J O I N I N G T H E M I L I T A R Y

B A N D S

J O E L I O T I N E

Many musicians don’t think of military career when

it comes to playing and performing music.

However, this path can provide talented musicians

with a dependable source of income, great benefits,

and a variety of opportunities.

E A C H B R A N C H O F T H E U S M I L I T A R Y — N A V Y , A R M Y ,

M A R I N E S , A I R F O R C E , A N D C O A S T G U A R D —

E M P L O Y E E F U L L - T I M E M U S I C E N S E M B L E S . T H E R E

A R E T W O T Y P E S O F E A C H G R O U P :

OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE ARMED FORCES

1) Premier bands. Ensemble members of

Premier bands have a guaranteed post, no worry

about being transferred. Hired musicians are

awarded the rank of E6. The 10 premier military

bands are housed in places like Washington DC or

service academies in West Point, Annapolis,

Colorado Springs, etc.

2) Regional bands. Some members can stay

with the same group for many years, however

reassignment to other ensembles can occur

because of manning shortages or openings in other

bands. Your entering status is determined by your

educational background. Musicians who have

college credit often start at the rank of E3. Regional

groups are housed on bases across the country

and abroad.

The term band are umbrella organizations

consisting of several performing ensembles. For

example, the US Army Field Band is made up of

chorus, concert band, pop combo, big band.

I N S T R U M E N T A L I S T S

N O N - P E R F O R M I N G S T A F F

V O C A L I S T S

C O N D U C T O R S

R E C O R D I N G / S O U N D E N G I N E E R S

C O M P O S E R S / A R R A N G E R S

Positions are available for:

PROS

E V E N W I T H O U T S E E I N G C O M B A T , M I L I T A R Y

M U S I C I A N S P R O V I D E A V A L U A B L E P A T R I O T I C

S E R V I C E .

Serving your country.

T H E R E A R E V E R Y F E W M U S I C J O B S T H A T C A N

P R O V I D E T H E L E V E L O F S E C U R I T Y T H A T T H E

M I L I T A R Y O F F E R S . A F T E R O B T A I N I N G A N E N S E M B L E

P O S I T I O N , Y O U C A N K E E P I T U N T I L R E T I R E M E N T A T

A G E 5 5 . M U S I C I A N S C A N ’ T B E F I R E D O R L A I D O F F

U N L E S S T H E Y M A K E A C A T A S T R O P H I C M I S T A K E A N D

A R E D I S H O N O R A B L Y D I S C H A R G E D O R R E A S S I G N E D .

Job security.

M A N Y G R O U P S P E R F O R M A T M E G A H I G H P R O F I L E

D I P L O M A T I C C E R E M O N I E S , T O U R , A N D R E C O R D .

E N S E M B L E S T Y P I C A L L Y P R O G R A M A W I D E V A R I E T Y

O F M U S I C A L G E N R E S . M E M B E R S A L S O H A V E T H E

O P T I O N O F P E R F O R M I N G I N C H A M B E R G R O U P S O R

B E I N G F E A T U R E D A S A S O L O I S T .

Opportunities.

C O M P R E H E N S I V E H E A L T H C A R E P R O G R A M S A R E

M A D E A V A I L A B L E T O A L L M E M B E R S .

Health care.

T H E M I L I T A R Y I S A B L E T O P A Y D O W N C O L L E G E D E B T ,

H E L P S U B S I D I Z E P R I V A T E L E S S O N S , A N D

C O N T R I B U T E F O R T H E C O S T O F A D D I T I O N A L

S C H O O L I N G . M I L I T A R Y P E R S O N N E L A R E A L S O

E L I G I B L E T O U T I L I Z E T H E G I B I L L .

Education/college repayment.

M E M B E R S M A Y L I V E O N B A S E A T N O C O S T , O R

R E C E I V E A N A L L O W A N C E F O R H O U S I N G . T H E Y A L S O

C O L L E C T A S T I P E N D F O R F O O D . A L L O W A N C E S A R E

N O N - T A X A B L E . I N S T R U M E N T A L I S T S A R E S U P P L I E D

W I T H P R O F E S S I O N A L Q U A L I T Y I N S T R U M E N T S . T H E S E

C A N O N L Y B E U S E D F O R O F F I C I A L M I L I T A R Y

E N G A G E M E N T S ( N O T O U T S I D E G I G S ) .

Other benefits.

W H E N Y O U A R E H I R E D I N T O A P R E M I E R B A N D ,

M E M B E R S A R E G R A N T E D T H E R A N K O F E 6

I M M E D I A T E L Y . T H I S I S V E R Y A T Y P I C A L F O R N O N -

M U S I C P E R S O N N E L , W H O H A V E T O W O R K 5 - 1 0 +

Y E A R S T O R E A C H T H A T S T A T U S .

