I joined the Royal Marines Band at Deal as a junior musician in Feb.1965 aged 14!! Imagine what a shock that was, although, having spent 20 odd months in a Dr Barnados home from age 7 it wasn't such a shock to me as to many others. I want to add a few thoughts on the raging arguments, on various sites, regarding Bandies wearing green berets. In my time, passing out of Deal in 1968 to PVR in 1975, we Bandies were permitted to wear green berets which I did with great pride. NOT because I was a wannabee Bootie but just the pride in the Corps. Let's think for a moment just why one earns a green beret. Yes, of course, it was for a certain 'hardness' but surely it was mostly for the Corps spirit of dedication, commitment, perseverance, brotherhood and that extra spirit of 'never giving up'. As the advert says - A State of Mind. I contend that whilst a Bandie was never as fit/hard as a Bootie every one did FOUR years (in those days) of musical training. Imagine 4yrs of training at Deal, the parades, the square bashing, the picquet duties, the bullshit, the daily practice, room inspections and so forth - more than 'equal', in commitment, to the 9 months it takes to pass out as a Bootie? I also contend this - if all the bandsmen HAD to move over to become a Bootie what percentage would make the grade, in what time scale? Then, vice versa if all Booties HAD to move and become bandsmen how many would make the grade, and in what time scale? Make your own guesses but, in my day, Bandie to Bootie would win hands down, by a mile, over the reverse. In addition, when I did my JNCO course we were actually transferred from the band to the commandos, handing in our instruments and drawing a SLR 76.2mm rifle, all webbing and relevant equipment and performed as booties for 12 weeks doing everything that they did; whilst wearing our green berets!! None dropped out and we all passed the course. Ergo, I feel a Bandie is as entitled to a green beret as any Bootie. Proud to have been a Royal Marine.