So I got this letter from the "The Presidents Own" United State Marines Band and it said they were looking for percussionists, tuba players and a few other instruments. Now when I turned 18 and I went to the recruitment office for a meeting the guy offered to set me up with an audition for the marine band, not the Presidents band. I didn’t take it because I don’t think I’d last through basic training. anyway, i get the letter and I'm reading it if you are accepted you don’t go through basic training, so you cant get stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan because you aren't a soldier, and you are given the rank of e-5 which is Sergeant, so you get slightly better pay. The auditions are February 17th and 18th I believe. Just show up at 7:30 in the morning at the Marine Barracks in Washington DC and sign up. You audition in the order you sign up in. I probably will go, even just for kicks.

good luck man hope ya make it its always been one of my dreams to play in a marine band basiclly because its my favorite type of snare music like the march tunes in the civil war and stuff I dont know if they play it like that any more though i've never seen them but i will at my hs band trip this year that will be cool any way good luck with it

I say go for it. That is the best band around. I don't think basic is hard if you are ready and in shape for it. All you have to deal is with the drill sergeants. It's not that bad when you think about it. Check it out and see if you make it in Washington DC. Good luck and enjoy the stay in washington next year.

That's news to me. I was under the assumption that you had to be an actual Marine to be in "The Presidents Own" (had gone through basic training and everything).

i just saw them preform a couple weeks ago and it was good for what it was im not a big fan of the kind of music they played butg they played it very well. Good luck on your audition...

I thought the title of the United State Marine Band was "The Comandant's Own" or maybe the Marines have 2 bands, the Commandant's own being the Drum and Bugle Corps and the President's Own being the Band I dunno.

"The Commandant's Own" is the Marine D&BC. Maybe that's the one you have to be a Marine to be in it.

yeah there is "the Presidents Own" which is more of a concert band, and "the Commandants Own" is the Drum and Bugle corps.

If you go audition for the President's Own, make sure your sight reading on keyboards is up to snuff. And whatever you do, do not play any open rolls. Even on the Sousa stuff.

you need to be the best of the best. i saw it as a last resort. bootcamp aint sh!t. the DIs dont screw with you that much, as long as you dont pi$$ them off. just dont call the drill sargeants

You don't want to call them "DI's" either.

Just to clarify..in the Commendants Own you go throught boot camp and are a official Marine, meaning you are a rifleman first and musician second. The Presidents Own is the only band, at least in the Marines, where you are only a musician. You do not have to go through bootcamp...the title Marine given to membeers of the Presidents Own is more of an honorary title.

Good Luck BismarkUMD if you do try-out.

What about the Pershing's Own?

Pershing's Own is the US Army Band. It says on their website you have to meet the same physical requirements as anyone enlisting, but it doesn't say anything about boot camp so I would assume you have to go.