Posted by James on November 19, 2000 at 23:15:59:
In Reply to: Marine Band vs. College posted by Matt on November 17, 2000 at 23:40:17:
Here is some reality about Marine Field Bands. I just got out a year ago from the 2d Marine Division Band at Camp Lejeune, NC. Boot camp is the roughest of any branch of the military. Not done yet, School of Infantry for a month, spent hiking 10 to 15 miles a day and picking ticks off yourself and your buddies. School of Music for 6 months, I admit was a good time. Now you get to your band. You will spend 6 months to a year on loading crew. That means loading more equipment than you can imagine, sometimes as much as a whole semi. Get ready to clean and clean and clean. You will have SGT's not in the band inspecting your room when your at work, and they have nothing better to do than to screw with you and the "band Dorks". You will here "what do you play, skin flute?" Your work weeks will average between 50-65 hours. I once went three months with only one day off. Get ready for flute and clarinet players to get promoted alot faster than you, because their MOS is always short handed, while the brasses are overloaded.
Before you come in you think about wearing dress blues and playing concerts in the park or parades in Apple Pie,USA. While you do, do that, and it is very rewarding. I also found myself patrolling a mountainside in Turkey at 0230, about 50 miles from the Iran border with an M-16 and live rounds. We were (the Band) providing security for an infantry excersise. The grunts had blanks and we were live. I also spent a month on a helo-carrier on another excersise. They are not joking when they say EVERY Marine a riflemen.
I am not trying to discourage you, just give you a taste of what it will really be like. I don't regret going in one bit, but I would have researched a little better. I am now a performance major at Florida State University, and enjoying college very much.
James
P.S. Marine towns have a 5 to 1 male to female ratio. Most of those women are Marine wives or daughters.