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You must be at least 17 and have completed your junior year in high school, but not older than 42 years of age. You must have strong sight reading skills and be able to perform various musical styles. Improvisational skills are a plus but not required. You must be able to pass a background check and medical evaluation to be cleared to enter the United States Army as a Soldier. See "Application Process" below for more information.

There may be an enlistment bonus if you're eligible. Group life and Dental insurance is offered at a nominal cost. Post Exchange and Commissary privileges are available. Also, after you have completed 20 years of qualifying service you will be entitled to retirement pay based on your rank and retirement points starting at the age of 60. For specific questions regarding current benefits, please contact local recruiter.

Auditions are conducted by the 380th Army Band Commander or an assigned representative at Quinto Hall on Fort Eustis, Virginia or at the United States Army School Virginia Beach, Virginia, unless other arrangements are made. Transportation may be provided.

You will be required to prepare four to five excerpts of contrasting styles/genres of your choice that best demonstrate your musical capabilities. These need not be full songs/works and should not total more than 10-15 minutes of music. 24 hours prior to your audition, you'll be provided with a packet of music to quickly prepare to determine your ability to not just sightread, but prepare music to an acceptable level as if called to "sub" or fill in on a different part when the primary musician is unavailable. Perfection is not the expectation; the packet is designed to test your decision making ability and musical flexibility in a variety of settings that are the hallmark of professional level musicians.

Percussion applicants should be prepared to audition on snare, trap, and mallets. Vocal and Rhythm Instrument applicants (piano, bass, guitar, drums) should be prepared to perform solo and with a backing track for both assessment sections. If you are proficient on another instrument or can sing, please include that information in your audition request correspondence.

First, contact your local Army recruiter's office to learn more about the United States Army Reserve and let them know you are specifically interested in joining the 380th Army Band in Fort Eustis, VA. Your recruiter will determine your administrative eligibility for joining the military (i.e. background check, medical review, etc) and, once they determine you are eligible to enlist, then contact our Full Time Operations Coordinator (AGR) or Commander to request a unit visit and schedule a Commander's Musical Assessment or "Pre Army Musician Proficiency Assessment."

Upon passing the assessment, you will be issued a "Memorandum of Suitability / Eligibility for a Nominative Billet" to take back to your local recruiter who will coordinate the rest of your enlistment paperwork; culminating in you taking the "Oath of Enlistment" when you sign your Army contract at your local Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS).

From there, you'll be given a report date for nine weeks of Army Initial Entry Training (IET) commonly known as "Basic Training." Between you signing your contract and reporting to IET, you are eligible to attend unit individual training (IDT) commonly called "Drill" weekends for pay to assist with preparing for IET and AIT. After reporting to and successfully graduating from IET, you'll continue your military education at Advanced Individual Training (AIT) for 12 weeks of music / Army Band specific training at the United States Army School of Music, located in Virginia Beach, VA. Upon passing the formal Army Musician Proficiency Assessment and graduating AIT, you'll be fully qualified as an United States Army Musician and released to the 380th Army Band.

From that point you'll be responsible for attending one weekend (normally two days) of IDT per month and a two-week period of annual training (AT) where you'll get to use your Soldier and musical skills to support military and civilian performances and missions throughout the local community, the US, and abroad.

The band is happy to have guests come and play during our drilling weekend. Please contact Staff Sergeant John Runyan (AGR) for information on available dates and more information regarding being a guest.