Posted on Jun 9, 2016
Why We Shouldn’t Cut Military Bands From The Budget
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I just posted about the military is considering closing all commissaries. Now I find this about miitary bands possibly being shut down.
Instead of thinking about budget cuts for military band, it would be more constructive to think of making them more efficient at what they do.
Instead of thinking about budget cuts for military band, it would be more constructive to think of making them more efficient at what they do.
Why We Shouldn’t Cut Military Bands From The Budget
Posted from taskandpurpose.com
Budget
35BX: Band
5502: Band Officer
42C: Army Band Officer
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 1
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Sorry, but in a time where everyone is bitching about cuts to the military, it's pretty hard to justify over 4000 people in Army bands and near a half a billion dollars. What is that, a Brigades worth of soldiers? No one is saying they don't serve a valuable purpose. But don't say there aren't enough soldiers to man the combat units when you have a brigade's worth sitting in bands. The days of uncapped military budgets is long gone. It's time to separate the must have from the nice to have.
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1SG Glenn Moore
LTC Mathews: While the most relevant point is the downsizing of the military, and bands are also downsized in, what many hope will be and often is not, a relative percentage, one of your key facts, and one likely presented to result in the largest impact, is inaccurate.
I enlisted in August 1976 to serve the next nearly 22 years as an Army Bandsperson, retiring as a First Sergeant. When I enlisted in 1976, the total Army Band strength was 2,596 personnel. Army Band strength levels have never been at a brigade-sized strength (4,000 or close to it), and certainly was not so when you posted your original assertion approximately "1 yr ago." When discussing this subject, it is essential for you and others, to accurately depict Army Band strengths and you have not.
In the "2021/2022" timeframe, total Army Band strength was significantly below the 2,000 number and has continued to decrease in total number since. Most bands are authorized about 40 soldiers, but many are staffed at about 60-70% of that number. Further, many bands have been deactivated yet the overall workload for the same music mission requirement (Soldier support, community relations (support to civilian communities), etc.) has not but with fewer personnel resources to do so.
Unfortunately, as a retiree, I no longer have direct access to notional, much less exact strength numbers in Army Bands. I can share publicly available information (https://www.bands.army.mil/organizations) that there are currently 26 active component band activities, inclusive of the US Army School of Music, the special band activities (5), leaving 20 bands "in the field" to support music mission about which I previously referred above. Several of these bands are scheduled for deactivation in the near term, further reducing the capability to provide music missions to the force and civilian populace.
I respectfully ask that you complete timely and relevant research to learn the actual strength level of Army Bands, now and in 2022 (the approximate period of your original post to this resource.)
In this day of the Brigade Combat Team as the principal fighting resource, stating that bands occupy a brigade-sized organization with 4,000 members indeed appears significant and, if true, appears to reduce combat capability. In truth, the Army hasn't enjoyed having Army Bands with a total strength near 4,000 for over fifty years, perhaps longer (WWII era?). Accordingly, your premise is wholly discredited.
Respectfully.
I enlisted in August 1976 to serve the next nearly 22 years as an Army Bandsperson, retiring as a First Sergeant. When I enlisted in 1976, the total Army Band strength was 2,596 personnel. Army Band strength levels have never been at a brigade-sized strength (4,000 or close to it), and certainly was not so when you posted your original assertion approximately "1 yr ago." When discussing this subject, it is essential for you and others, to accurately depict Army Band strengths and you have not.
In the "2021/2022" timeframe, total Army Band strength was significantly below the 2,000 number and has continued to decrease in total number since. Most bands are authorized about 40 soldiers, but many are staffed at about 60-70% of that number. Further, many bands have been deactivated yet the overall workload for the same music mission requirement (Soldier support, community relations (support to civilian communities), etc.) has not but with fewer personnel resources to do so.
Unfortunately, as a retiree, I no longer have direct access to notional, much less exact strength numbers in Army Bands. I can share publicly available information (https://www.bands.army.mil/organizations) that there are currently 26 active component band activities, inclusive of the US Army School of Music, the special band activities (5), leaving 20 bands "in the field" to support music mission about which I previously referred above. Several of these bands are scheduled for deactivation in the near term, further reducing the capability to provide music missions to the force and civilian populace.
I respectfully ask that you complete timely and relevant research to learn the actual strength level of Army Bands, now and in 2022 (the approximate period of your original post to this resource.)
In this day of the Brigade Combat Team as the principal fighting resource, stating that bands occupy a brigade-sized organization with 4,000 members indeed appears significant and, if true, appears to reduce combat capability. In truth, the Army hasn't enjoyed having Army Bands with a total strength near 4,000 for over fifty years, perhaps longer (WWII era?). Accordingly, your premise is wholly discredited.
Respectfully.
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