NStar Articles

Military bands have long been used as a means of communication on the battlefield.  The first documented evidence is found in Sun Tzu’s The Art of War from 2,500 years ago when drums and gongs were used to broadcast orders to troops.

There’s an old saying that an army marches on its stomach. This famous quote has been attributed to both Napoleon Bonaparte and Fredrick the Great, but no matter which military leader first came to this conclusion, its meaning is clear. The intent of the phrase is to convey that the effectiveness of a military force relies on the quality and quantity of the food it is served.  At the US Naval Academy (USNA), the requirement for plentiful and appetizing meals to serve the Brigade of Midshipmen is no different. But what exactly does it take to feed future Naval and Marine Corps Officers? Quite literally tons of food and optimum efficiency.

There’s something magical about musical theater. It keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. At any moment a character might unexpectedly break into song, sharing their innermost emotional turmoil, or ambitions for pulling something over on another character. In other scenes, the entire cast is suddenly in on the action, belting out the same thought as a choral ensemble. While no one ever really publicly breaks into song to get a message across, there is something to love about campy songs with catchy melodies paired with over-the-top storylines.