Hello, in the right place...

[gdmillar]

After having been berated into this twice now, I though it best to pop in and give a quick spiel.

The name is Gary, and I am from the United Kingdom. I am currenty serving in the Her Majesty's Royal Marines as a musician in the Band Service.

Having been on the prowl for various different mediums of "gathering intel" in recent months, i discovered the WAB and was taken in by it. Always liked forums, but had never found one which could prove so usefull in my preperations for sitting the Admiralty Interview Board (for Royal Navy Commission).

Thanks for taking the time to read my very brief intro.

-Gary

[JAD_333]

Welcome aboard, Gary.

[Doktor]

Cheers

[USSWisconsin]

Welcome Gary, glad to have you with us - I look forward to your posts - musician and Royal Marine? - you should be a nice addition to the group

[bigross86]

Welcome, mate! Has the Royal Marine Band gotten around to using electric guitars yet?

[Dreadnought]

Welcome aboard Gary.

[tankie]

Hy mate

[gdmillar]

Yes indeedy, the Royal Marines Band Service is modernising appropriately; although guitar remains a "chance occurance" in that nobody is actually trained as a guitarist. So it relies on people multitasking themselves. (Incidentally, if you saw the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo last month, the lad on guitar at the opening sequence was one of ours)

Wheter I am a nice addition to the group remains to be seen... I shall certainly try.

[dave lukins]

Welcome Gary..I'm sure you will be a welcome addition to WAB. Has the Defence cut's effected the Marine Bands?

[gdmillar]

Strangely no. It has already been confirmed that the RM Band are safe from tranches 1-3 of redundancies. I'm not too sure as to why we are safe, for the time being at least, but I can only assume that our operational role has gone to some extent to convince Lord Stirrup et al that we are a valuable enough asset to preserve at current strength. Being that we currently have 32 ranks on active service in Helmand and Kabul, and also have enough ranks currently trained to staff RFA Argus, should she be require in service off Libya, it must be that the current strength is recognised at an appropriate level not to be cut.

In my humble opinion, I view the level to be superfluous. Accepting that my job may be jeapordised, I cannot see how a unit strength of approx 350 is required for a maximum "at once deployment" figure of around 70 persons can be justifyable in such austere times. But heyho, those decisions are made by people well above my pay grade; in my branch we are encouraged not to think, haha.

-Gary

[dave lukins]

Gary, I hope the Government are not classing you as a BOGOF. Marines one day Bandsmen the next...two jobs for the one price.

[gdmillar]

Not likely Dave, given our level of military training. RM Band Service are not Commando trained, thus we are not able to fulfill a front line role with the rest of our cap badge. RM Commandos take 32 weeks of specialist military training, we in the Band take only 16 weeks. Our operational capacity is that of medical orderlies/technicians, ambulance drivers and Combat Logistic Patrol drivers... and naturally, we always have our instruments to provide a bit of morale for the lads.

I will put forward the BOGOF idea to our bosses though, to save us from further cuts to the Armed Forces :D

[snapper]

Best wishes for the Commission and welcome.