The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band provides musical support for military ceremonies and other official activities as may be directed by appropriate authority. This includes events supporting community relations programs that are of common public interest and benefit to a local, state, regional, national, or broadly representational community and personnel recruiting and retention programs. Additionally, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band provides security for the Tactical Air Command Center when mandated by the Commanding General (CG).

The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band was established for service during WWII. Soon after WWII ended, the band was deactivated and its members were sent to serve in Marine units in China and at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii. In 1952 the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band was officially reactivated at Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida in support of the Korean conflict.

In 1957, while the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing relocated to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in California, the band remained in Miami and was assigned to Marine Air Group (MAG) 31. Later, the musicians attached to MAG-31 were integrated into the Air Fleet Pacific Band in El Toro, California. It was at this time the band received the title of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band.

The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing remained at El Toro until 1997, when Naval Air Station Miramar was converted to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. From 1997 through 1999, all units relocated from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar as part of the base realignment process. The band reported to its current location at MCAS Miramar in January 1999.

The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band has deployed numerous times throughout its history. In addition to the initial deployment to China in WWII, the band’s combat history includes a seven-month deployment with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from October 1990 to April 1991. During that deployment, the band served as a perimeter security machine gun platoon and served in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Empire of Kuwait, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The band returned to that same region in February of 1999 and 2000, to perform musical goodwill tours. During each of those tours, the band performed over forty concerts in the countries of Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Oman, and the Bahrain for thousands of people including United Sates Dignitaries and Arabic royalty. In February 2003, the band returned to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom for a four-month deployment as a perimeter security platoon at Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base. Among the few musical duties that the band was able to perform during the deployment was a concert at a palace of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in Babylon, Iraq, marking the first American military band to perform in Iraq. Beginning in August 2004, the band assumed perimeter security for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Tactical Air Command Center (TACC) Compound at Al Asad in the Al Anbar province in Iraq. The musical highlight of the deployment was the First Marine Expeditionary Force Change of Command ceremony at Camp Fallujah I September 2004. The band returned to the United States on March 7, 2005. The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing brought the band back to Al Asad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005-2007 to perform perimeter security for the TACC Compound once again. The most recent deployment has been with the addition of troops to Afghanistan. The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band has once again answered the call and sent a portion of its members to Camp Leatherneck, Helmond Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to perform security for Tactical A.R. Command Center Security.

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As a Marine musician, you'll have the opportunity to serve with one of the ten renowned Marine Corps Fleet bands throughout the world. All Marine musicians are assigned as instrumentalists / vocalists during their first enlistment. Follow-on career opportunities for leadership roles within the bands include: Directors, Enlisted Bandleaders, Ensemble Leaders (Enlisted Conductors /  Drum Majors), Production Managers, and Instrument Repair Technicians.

Instrumentalist / vocalist

Musicians perform in a Marine Corps Fleet Band for concerts, parades, ceremonies, and various other official functions in support of the Marine Corps Bands' mission. Musicians perform additional duties in support of band operations, such as supply, administrative assistant, and / or music librarian. Additional increased responsibilities relating to music performance are assigned based on grade / experience, such as instrument section leader or leader of a small ensemble.

Director

Directors serve as the officer-in-charge of Marine Corps Fleet Bands and primary conductor. Directors also manage, administer, and coordinate musical performances, develop budgets and annual operation plans, direct internal operations and training, and supervise the employment of a Marine Corps Fleet Band.

Enlisted Bandleader

Enlisted Bandleaders serve as the senior enlisted Marine of a Marine Corps Fleet Band. Enlisted Bandleaders assist and advise the Director in developing the musical proficiency of the band, planning and scheduling, and supervising the necessary administrative duties of a musical unit.

Ensemble Leader (Enlisted Conductor / Drum Major)

Ensemble Leaders direct, train and manage the musical performances of the full band, to include small ensembles. Additionally, they assist and advise the Director and Enlisted Bandleader on musical development, implementation of musical protocol for ceremonies. They lead the band in concerts, ceremonies, and / or on the march.

Production Manager

Production Managers manage the audio/visual production support for band operations to include: live sound reinforcement and recording, stage lighting, digital media production, and band marketing.

Instrument Repair Technician

Instrument Repair Technicians provide repair and maintenance of musical instruments assigned to a Marine Corps Fleet Band. Additionally, they assist in the purchasing plans of band equipment.

There are two essential elements to the audition process; you must establish your entrance qualifications as a musician and as a United States Marine. The Musician Placement Director is the Marine responsible for reviewing and certifying your musical qualification. A local Marine Corps recruiter will help you determine your Marine Corps entrance qualifications and guide your through the process of becoming a Marine.

In order to become eligible to serve as a Marine musician, musical proficiency must be established in accordance with Marine Corps Audition Standards. By following a two-round process, we establish an applicant's potential for service as a Marine musician. The first round is a screening round, wherein we learn about your musical background and establish the likelihood of you successfully meeting the requirements of the next round. Upon successful screening, you will be invited to participate in the audition round, which consists of a live audition proctored by the Musician Placement Director nearest to your geographical area. This audition round serves as the final assessment for establishing musical entrance qualifications for service as a Marine musician.
 

Screening Round

The screening round is used to establish your musical background and potential to succeed in the audition round. You will be asked to provide audio OR video recordings performing specified musical excerpts and a completed "Sign Up" form submission. 

Audio and video recording must be of a good quality and consist of all excerpts. Your local Musician Placement Director can provide specific guidance, should you have any questions.

Audition Round

Based on successful evaluation of the screening round, you may be invited to perform the audition round. The audition round consists of an in-person audition proctored by the Musician Placement Director nearest to your geographical area. During the audition round, you will perform specified excerpts and sight-read from a collection of short selections. Dates for the audition round are often published or, in some cases, individually scheduled. 

For more information regarding the audition process, including instrument-specific requirements, email: MarineMusic@marines.usmc.mil

To request an audition, visit our Audition Request Form.