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The U.S. Air Force Bands Program
Regional Bands FAQ
Basic Training
Q. Does every regional band musician have to go through basic training?
A. Yes, basic training is a requirement for every Air Force musician, enlisted or officer.
Q. What is basic training like? How long is it?
A. Basic Training is an initial 8-week course at Lackland AFB, TX (San Antonio). While in basic, you'll learn standard military drill and ceremonies, Air Force history, customs and courtesies, and participate in daily physical fitness exercises. Visit the Basic Training web site for more details.
Q. Assuming I'm going into the Air Force in another career field, can I audition for a regional band while in basic training?
A. Yes. Occasionally, people do audition for the band while in basic training. One of our active duty bands, The USAF Band of the West, is stationed at Lackland AFB and can assist in the audition. We recommend, however, that you audition before you go into basic training because, while there, you'll have very little free time to prepare for an audition.
A basic trainee must first request to audition through either (1) their TI, (2) a Drum & Bugle TI (if they are in that flight), or (3) someone at the Classification office when they go for job assignments. Some recent trainees supposedly were informed by their recruiters that the Band would contact them in basic training and set up an audition for them. This is false! The Band does not go to basic training flights to see if anyone wants to audition. You must get one of the three people listed above to call the Band to help set up an audition. Do not wait until the 4th or 5th week of basic training to schedule an audition. If you wait this late in your training, it may been impossible to arrange an audition because the Band may be unavailable. Schedule the audition early in your training.
At the audition, you are given a list of skills pertinent to your instrument of which you must demonstrate specific required masteries. If you want to proceed, you are given an instrument and allowed approximately 30 minutes of warm-up time. If the trainee is still in the early weeks of training, the Band may give them music (not an instrument) and set up an appointment a few days to a week later to do the official audition. We suggest you bring your own prepared pieces with you. Don't count on the Band having the exact music you need. Otherwise, the audition may be based solely on sight reading and scales/rudiments.
Again, we recommend that you audition before you go into basic training because, while there, you'll have very little free time to prepare for an audition. The odds decrease that you'll pass an audition successfully while in basic training.
Q. Do Air Force musicians have a technical school to attend after basic training?
A. No. While in basic training, all enlisted musicians are assigned to the drum and bugle corps flight for initial skills training. After basic, musicians go directly to their assigned band.
Q. How and when will I know which band I'm assigned to?
A. As a general rule, you'll know to which band you'll be assigned before you enlist, usually the same day as your audition. Musicians are rarely diverted from that initial assignment.
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Moving
Q. Where can I stay upon immediate arrival to the band?
A. Incoming service members and families can be housed on base temporarily for up to 30 days for a small, reimbursable fee.
Q. When do I "house hunt" after basic training?
A. Married personnel can be given 8 days for "house hunting." The days do not count against your vacation time (leave). The restrictions for "house hunting" (permissive TDY) are:
Must be taken in area of assigned base.
Must be taken immediately after basic.
Personnel "sign-in" to the base after finding a place to live or the 8 days have been used.
Q. Where will my household goods be stored if I am temporarily housed?
A. If the Air Force is moving your goods, they will store them while you are temporarily housed. If you decide to move yourself, you will bear the storage responsibility yourself. You will be reimbursed for some of the moving and storage expenses.
Q. Where will I live? On or off base?
A. Married members have the choice of living on- or off-base, however, there is a waiting list at some bases for on-base housing. Single members are normally assigned to a single-person dormitory room. At some bases, single members may elect to live off-base immediately. Ask the band manager or audition monitor at the band you'll be assigned to for further details.
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Equipment
Q. What instruments/equipment are supplied by the Air Force?
A. Professional quality instruments and related supplies are provided for each musician.
Q. Will I be asked to perform on any other instruments?
A. There may be times when you will be asked to play related instruments to help keep the band functioning. Examples:
Trumpet/Flugelhorn
Flute/Piccolo
Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/E-flat Clarinet
Sax/Clarinet
Trombone/Bass Trombone/Euphonium
Vocal, Guitar, Bass, or Piano/auxiliary Percussion
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Schedule
Q. What is the normal day like for an Air Force Musician?
A. A typical non-performance day consists of rehearsals and administrative duties, spending half the duty day in each area (see also the Additional Duties section below). Your duty day may start at 7:30 am and run to 5:30 PM. Often two or more groups will need to rehearse in the same day, sharing the same room. In such cases, one group may rehearse in the morning, the other in the afternoon.
Q. Is the musician career field a full-time job? Is it secondary to being an airman?
A. The musician career field is a full-time profession, not a side activity. In wartime or peacetime, your primary duty is to perform as a musician. However, in emergency situations such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, you might be used in the base manpower pool to assist with clean up efforts around your base. This rarely happens.
Q. What kind of music groups would I typically be involved in?
A. Most musicians are normally involved in two or more groups.
Flute, clarinet, oboe, and bassoon players usually have chamber winds and/or woodwind quintet duties along with concert band/wind ensemble and ceremonial band duties.
Saxophonists usually are involved in jazz ensemble or pop music combo along with concert band/wind ensemble and ceremonial/marching band.
French horn players are involved with concert band/wind ensemble, chamber winds, and woodwind or brass quintet as well as ceremonial/marching band.
Tuba and euphonium players typically are involved in brass quintet or low brass ensemble, concert band/wind ensemble, and ceremonial/marching band.
Trumpeters and trombonists have jazz ensemble, pop music combo, or brass quintet duties along with concert band/wind ensemble and ceremonial/marching band duties.
