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WELCOME ABOARD!

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Welcome to the nation's ONLY Naval Sea Cadet Corps band whose mission is to honor our veterans, active duty military personnel, and their families. Music is our mission. 

 

GETTING STARTED…

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WHERE DOES THE BOTW REHEARSE?

  • We operate year-round and meet most Saturdays from 0830 – 1230 at the Cañada College, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd, Building 3, Flex Theater, Redwood City.  

 

WHAT IF I CAN NOT COME TO DRILL?

  • 75% attendance is required per USNSCC regulations—this is very manageable. Many current (and past) BOTW cadets are varsity athletes, members of their advanced school band, and excellent students.

  • If you are unable to attend a drill, you must notify our Leading Petty Officer (LPO) by Thursday prior to drill click here to email

  • NOTE: We support well-rounded students—academics and school band commitments always come first.

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PERFORMANCES

You will be notified of our performance schedule. We are never short of performance opportunities and we do our best to commit to performances that fit with our mission and do not conflict with school or sea cadet trainings. As the ONLY sea cadet band in the nation, we are in high demand. It is your responsibility to mark these performances on your calendar and make them a priority. There will often be more performances added as the year goes on.

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BOTW performances are meaningful public performances—not recitals for family members. We serve as a surrogate for professional military bands in the SF Bay Area. These performances are public ceremonies or private functions and you will learn to be professional musicians who travel for performances. 

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HOW GOOD OF A MUSICIAN DO I NEED TO BE?

 

Based upon observations made during rehearsals, it will be determined if you are ‘performance ready’; if not performance ready, you may continue to rehearse and work on improving your musicianship. This music training program was implemented in an effort to give more junior musicians an opportunity for additional training on a weekly basis. Our Band Team makes the final determination regarding ensemble assignments and performance readiness. BOTW is essentially a surrogate for professional military bands, and thus we have a high standard to uphold in order to ensure that we maintain the integrity of ceremonies and civic events we support.

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WHERE DO I GET THE BOTW MUSIC

Please contact our Band Librarian (click here to email) for information regarding obtaining our music. All music is available through an invitation-only DropBox account. You are responsible for downloading/printing out ALL parts of music for your instrument and arranging them in clear pockets alphabetically in a 1.5-inch white binder. You will need a BOTW binder cover.  See below to make your own.

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          Click here for instructions on how to set up your music binder. 

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                Click here for a template to create your own music binder cover

WHAT DO I WEAR TO DRILLS & EVENTS?

 

Our band members are cadets in the US Naval Sea Cadet Corps and wear the appropriate uniform, have the appropriate haircut and follow proper military protocol when in uniform. (click here for NSCC Uniform Regulations).

 

Our Supply team will outfit you with uniforms: Navy Working Uniform or ‘NWU’, dress white uniform (April-Oct) and dress blue uniform (Nov-Apr).

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Physical fitness is also a priority and we conduct physical readiness testing (aka PRT) during designated drill days (approximately 4 times per year or as needed). Passing PRT is a requirement for attending sea cadet trainings.

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The uniform of the day is always listed on each Plan of the Day (POD). Generally you will wear Navy Working Uniform (NWU) for rehearsal drills, and dress uniform for performances and ceremonies.

WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOTW:

This is where we let our supporters know what we are doing and post pictures. Please go to this page and “like” us. Be sure to encourage friends and family to do so as well, so they may see what your cadet is doing.

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HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER?

  • We use 2 methods of communication to send out and receive information.

  • The BOTW uses an email group automatically generated by the NSCC's on-line service MAGELLAN—the cadet’s email address as well as primary and secondary parents’ email addresses (taken from their NSCC application) are used

  • We always copy parents in communications with your cadets, although it is your cadet's responsibility to follow directions

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Information about weekly rehearsals/performances are posted as a “Plan of the Day” (aka POD) on Thursdays (or at least 2 days) prior to an event. PODs are sent to the email addresses provided and posted to the Facebook group. It is advisable for all cadets to get accustomed to checking their own email (and Facebook) accounts, as this will prepare them for college and their professional lives.

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HOW SHOULD I ADDRESS THE OFFICERS? 

Proper forms of address should be used by parents and cadets in person

and in all written communication. If you forget a rank, 'Sir' or 'Ma'am' is

always appropriate. We are teaching respect and courtesies to cadets and leaguers. 

USEFUL AND FREQUESNTLY USED JARGON USED IN SEA CADETS:

 

CO       Commanding Officer

XO       Executive Officer

LPO     Leading Petty Officer

ALPO  Assistant Leading Petty Officer

MAA    Master At Arms

POD    Plan of the Day

COTC  Commanding Officer Training Contingent - the Sea Cadet Officer in                     charge of the training

NSCC  Naval Sea Cadet Corps

NLCC  Navy League Cadet Corps

AT       Advanced Training

NWU   Navy Working Uniform (blue camouflage uniform)

PT       Physical Training

RTC    Recruit Training Contingent AKA "Boot Camp"

WHAT BENEFITS WILL MY CADET RECEIVE?

As a member of the USNSCC Band of the West you will receive the following benefits and more:

  • All benefits and trainings offered through federally-funded US Naval Sea Cadet Corps program

  • Development and application of leadership skills, self-reliance, service to others, teamwork, honor, & civic pride

  • Professional music instruction & experience 

  • Unique & meaningful performances; we average 10-15 per year

  • Camaraderie of like-minded students from across the SF Bay Area, ages 10-18 years old

  • Community service—you will be performing community service during your performances and earning unique meaningful community service hours for school or college applications (we average 60+ hours per year)

  • Differentiation for college applications 

  • Pay grade incentives for those who enlist in one of the military services

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