DISQUS

CGRDCS · 1 month ago

Chief Lamb,
I have no hearftburn for any members of the CG Band as currently formated. My grief is with the continued location at the Academy. It is the Coast Guard Band, not the Coast Guard Academy Band. I have had the very great pleasure of serving with musicans at Cape May. During my service career then MUC George King, did wonders with RECRUITS, and I am sure that his counterpart at Alameda did the same.
Build the necessay facilities, outside of New London, move the band, and if necessary create a Band Detachment at the Academy for the Academy functions.

The Band belongs to the Entire Coast Guard, not the Academy, with some side trips away from New London

Just my nickel

CGRDCS · 2 months ago

Mr. Jacksonthomas

IMHO The Washington Navy Yard is well known in the Washington area. So, is the USS Barry. Thousands see it daily from the South Capitol Street Bridge. So is the Marine Barracks at 8th and "I" just up the street from the Navy Yard Old Main Gate.
So's Bolling AFS, and Anacostia Naval Annex.

The Coast Guard Band may have a relationship with the New London Community, but it's first obligation is to the WHOLE COAST GUARD. I know that they are enlisted with idea that they would only be stationed in New London, and sometimes openings appear at Cape May, but it is not the CG Academy Band, it is the Coast Guard Band. If they don't want to serve outside of New London, then let them go and enlist new members, with the understanding that they will be stationed in the DC area. The rest of the Guard goes where they are assigned, so should the BAND.
For the Museum, if not in DC, or at TISCOM, then what about in Baltimore aside the Yard. How much land does the CG still have at Curtis Bay??? Baltimore is a lot closer to DC than New London. About the same distance to DC as Quantico. More transportation choices than New London.

For the Band , same thing. Build the necessary facilities, and move. The closer location to DC would permit a great many more Public Affairs gigs to be seen by more people

CGRDCS · 2 months ago

Not only should the Coast Guard Museum, not be be in New London, neither should THE Coast Guard Band .
The Army band is NOT at West Point.
The Navy Band is NOT at Annapolis.
The Marine Corps Band is NOT at Camp Lejeune.
The Air Force Band is NOT at Colorado Springs.

The only people that feel the CG Band and Museum need to be in New London, are the politicians and Academy Alumni, (Active and non active)

The Kelo decision will forever taint any Coast Guard activity on the proposed site.IMHO

JWillis · 2 months ago

Let's see:
Army Museum: Ft Belvoir, VA
Navy Museum: Washington DC
Marine Corps Museum: Quantico, VA
Air Force Museum: Wright Patterson AFB,Ohio
Coast Guard Museum: New London CT. That doesn't seem right to me.

The Coast Guard Museum should be near the nations capital, not stuck in some out of the way spot like New London. Tourists visit the DC area. How many tourists visit New London.

Years ago TISCOM Alexandria was a pretty big area, property wise. If it still is, why not cut off a few acres and put the museum there?

Sassenach · 2 months ago

So far as I've ever heard, the only people in favor of New London are the politicans who want to bring home the pork to build upon the rubble of the Kelo decision. Publicly, I suppose CG leadership will have to toe the line, but privately they're gagging over it.

mrjacksonthomas · 2 months ago

Wrong and wrong....first.....Who in Washington DC even knows where the Navy Museum is? The Army? No one! People know about the USMC museum, but that's just outside of DC. Finally the Air Force is well outside of DC. Military museums in DC are lost to the Smithsonian.

The Coast Guard Band actually has a relationship with the community of New London. I wonder, CGRDS....exactly who is willing to take the pay cut to move the Coast Guard band to DC....and exactly where will they be kept? I'm not against it, but they need to have a home...they can't practice out in the rain, and I'm assuming you know their set up as is.

I also want to assume you've been to TISCOM and know about all of the NON-Coast Guard security there...now...I wonder how open they can make TISCOM (in the middle of nowhere in Alexandria).

Surface Force · 2 months ago

Senior Chief,

Interesting idea you have w/ Baltimore as a site. With the TANEY nearby it would be a great location IMO.

As far as the CG Band goes, I didn't even know the CG had a Band...Navy always seems to be the ones playing at the CG Changes of Commands I've been at. ;)

mrjacksonthomas · 2 months ago

I understand the point about having the Coast Guard band and museum in the Washington, DC area, however, I also would maintain that it will just get lost there, like the U.S. Coast Guard Memorial at Arlington. Right next to the Air Force Memorial....which do people notice? Not the Coast Guard. What do people know about the Navy Yard that aren't in the military? Not much, unless they're driving to a Nationals game and crossing the bridge to get there from I-295.

Baltimore wouldn't be a bad idea, but IMO, I would rather not see Rep. Cummins benefit from anything the Coast Guard does. He's had is teeth in the service for some time. I don't disagree about the band.

Band in DC? Yes. Museum in DC? I'm not married to that.

CGRDCS · 2 months ago

Surface Force and Mr. Jacksonthomas,

Thanks for the replys. Surface Force, Yes, WE have a Band and a D**n good one, it's just hidden away in New London. Image the press, to have the Coast Guard Band play at Arlington, on either Veteran's Day or Memorial Day. Or Free Concerts on the Mall, during the summer, asd the other 4 service bandsa do. I do not have a problem with any serving member of the Band or wish them harm. But the Coast Guard is more than New London, or Groton, or Boston,
IMHO there has been too much focus on the Academy and Coast Guard Culture.

I am not completely married to Baltimore, it was just an idea. I would think that the primary visitors to the CG Museum would be Coastie and families, or folks with a desire to learn more about the Service, It's Culture and History. Remember that the Guard had a Boot Camp at Baltimore, there in WW2. I just wonder how much land is left.