Rhythm section players (percussionists, pianists, guitarists, bassists) may be involved with pop music combo or jazz ensemble as well as protocol combo and/or concert band/wind ensemble. Percussionists are essential in the ceremonial/marching band and, along with pianists, may assist in chamber winds, brass or woodwind quintets.
Vocalists are involved in vocal ensembles, pop music combo, jazz ensemble, or concert band/wind ensemble and may assist in protocol combos, chamber winds, and ceremonial units.
Arrangers and audio engineers may augment a group occasionally, depending on their skill, but are not typically tasked to play an instrument.
Q. Does the band have weekends off? Holidays?
A. Band units frequently perform on the weekends, and compensatory days off are usually given on weekdays. Example - If tour goes over a weekend, days off are scheduled after the return on weekdays. The band schedule typically includes the same number of days off enjoyed by the rest of the Air Force. As military bands are a traditional part of American patriotic celebrations, expect to work on major holidays such as Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day.
Q. Am I allowed to take a day off other than those scheduled?
A. Each case is evaluated on an individual basis by your immediate supervisor. On a non-rehearsal day, special consideration is given to emergency situations. It is imperative that all group members attend rehearsal, therefore, days off usually are not authorized on rehearsal days.
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Performances
Q. Where does the band perform?
A. Each Air Force Band has a geographical "territory" for performing. For instance, the USAF Band of Liberty's territory includes Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York. Bands typically perform inside their geographic territory but occasionally travel outside their area to meet special Air Force or community relations needs.
Q. What are the performance sites like?
A. Our performances are in all types of settings, from the finest concert halls to other venues such as school or civic auditoriums, outdoor festivals, or gymnasiums and field houses.
Q. What type of audience does the band play for?
A. The concert and jazz bands perform for audiences of all ages. The chamber winds, brass and woodwind quintets perform concerts, recitals, and special youth programs. Show bands and pop music combos perform for all ages with a focus on recruitable-age audiences. All groups perform for military functions.
Q. How many performances do bands do per year?
A. On the average, Air Force bands perform over 650 programs per year (all groups total - soloists to massed units) for military, recruiting, government, and community relations events.
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Additional Duties
Q. What duties will I have besides playing in the band?
A. Several. The band squadron is a fairly self-contained unit, meaning its people must perform other duties centered on band-related needs and activities. Each member is eventually assigned to a shop within the band. All assignments are made to keep the band functioning. Examples:
Music Library
Publicity (publicity kit and web site development and maintenance)
Tour Scheduling (coordinating group tours and performances)
Equipment Supply (procurement and inventory)
Band Administration (records clerk, training monitor, auditions, awards and decorations)
Computer Staff (application development, network administration, software/hardware maintenance)
Vehicles (coordinating/maintaining band vehicles)
Music Production Staff (arranging, copying)
New members usually serve on loading crew. Loading crewmembers load, unload, set-up and tear down equipment before and after each performance. New members also may be tasked to work approximately one day a month answering the phone and running errands for the band's administrative staff. This requirement varies from band to band.
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Education
Q. Is there opportunity for continued education for an advanced degree?
A. Yes. The Air Force encourages its people to seek continued development in their area of expertise. For the first few years, band members undergo extensive On-The-Job training (OJT) to upgrade their job skills. Training includes performance and administrative tasks. Bands set aside funds for private instructions and for participation in professional workshops and conferences. In addition, 100% tuition reimbursement (up to $250 per semester hour, not to exceed $4500 annually) is available for those working on an Associate, Bachelor, or Master degree in music.
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Pay and Benefits
Q. What can I expect will be my monthly salary?
A. New recruits who have earned college bachelor degrees are awarded the rank of Airmen First Class (E-3 pay grade) after graduating from basic training and earn ~$1410 per month basic military pay. Your pay increases as tenure and cost-of-living increases. Depending on your rank and tenure, approximately 20 percent of your salary and benefits are tax-free. In addition, the Air Force offers non-taxable housing and food allowances to help cover your living expenses.
Q. What other benefits does the Air Force offer?
A. Several.
College Loan Repayments: up to $10,000.
Housing Allowance: Living expenses, including utility bills and maintenance, are paid in full for on-base residents. A housing allowance is provided for off-base residents. The housing allowance is based on your rank and geographic location. Key in your current zip code as an example.
Subsistence (Food) Allowance: The average rate for subsistence (food) allowance is approximately $267 per month for enlisted people. Instead of a subsistence allowance, most single airmen will receive "Rations in Kind" and eat as many as four meals a day in the base dining facility for FREE. Together with the housing allowance and the basic military pay, a married Airman First Class with dependents living off-base, for example, can earn on the average $2760 per month (~$33,100 annually), approximately $1300 (~$15,600 annually) tax-free.
(Note: figures are based on the average housing rates for all regional bands in the 48 states.)
TDY Expenses: When traveling for job-related reasons (otherwise known as temporary duty [TDY] away from your home base), you'll receive additional tax-free money to cover your meals, lodging, and other incidental expenses.
Uniform Allowance: You'll receive an annual tax-free clothing allowance to replace uniform items.
Savings at base facilities: You'll save about 25% by shopping on-base at the Air Force department stores, grocery stores, and service stations.
Medical and Dental Care: You'll receive free comprehensive medical and dental care and low-cost life insurance -- $200,000 coverage for only $16 a month. Family members may receive medical care at military or civilian facilities through various options for little or no cost.
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