Elite entering status.

J O I N I N G T H E M I L I T A R Y I S A W A Y T O D E V E L O P A M O R E

D I S C I P L I N E D L I F E S T Y L E .

Discipline.

M I L I T A R Y O B L I G A T I O N S O F C O U R S E T A K E

P R E C E D E N C E , B U T M O S T I F N O T A L L M U S I C I A N S L I N E

U P E X T R A W O R K A N D I N C O M E S O U R C E S .

Gigs on side.

Y O U R E C E I V E R E T I R E M E N T B E N E F I T S A F T E R 2 0

Y E A R S O F M I L I T A R Y S E R V I C E . R E T I R E E S R E C E I V E A

P E N S I O N T H A T I S E Q U I V A L E N T T O A R O U N D 5 0 % O F

T H E I R H I G H E S T B A S E P A Y .

Early retirement

CONS

M U S I C I A N S H A V E T O C O M P L E T E B A S I C T R A I N I N G ,

W H I C H T A K E S B E T W E E N 6 - 1 3 W E E K S .

Basic training.

J O I N I N G T H E M I L I T A R Y R E Q U I R E S O N E T O F O R F E I T

F R E E D O M S T H A T A R E A V A I L A B L E T O C I V I L I A N S . T H E

U N I F O R M C O D E O F M I L I T A R Y J U S T I C E I S M A D E U P O F

A D I F F E R E N T S E T O F L A W S T H A T Y O U H A V E T O

A D H E R E T O A F T E R S I G N I N G Y O U R C O N T R A C T . Y O U

M U S T L O O K T H E P A R T O F A M E M B E R O F T H E A R M E D

F O R C E S W H I C H M E A N S Y O U H A V E T O K E E P Y O U R

H A I R S H O R T , F A C E S H A V E D , A N D B O O T S S H I N E D .

Y O U R H O U S E M U S T B E K E P T I N O R D E R , A N D D O N ’ T

E V E N T H I N K A B O U T D O I N G D R U G S .

Restricted freedom.

M A N Y A S P E C T S O F L I F E A R E D I C T A T E D B Y E X T E R N A L

S O U R C E S , W H I C H C A N B E F R U S T R A T I N G F O R

C R E A T I V E A R T I S T S .

Rigidity.

A F T E R S I G N I N G O N , M I L I T A R Y P E R S O N N E L H A V E T O

H O N O R T H E I R L E G A L L Y B I N D I N G C O N T R A C T F O R A

T H E P E R I O D O F T I M E .

No way out.

K E E P I N G Y O U R S E L F I N G O O D P H Y S I C A L S H A P E I S A

J O B R E Q U I R E M E N T .

Physical requirements.

K E E P I N G Y O U R S E L F I N G O O D P H Y S I C A L S H A P E I S A

J O B R E Q U I R E M E N T .

Keeping yourself in good physical shape is a job

requirement.

T H E M I L I T A R Y I S A C O M P L I C A T E D I N S T I T U T I O N W I T H

L O T S P R O T O C O L A N D R E D T A P E .

Bureaucracy.

S O M E M U S I C I A N S M U S T B E D E P L O Y E D T O W A R

Z O N E S , T H O U G H F O R S H O R T E R P E R I O D S T H A N

O T H E R P A R T S O F T H E A R M E D F O R C E S .

Deployments.

W O M A N R E P O R T H I G H R A T E S O F H A R A S S M E N T .

Discrimination.

E V E R Y O N E H A S R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S O U T S I D E O F

T H E I R P R I M A R Y M U S I C A L D U T I E S . E X A M P L E S M A Y

I N C L U D E W E B D E S I G N , B O O K I N G G I G S , M A K I N G

P O S T E R S , A N D A C C O U N T I N G .

Collateral responsibilities.

T H E M I L I T A R Y I S A B O U T F O L L O W I N G O R D E R S A N D

C O N F O R M I T Y , N O T I N N O V A T I O N . C O N T R A C T S

M E N T I O N N O T H I N G A B O U T P E R S O N A L F U L F I L L M E N T ,

J U S T C O M P L E T I N G A S S I G N E D R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S .

E N S E M B L E S O F T E N U S E T H E S A M E M A T E R I A L Y E A R

A F T E R Y E A R , A N D T H E R E I S L I T T L E T O L E R A N C E F O R

C R E A T I V E I N D I V I D U A L S . P O S S I B L E R E M E D I E S

I N C L U D E C H A M B E R E N S E M B L E A S S I G N M E N T S A N D

P E R S O N A L P U R S U I T S D U R I N G O F F D U T Y H O U R S .

Lack of creative outlets.