Marines Getting New Horns

[oldbaritone]

Okay, no offense, Semper Fi and all that.

As to the 2 valve G horns...I still think that the Drum and Bugle corps would like to be distinct from the Bands. And, after hearing the Marine D&B in Harrisburg, there's a lot of music in 2 valve G horns.

Maybe you are referring to the Presidant's Own Band.  Members of this band are not even Marines for the most part.  Most of them are civilians.

The Commandant's Own D&B is made up of Marines, so of course they go to boot camp. 

Members of all of the Marine Corps field bands stationed across the country are also Marines and also went to boot camp.

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[aubie]

Maybe you are referring to the Presidant's Own Band.  Members of this band are not even Marines for the most part.  Most of them are civilians.

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This is not true... <**>

As for the D&B, I'm sure the new horns will sound great in the "new" building, once renovations are finished. :)

[KCWolfPck]

Well, I've been wrong before. Being a member of a USMC field band for several year, that was the impression I had.

They don't wear the same rank insignia. We know that. They don't go through boot camp. The don't go to MCT (Marine Combat Training). They have no technical mission. Do they have yearly training requirements like all Marines do (rifle, PFT, etc...)??? Do they compete for promotion against other Marines????

I do know that they are required to maintain the USMC Ht & Wt standards.

Seriously, if I'm wrong.....fill me in. Do they sign contracts (4 yrs) like Marines do? Could they quit if they wanted to??

[usmcontra]

"The President's Own" holds specific auditions like a symphony when openings arise. They may have up to 250 people show up to audition for one spot. They have even had auditions where they didn't accept anyone that showed up. Then, once someone passes the audition, they have to go through the screening process to make sure they meet the requirements to join the Marines, to include a top secret clearance since they perform at the White House. If they meet all that, they sign a contract for four years just like any other Marine. The only difference is that they are signing up to be in the Marine Band only. They are given the MOS 9811 and cannot make a lat-move into another field. Their primary mission is to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps. They don't do anything infantry related. They go through a 4-6 week indoctrination once they get to Marine Barracks, Washington, DC to learn military ettiquette and such.

Their rank insignia is a music lyre instead of the crossed rifles or the bursting bomb of a master gunnery sergeant. They also have a thin white stripe that runs down the middle of the red stripe on their blue trousers. The drum major acts as the first sergeant. I believe they still have a few Bandsmen that came from elsewhere in the Marine Corps, to include the assistant drum major. Once someone comes to the Band, they usually stay. About 60% of them stay for 20 years or more.

In fact, at the end of 2004, they had a master gunnery sergeant retire after serving 42 total years in the Marines. He started as a pianist in a field band (was at PI for a while), but President Kennedy wanted someone in the Band that played accordian, so he was called to audition and ended up in DC. At his retirement, he was the senior master gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps. Let me tell you, this guy got the first piece of cake every year at our birthday ball.

Honestly, no Marine competes with the rest of the Marine Corps for promotion. You only go against the Marines in your MOS. This holds true for the Marine Band (notice the difference in my use of Band and band). Their promotions are approved by their director/commander instead of a promotion board like other staff NCOs, though. I do believe that you have to be the principal at your instrument to get past gunnery sergeant, though I could be wrong on that one.

Are they Marines? Yes. They don't go to boot camp, and they call each other by their first names, but they are under the USMJ and get all the same pay and allowances as the rest of us.

[KCWolfPck]

usmcontra,

Thank you for clearing that up. I understood all you said to be true. It's just that I have a hard time considering someone a Marine if they are not first and foremost, a Marine rifleman (I understand that some of them are).

I see your points and I do have respect for the President's Own. But as far as calling them Marines in the same sense that I'd call a fellow rifleman a Marine.....I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

[Walter]

usmcontra:

I have a question regarding saluting. If I was a member of the band do I still salute the people above me in rank?

Not being a military person, I am asking just for curiousity. B)

[KCWolfPck]

usmcontra:

I have a question regarding saluting. If I was a member of the band do I still salute the people above me in rank?

Not being a military person, I am asking just for curiousity.  B)

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I can answer this question....

Yes, all enlisted are required to render appropriate greetings to officers.

All junior officers are required to render the appropriate greeting to senior officers.

This would include a salute if outdoors and covered (wearing a hat), indoor and covered (wearing a hat while on duty or similar situation).

A junior enlisted general does not salute a senior enlisted.

[ironlips]

I think I would render those bandsmen the courtesy of calling them Marines. Uncle Sam does, after all.

Ironlips

Freelancers Instructor, '79, '84, Staff Coordinator, '85

US Army Sgt. E-5, Armor Platoon Commander, '68-'73

Instructed by Gene Bennett, Sr., '66-'73

[oldbaritone]

Okay, now I know that although member's of the President's Own Band do not go to boot camp, members of the Marine Drum & Bugle Corps and other Marine bands do.

I do have a few other questions....how many Marine Drum Corps are there? I think there used to be corps at 29 Palms, Hawaii, Pendleton and, of course, 8th & I.

I was also told that there was an official Marine drum corps at Chu Lai back in the middle to late 60's. Does anyone know if that was the case?

And, I was talking to an old buddy of mine today, who was a Sgt in the 7th Marines in the I-Corps back in the day. He plays contra with us and tells me that our corps (Park City) is looking for up to 8 2 or 3 valve contras. Anyone having any tips about where to get them?

[usmcontra]

Believe it or not, we are the only drum and bugle corps left in the active armed forces. The Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy both have one in place of a marching band, but that's it. I do know that the Marines used to have many. The last two "other" drum and bugle corps in the Marines were at 29 Palms, California and Albany, Georgia. They both folded in the 80s and became field bands.

Our old director, the late Colonel Truman Crawford, got his start in the military with the US Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps back in the 50s. Within 7 years, he became the enlisted director before it folded. He left the Air Force, went to work for civilian drum corps and bands, then got a call to arrange music for the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, coming in as a staff sergeant.