Re: Marine Band vs. College


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Posted by Leland on November 24, 2000 at 02:44:38:

In Reply to: Marine Band vs. College posted by Matt on November 17, 2000 at 23:40:17:

Better a late post than never...

I'm leaving for MCRD San Diego on Monday, and will be entering the USMC Drum & Bugle Corps when I finish (heh... go figure... I'm doing drum corps for a living).

Circumstances are surely different for me, but I'll stress time and time again to go through the band that you're getting into for the paperwork and guidance. Many recruiters don't know much about the music program -- even fewer know the differences relating to the D&B. I went to the D&B to play my audition, and kept in touch with them during the entire elistment process.

And, yes, to be a military musician, you'll have to enjoy, or at least successfully tolerate, the military aspect. I'm actually looking forward to basic training. Getting run into the ground, having my limits pushed, being around all that motivation,... I've spent the last several months trying harder than I have before to get into shape, and I want to keep going and see the result in four more months. The way I see it, I get to do war stuff, and learn from the best on the planet. I'm motivated as hell right now -- I'm just not enough of a storyteller to convey it.

I don't know why, but at some point over the last few years, I've begun to feel a lot of pride in my country. Maybe it was the Memorial Day when I played three different services in our quintet and realized that it truly IS a national day, maybe it was the 4th of July when I played a service medley in the community band and finally watched for the veterans when they stood, I don't know. Whatever the reason, I began to greatly respect and admire what my grandfather and others like him had done to make sure that, at its simplest, we still play the Banner at sporting events.

I can honestly say that I can't imagine a greater honor as a musician.



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