The Marine Corps Band is the oldest professional and military band in existence. It was established by an act of Congress in 1798. I found out some things that I just was not aware of when I began to study to do this post. For example, band members never attend Marine Corps basic training. They will never be ordered into combat. Their rank insignia has a lyre embroidered on it rather than the infantry crossed rifles.

The band does over 500 concerts per year. Since there are only 365 days in a year you know that they have to jump. I can see why they don't have to undergo basic training. There is no need for the job that they have to do.

This is not the case for the many fleet bands that the Marine Corps has. Fleet bands are assigned to units and their members are regular marines. I can certainly see the need for the marine corps band as a seperate unit. Their mission is also crucial even though they are not fighting Marines. They are the public representatives of the Marine Corps. Fortunately we have the custom work available to help band members create a custom military ring.