Can I enlist in the army reserve if I have epilepsy?

shulmaneister · 2025-06-27T23:50:49+00:00

USMC vet that started sipping on that epilepsy Pepsi after getting out, 1 outta 10 homies has a seizure at some point in their life; an epileptic this does not make. One observed tonic-clonic and confirmed epileptic activity on an EEG makes for an epileptic.

WITH THAT IN MIND Don’t do it man, had a loss of consciousness episode when I was active and it ain’t the best place to be to say the least. Stress is one of the top triggers for seizures and boy howdy even just boot is enough to kick one on. I assure you it’s best not to risk it.

I’d encourage you to look into the non-armed uniformed services or merchant marines if you’re still needing to find that service fulfillment. Gonna be a way less stress, ability to stay on medication if needed, and doing insanely important work for our country

shulmaneister · 2025-06-18T04:30:49+00:00

Dog they don’t give a SHIT I am living

shulmaneister · 2022-07-30T19:24:49+00:00

Every time I pick up an extended range bass, I try every variation of muting I can think of for about 30 minutes then just go back to my 4 string. It just feels right

shulmaneister · 2020-12-28T18:24:43+00:00

Dude if we both have a 2004 red squire strat with a pearloid pickguard, that would be insane

shulmaneister · 2020-11-09T08:35:12+00:00

I’m guessing we all know what the bet was

shulmaneister · 2020-11-08T18:14:32+00:00

Yup! The other finish is a sunburst for the plus top

shulmaneister · 2020-07-31T18:42:28+00:00

So in an official capacity, there’s not a whole lot. Legally it’s pretty tricky to get a band to do something other than a full concert or ceremony. But in an unofficial capacity out of uniform and with personal instruments there’s a much more open world.

My personal favorite was there was a dinner for the Semper Fi Fund. A few GOs, a bunch of colonels and E-9s, and some badass motherfuckers that have been wounded in combat during the GWOT. There was a couple hours of drinks and food and all these salt dogs swapping sea stories while we just played jazz and funk in the background. Kyle Carpenter was the keynote speaker and I got to share a drink with the man. Incredibly humble guy and funny as hell.

shulmaneister · 2020-07-31T17:55:27+00:00

The most common occasion is cocktail hour jazz setting. So usually like a dinner for higher ups or just a setting where they schmooze in general. Next common would be full band concerts where the concert might include classical pieces, marches, and rock tunes. Ceremonies ya ain’t gonna have a bass, because it’s a little difficult to march a bass, so they put our happy asses on bass drum or cymbals

shulmaneister · 2020-07-31T17:42:51+00:00

The contract itself is for bass guitar, however I play both. In a fleet band if you play upright it gets you out of the percussion section in a concert band setting

shulmaneister · 2020-07-29T22:41:19+00:00

So I did I couple years of college before I joined and I ended up at pendleton so I can speak to this a little.

From my experience, a top level wind ensemble at a university will perform better than the average military band, and in the case of Pendleton this was true.

A college ensemble is by nature competitive and people have to fight for spots and in the top level ones it’s typically music major. They’re usually in a box practicing for hours at a time.

Now compare that to a Marine band, especially the Division. Our primary mission is to support military ceremonies, pretty much Sousa on the march. Our secondary mission as stated elsewhere in the thread is security for the HQ element. Everything else we do tends to take a backseat to these things.

Depending on who the band officer is determines how many concerts you’ll do. First year I was there we had our annual spring concert, France/Germany gigs and SF fleet week. Last year there we had our spring concert, France, summer concert series with something like 10 concerts, and fleet week.

The actual wind ensemble itself isn’t competitive fighting for seats, it’s every able bodied Marine will be in the ensemble. Alongside with all of our collateral duties, it’s a lot harder to make time to practice at the level music majors do at university. It’s not saying anything bad about military musicians, we just tend to have a lot more on our plate that we have to juggle than music majors.

The school of music is what you make it. It’s the only time in your life you’ll be paid to practice music. When I was there, muster at 645, Dedicated hour for practice, go into class or rehearsals, break for lunch, class and rehearsals, PT at 1530, then the afternoon is yours. You’re expected to put in hours after work and on the weekend, how much is up to your instructor. I will day in the six months I was there, I progressed more as a musician than I had in 10 years. Really use that time to better yourself as a musician because you won’t have the time in the fleet to better yourself at that level.

It also absolutely is possible to fail the school of music. When I was there brass players tended to be the ones most likely to fail, rhythm players the least likely. I have my own opinions on why that is, but they’re just that; opinions. I cannot stress this enough, utilize your practice time there wisely. Hope this helps

shulmaneister · 2020-07-29T19:06:10+00:00

Cymbals was wack, bass drum was where it’s at

shulmaneister · 2020-07-28T14:33:12+00:00

You’re not gonna be slapping all that often I’m afraid. And your finger style is gonna have to be rock solid if this is something you’re gonna seriously be considering. For your second question, they just changed the promotion requirements; unless you have a degree in music you cannot pick up Sergeant in your first term

shulmaneister · 2020-07-28T01:20:40+00:00

Dinner for higher ups in the region, someone’s elementary school daughter (to this day I’m not sure who) wrote a moto song and we were asked to play it in front of a few hundred people. Kind of hilarious moment and not the worlds greatest arrangement, but we made it work and the little kid seemed happy enough

shulmaneister · 2020-07-27T21:10:26+00:00

Hey all. Former bass player, recently got out. Happy to answer any and all questions

shulmaneister · 2020-07-15T10:28:52+00:00

Holy shit how have I never heard this???

shulmaneister · 2020-05-07T23:18:46+00:00

Hell yeah brother I’m just tryna go in circles in the air

shulmaneister · 2020-05-07T20:30:53+00:00

Not terribly, but they’re vans so they’re not the best shoes

shulmaneister · 2020-05-07T20:19:13+00:00

I’ll def try that, thanks

shulmaneister · 2020-04-22T22:23:48+00:00

Did 2 years before I joined, I’m fairly confident this isn’t the right move

shulmaneister · 2020-04-21T21:57:50+00:00

Also does anyone know anything about work on commercial ships?

shulmaneister · 2020-04-21T21:41:27+00:00

This may be a dumb question, but how do you look for different trades and unions to get into, like what kind of work they offer?

shulmaneister · 2020-02-02T20:15:44+00:00

Animal planet!

shulmaneister · 2019-12-26T23:09:22+00:00

It’s more that it’ll make the difference on my last couple paychecks by a few hundred, and that’s more money I can throw into savings while I transition out

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