The politicians are going to get the credit, no matter where it's built. And at last count they were
"D"'s. I don't care whio gets the credit. Build it, staff it with people that know the CG and it's history, culture and traditions, and let's enjoy it.

CGRDCS

mrjacksonthomas · 2 months ago

You're simply overlooking the fact that the Coast Guard Band travels a great deal. They do play at Arlington for Veterans Day at the CG Memorial, and they are a part of many "big" events in Washington. They play in Japan and Europe and all over the United States.

Much like CGC DALLAS doesn't "patrol" Charleston, the Coast Guard Band isn't anchored in New London, CT.

MR.PALCO92 · 2 months ago

i AGREE WITH MR.JACKSONTHOMAS.DC,DC,DC.BUT I THINK THEY COULD PRACTICE OR PLAY IN THE RAIN LIKE THE COLLAGE BANDS do, maybe not practice.lol.I know the USCG is well known for the Atlantic area ,but what about the Pacific area.the USN coming out of me ,I sorry.what do you mean as far as taking a pay cut?i am confused.please help.

Dan Trimble · 2 months ago

Having the museum located anywhere other than Washington, DC -- or any location that does not significantly highlight and elevate the service's prestige -- is a huge, grievous mistake. I fully understand and deeply appreciate the Coast Guard's long history with New London, CT. But no one visits the area. And I'm afraid a CG museum in New London would get just as much traffic as the tiny single-room "museum" already at the Academy -- which amounts to, for all intents and purposes, no body other than officer candidates. It has to be in DC to be of any meaningful value to the service, it's history, and it's future. If we want our service to stop being treated by Congress like the fifth wheel of the armed forces, we should do a better job of putting it in the limelight. Tucking away a museum documenting our pride and history in a relatively obscure town of fewer than 26,000 people does little to put that pride and history in public view.

That said, it would be an even more devastating mistake to have no museum at all. So if the only way we can get one is to have it in New London, than so be it. But a fight for DC or some other major location in an obvious public and political limelight should be an immediate priority if this project can get enough legs to stand on again.

Name · 2 months ago

Nothing would be more pointless than the museum in New London. I would never visit it. But, senior officers make the decisions and they all went through New London, so they think the rest of the Coast Guard gives a crap about that place. USCG officials always wonder why we're not viewed on the same level as the other services .... hmmmm ... not even Arlington National Cemetery staff know where the tiny Coast Guard monument is. The band isn't involved in large events like the other services, and they want to stick our national museum in a tiny town in Conn. Sounds like a winner.

Anonymouse · 2 months ago

When I attended CGA, it was popular among cadets to refer to New London as the "armpit of New England." While New London is a much nicer place than it used to be, it is NOT a tourist destination. Putting the Coast Guard Museum there would indeed be a mistake, but when you look at the long line of mistakes made by senior CG leadership over the past several decades, it would sadly fit right in.

CGRDCS · 2 months ago

Mrjacksonthomas
Yes the CG band does play at Arlington at the CG Memorial, but when was the last time that it played in the Ampitheater, with the President at either Veteran's Day or Memorial Day?? This is the BIG show, the one that Veterans watch every year. The other services play on rotation, why has not the CG Band been included? Pure supposition on my part is, because they are not in DC or surrounding area. There are 5 services, and we are part of the five, we should be included, but the Military District of Washington, will only include the 4 bands in the area. If I were at Hdqtrs Public Affairs, I'd be asking questions, probably would not like the answers, but I'd ask the questions.
Again the KELO decision will IMHO forever taint anything that goes in that area of New London.

uscga2000 · 2 months ago

DC doesn't need another museum. First off realistically where is it going to be St. Elizabeths...TISCOM...it will wind up like the "National" Aquarium or the DEA Museum, in an office wing or basement. The Coast Guard doesn't have money to create a Navy Memorial equivalent in Washington DC...we can't even fund WHECs and HU-25s. To be a successful museum in DC you have to do it right or not at all and we can't afford it. I'll argue that more students, parents and service members would visit a museum in Baltimore or even New London than a poorly funded and located one in DC.

As for the CG Band...I'm no fan of New London but where else has the music facilities/concert hall. Also having the two largest music programs in the Coast Guard (USCGA Cadet Bands and USCG Band) helps both programs.

Dan Trimble · 2 months ago

One of the core points of building and operating such a museum through an independent, non-profit organization is that it can raise money independently of the CG. I don't believe this project was ever intended to be funded by the Coast Guard.

mrjacksonthomas · 2 months ago

Dan, you do remember how they got the land....right?

Stephen Lamb · 2 months ago

Wow, I got on to read about the CG museum info, but starting to feel the love for the band!

With regards to the band, there are a handful of us who wonder why we are not in D.C. in order to do our mission to it's fullest potential. I can't speak for all of my colleagues in the band, but I would personally like to be in Washington for duties.

One interesting nugget is that over the past few years there has been a quiet discussion of a "Band Detachment" (a small ensemble) being formed in D.C. for higher profile work that would fall under Military District of Washington. Will it happen? Ultimately it all comes down to money. One of the main reasons the band is in New London is because the Academy has the facilities to house us in Leamy Hall. With the smaller "Band Detachment," there is less of a space requirement and ultimately less of a cost of doing business.

In short, should the band have a presence in D.C.? Yes
Should the museum be in D.C. (or the surrounding area)? Yes, but I have a feeling some of the reasons for it going to New London are the same as why the band will always be stuck in New London.