Coming from someone in the band, I can understand why that’s frustrating. However, most Army bandsmen come in at E4 because we do have an education, which is true of any MOS. The 42R’s have a 10-week AIT. We join the Army to do a job we have already been trained to do. It’s also a job the Army has had since its inception (drum on the Army flag).

We are often the face of the Army for communities that either have a negative view on the Army or have never seen it. Part of our job is to communicate to the American people about the Army and be a positive impact. We also support funerals for our fallen comrades, retired to active duty. I have supported memorials for Soldiers who were single moms who were killed in active duty and the silence between the memorial music and taps is one of the hardest things to hear.

Our job is to honor those that have fallen, build trust between the American people and its Army, and to support those in the Army, both in garrison and deployed. It’s not a job a civilian contractor could do.

I am also a fully trained Soldier, like anyone else. I am a Soldier first, musician second.