As Tour 2006 wound down, a number of issues arose concerning some of the traditions of the Gold Star Band. Having a few people not take our tradition of singing The Yellow and the Green seriously is a minor nuisance. After all, it is hard to adjust to a custom that is as public as is that one. It took me a while to adjust to singing any time we got together for a meal as a group, but until I did adjust, I didn’t make fun of it or refuse to participate because I thought it was silly. A tradition that ties this band to our earliest days and means so much to those that are members today and were members yesterday is not something that should be taken lightly. One of the greatest memories I have in the Gold Star Band is playing at a homecoming weekend gathering of band alumni the weekend we celebrated our centennial in 2003. We marched in and played the usual On Bison and Fight Song and one or two other pieces from our shows that year. But after we played, we continued the tradition that began so many years ago. Standing there with alumni from 20, 30, 40, even 50 years ago and signing that one song that creates the brotherhood that is the Gold Star Band is one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had in my life. To feel that connection with my fellow current members is one thing, but to sing with alumni from generations past is simply unforgettable. And I have no problem saying that while looking around at those in attendance that night and realizing the tie that I had with them made it difficult to get all of the right words out at the right time. That is how much singing The Yellow and the Green means to me and to so many others.
What bothers me more than anything is the idea that some people have that they can pick and choose which traditions to continue, and which traditions they can unilaterally end. At first, that idea that you need to do all or none wasn’t that appealing to me, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. This group exists the way it does today because of what the former members have contributed in years past. What makes one thing special isn’t just the fact that that one specific tradition has been handed down from vets past to me today, but because of all of the customs that I have participated in and have had handed down to me throughout the years. Is it fair for one person to stand up and participate half heartedly in one or two customs and pass that apathetic posture on to future generations of the Gold Star Band? I for one don’t think so, and I know I’m not the only one. No one will ever be forced to participate in any of the traditions or customs of the Gold Star Band, but those that disagree with one or two of them need to rethink their positions. Is it fair for them to pass on just one or two of our customs to future generations or should we be passing down all of our customs? I could understand disliking something that we just made up a year or two ago, but the traditions that we are continuing today have come from 30 years ago or more.
I’ve always taken my job as Band President very seriously and my position as one of the elder members equally as serious. After this year, and if all goes according to plan with the other upperclassmen, I should be the most senior member of the band. I fear that the lack of respect shown by some of the underclassmen toward the upperclassmen and our customs will continue to spread if not stopped soon. With the loss of these senior members this year, all of whom have taken their roles very seriously in the past, the underclassmen are coming into the leadership roles in the band. I’ve spent some time thinking over the past few days that if certain people jump into the highest levels of leadership in the band, that our traditions could easily die. This is something that I simply cannot allow. Whether or not I am the President again next year is still a question that needs to be answered. But the more I look around and realize the potential for our traditions to fade, the more I feel it is going to be my duty to make sure that this possibility never comes to light. If it means one more year of hard work as the President of this wonderful organization, it is a worthy investment of my time to guarantee that what our predecessors worked so hard to hand down to us will continue to survive as long as the Gold Star Band exists.