<p>I got a letter in the mail today inviting me to audition for the drum and bugle corps during plebe summer. I think they sent it because i'm in band or some thing. the letter did go on the say that no experience is required. so if anyone is interested there is definatly the opportunity.<br>
I don't plan on auditioning though. I'd much rather do glee club if i could. and i would rather sit with the student section at football games. it was hard enough in high school having to sit with the band the whole time...
If ur interested, go for it!</p>
<p>sloan, you can do d&b over plebe summer and not do it during the academic year. it’s good to have an activity over plebe summer. there are also some choirs during summer that you could try for. my son participated in the protestant choir during his plebe summer. he can’t sing a lick, but he was in orchestra during high school and they took him on that musical merit. he didn’t stick with the singing when summer was over, it was just a nice diversion over the summer.</p>
<p>I seem to remember that you will also get a letter about crew and sailing. You will also have opportunities to join certain sports teams for Plebe summer and try out for others. Intramural teams are also a more relaxed time of the day.</p>
<p>thank you for the info. that is very helpful. i do plan on doing the catholic choir over the summer. do they practice everyday like the D&B do? or is it a bit less often?</p>
<p>Sloanq, can I ask you a question about high school band participation? Son is planning to apply to the USNA class of 2014 (he’s a HS junior). He’s been in band - percussion/drumline - since middle school. At his high school, students can choose band OR athletics, generally not both, since band and athletics class are blocked at the same time during the day. When he decided to go the Navy route, he saw how important sports participation is to the app., so he choose to drop band his senior year and do athletics (cross country/ track) instead. My question: did you participate in varsity sports along with band in high school? How did Admissions weigh your band participation vs. participation in sports? Son does extracurricular sports (martial arts, boxing, running, SCUBA), but only began participation in HS sports (track) this spring. Thanks for any insight/advice you, or other posters, can give!</p>
<p>This may not help you given the circumstance you describe, but I would have rather seen a leadership position in the Band [elected officer, etc] along w/ the extracurricular sports than a singular year of HS track.</p>
<p>Remember, while 90% of mids participate in varsity sports, what the Academy is looking for is fitness and evidence of leadership capability. Sports offer evidence of leadership capabilities–especially if you are team captain or something similar–but by no means are HS sports the only way in which leadership is demonstrated.
If you are physically fit and are the drum major of a band, for example, I think the Academy would give that appropriate conisderation.</p>
<p>You have to make the call.</p>
<p>PositiveThinking, interesting that ur son’s school does not let him do both… but to answer your question, yes i did do varsity XC, debate, and track along with band. I was also the drum major for the marching band my junior and senior year. I don’t know exactly how the admissions board works, but i would say that leadership is more important. if your son has an opportunity to be a leader in his band (drum major, section leader, etc.) then i would say go with that. it sounds like ur son already does extracurricular sports, so unless he REALLY wanted to quit band… i don’t think that he should give up a leadership opportunity if he has one. Hope that helps!</p>
<p>As a Plebe, joining the Drum and Bugle Corps is a great opportunity to get off the yard and travel. The rules have been changing every year as far as travel goes with Plebes, but the current Commandant has been much more willing to work with requests to have Plebes travel, even during the first six weeks of classes.</p>
<p>Looking forward to the football season, this will be one of the best years for traveling in recent times. There are away games at Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, SMU and Rice (both in Texas), and Hawaii. The bowl game will also be in Texas. One of the advantages of being in D+B is that there will always be some representation of the band at every single football game. While the rest of the Brigade is paying for flights to voluntarily attend away games, you will travel on MO as part of D+B provided you are academically and physically sat. Currently going into my firstie year, I have never missed a Navy football game. I have been all over the country playing at football games, marching in parades at Mardi Gras and in San Antonio, and performing at various other concerts.</p>
<p>Sloan, in your response to wanting to sit with the student section instead of D+B at football games, I find that the student section is often more boring. This isn’t so much the case with away games, but for home games there is a large portion of the Brigade that do not care about football and basically stand their with their arms crossed. As a drummer, I’d much rather be playing drum cadences and starting cheers than standing next to people complaining about being forced to go to the game. D+B is also directly in the middle of the Brigade seating, you are not in a far off section.</p>
<p>D+B is, however, talked about negatively within the Brigade. Part of this is due to the high school stereotypes of “band nerds” (most of the Brigade competed in varsity athletics in high school so can have “jock” attitudes), while another part is talent level. Large D1 universities have tens of thousands of students. Therefore, the skill level for the members that participate in their bands tend to be higher. Although there are many very skilled musicians in D+B, it IS open to anyone who wishes to be a part. I’m not sure how it works with the horn players, but if you wish to be on the drumline with no prior experience you will first start on cymbals. Over the four years you can work your way onto other parts of the line as you pick things up and if there are openings. Unfortunately, many of the best musicians in the Brigade are no longer in D+B because of the “image” associated with the organization. Finally, the Brigade tends to get upset at D+B because of the funding. D+B is an organization that has roughly 100 members and travels all over the country in support of Navy football and various other activities. Therefore, compared to other organizations D+B has a very large budget.</p>
<p>If your son or daughter wants to be in D+B, I encourage them to do so. Members of my company ask me why I’m still in D+B and make fun of the fact. However, I love playing the drums and I love college football. I will enjoy music and playing on a drumline while I still can. As long as your son or daughter has thick skin and realizes they should do what makes them happy, not what makes them “cool” in the eyes of the Brigade, they will enjoy their time, no matter what organization they wish to be part of at the Academy.</p>
<p>During the first part of Plebe Summer there will be a brief on D+B followed by auditions. No matter what the detailers say, if the Plebe wants to try out for D+B encourage them to do so. Last summer there was a small issue with detailers encouraging their plebes to not participate in tryouts. If accepted, the plebe will be with D+B during sports period times, parade times, and anytime companies are practicing rifle drill.</p>
<p>If your son/daughter have any questions on D+B, feel free to send me an email at usnapacker10 AT gmail.com</p>
<p>D&B was a HUGE relief to my mid. The travel opportunities have been GREAT! Everything TJM says is correct.</p>
<p>My mid has made some wonderful friends–outside the company–system. It has been really nice to get off the yard–football games and non–during the fall. Yes, it is a lot of practice, but what isn’t.</p>
<p>It seems that if you speak w/ one who has remained in D&B, they have not regretted it. THe ones who denigrate D&B are those who are not in it. As is typical for most things.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Wow - thanks for the great insight and opinions! Lots to consider…</p>