Not saying that he started it, but in my years the attitude of “we’re more ‘Vanguard’ than the Vanguard A Corps is” only made him look antagonistic and self destructive for both corps within organization. The macho concept of being “Vanguard” or being “more Vanguard than (insert anything here)” was some of most negative experience I have being around either part of the organization. 

. 

I can 100% assure you that the division you saw was from the larger organization pulling away from the cadet corps, and its roots, than the cadet corps pulling away from the larger organization. 

Like I said, when the Rennicks came in they made it clear that they had no interest in grooming the cadets corps members for the A-Corps. We as staff had to encourage incredibly talented members to find a new home in another world class corps because they were dead set on having UNT be the new feeder organization. That mindset trickled through the organization, and the corps grew further apart due to their disinterest in the cadet corps. 

Barnhill worked to maintain the SCV mission of providing quality marching experiences for the bay area youth, and had to fight against the larger organization to do it at every turn. Someone above said, and I agree, that they should just change their name and officially move to Texas. With the loss of SCVC they are losing the majority of their connections with the local community.

[TubaPlayer]

4 minutes ago, Hirsbrunner said:

I’m of the opinion that VMAPA has consistently made a string of terrible decisions. I feel immensely for the void that this creates within The activity and community.

 

I would like to point out, as someone who only had the opportunity to march the A corps, Barnhill seemed to continue the division between the A corps, admin, and Cadet Corps. Not saying that he started it, but in my years the attitude of “we’re more ‘Vanguard’ than the Vanguard A Corps is” only made him look antagonistic and self destructive for both corps within organization. The macho concept of being “Vanguard” or being “more Vanguard than (insert anything here)” was some of most negative experience I have being around either part of the organization. 

 

I admired his ability to run the corps properly, and advocate for his members, but in his efforts and the apathy of the organization, the divide continued between them. To some degree why would A corps be willing to work with such an antagonistic attitude (which, again, I acknowledge was probably initially started by the A corps side)?
 

Similarly the mindset of anti-Texas and out of state membership is destructive to the Cadet Corp’s cause. Drum corps is much long past a regional phase (though I agree there should be increased outreach within the Bay community). Please don’t rope the out-of-state alumni with the administration, we want the Vanguard Cadets to field a healthy summer tour if possible too. 

I agree to an extent. He taught at SCV A for a good amount of years, and he was one of the people who kept Clowns alive within the organization. I don't know what exactly the motive is behind trying to divide us, but you can only take so much shortchanging of the corps you built. At least from what I remember, he called us "Santa Clara" because we were... mostly from Santa Clara. He called A corps "Vanguard". Everything else surrounding whatever being more Vanguard means, I have no clue. At least to me, SCVC and SCV were two very separate entities before he even said anything about that. Very few SCVC kids moved up to SCV, previously not by their choice, but now they've chosen to take their talents elsewhere.

There is no animosity specifically towards out-of-state members. But if you need locals volunteering and helping out and running bingo and doing things like the Parade of Champions, you'd hope that VMAPA would want to shift recruiting a little closer to home. It costs less, it sustains the future of the organization, it allows it to grow. There is a HUGE void in the current class and incoming classes of alumni who are involved with the corps due to this phenomenon.