I believe that this video is a GREAT recruiting tool. I There are darned few things I’d recommend to a High School musician more than considering one of the Military Musician programs. AW1 Tim was a music major in College, and had not there been openings in the Aviation Rates, I would have been in line to audition for the Navy Band.
You heard that right. Audition. NO ONE gets into any of the Military Music programs without passing an extensive and difficult audition. If you think you have what it takes, and seriously, what musician worth his or her chops doesn’t have an ego, then you owe it to yourself and your country to consider one of the Military’s Band programs. Excellent pay & benefits, plus extensive travel around the world. Even if you only do one enlistment, you’ll have experience and skills that will place you head & shoulders above others your age.
AW1 Tim's Blog 
I couldn’t agree more. I did marching band for 8 years, 4 in one of the best college bands in the country, and i can say without hesitation that the military bands in general, and the USMC bands in particular are some of the best musicians on earth.
I was happy to read about your in line to auditon Tim. What a trememdous opportunity you had. You are quite right about the honor it would be to play for any of the military bands. I played trombone in high school band but was not good enough to even come close to consider playing for the military. While it is so wonderful that you were that good playing an instrument (please mention which one), I am more than happy that you became an “AW” instead. While your ability to play an instrument was up and beyond outstanding, your time given to be an “AW” (to me at least) was that and that much more. I wish those that never have had a knowlege of knowing what it was to fly as a CAC on a P-3 for their country could have a glimpse of what it was like. CAC’s on P-3’s were the seal teams of the air during the cold war. All on the line with no acknowledgement. Only acknowlegement of crashes/deaths were “they were involved in a training mission”. You helped make the difference in the cold war. Thank you my brother!
Scott,
I was a percussion major in college, although I also play piano, saxophone and flute. I’m glad that I made the grade for AW, just like you, because it took a special skill set to make that rate. In any other military, those positions would be filled by officers.
What’s very interesting to me is how much my music background helped me. In fact, I’ve been putting a letter together outlining why I feel it would be a good idea for the Navy to hit up music majors in College, as well as the music programs in High Schools for AW and Sonar rates. The skill sets for both, as in the fundamentals of sound are parallel and I can testify that once I saw what AW “A” school was teaching, it clicked and made my time there a LOT easier.
Thanks again for your kind words and insightful comments. It was a different world when we were flying, and you are very right about the lack of outside recognition for what we were doing, probably rightly so considering much of our tasking.
Great video! Great program, and Great Marines!
I could play the radio, but that was the limit of my musical ability. Oh, well. Too old anyway.
I used to be able to honk on the Sousaphone, that favored music maker of badgers.
Reblogged this on The Lexicans and commented:
I thought folks might like to see this. If you have any budding musicians in your family, you might suggest this course for them.