BEWARE OF SCAMMERS ASKING FOR ADMIN ACCESS. WE NEVER ASK FOR ACCESS.
Quasijock
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Them and Us?Admin wrote...
| Quote: | What I intend to do (having just spoken to caretaker) is create some new subranks that people will be asked to use that appear under their name...
Serving
Exserving
Volunteer
Civilian
RMB Fan
That way, we will be able to distinguish who everyone is.
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I'm not sure if this is the way to go. I believe that this will be devisive and tend to become clichie. We are all musicians as MrJpig says in his footnote and long may the banter remain.
However, all the Festival dits will die down now and we can carry on as we were.
The RNVB Festival is a flagship event, manned by a robust, talented crew with realistic ambitions and creative foresight. The only thing holding it back it seems, is that it is sailing in the doldrums of apathy from the musical chattering classes that continue to show little interest in what the RNVB movement can achieve.
QJ
Serving RN Volunteer 
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A
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I agree.
It has never been a case of 'them and us' before, so I don't see why we should be now.
From what I have read, it would appear that we're being marked as a separate entity, simply so that serving and ex serving marines can completely disassociate themselves with us in case a civilian sees the site and sees a completely harmless post or two.
I am sure I don't need to remind everyone how hard the volunteer bands work, or how many times we represent the navy in many public performances, both bread and butter and high profile.
Recent achievements include the trip to Ypres, The Queen's 80th birthday party, the festival, and of course the regular miracles we perform in Cologne.
The crux of the matter seems to be that we are 'taking over the site.'
There are simple solutions to this.
Serving and ex serving should post more.
Serving and ex serving marines should, if they feel that there aren't enough RM related threads, start some themselves.
If serving or ex serving marines see posts made by members of the RNVB and take offence to them, they should either a) ignore them and move on, or b) PM said member of the RNVB and politely explain why that post is unacceptable.
This is all simple stuff.
The suggestion was made that external viewers of the site may think that the RNVB's only drink and party, and that that would have a detrimental affect to the image of the RMB.
Please!
The members of the RNVB aren't the oly ones who post drivel on this site. We aren't the only ones who post about drinking anecdotes on this site. We are not the only ones who hijack threads.
The public will notice that too, should they looking closely enough.
They will also see the Marines disdain for their colleagues in the RAF and army. (Simply because a few people complained about a draft? I have spent 10 years listening to Marines complaining about drafts! INCLUDING Cyprus!) The only difference is, the Marines going to Cyprus didn't get caught complaining to the press. No, marines get caught doing OTHER things by the press, but those things are FAR less detrimental to the image of the RM, are they not?
Those posts first showed arrogance, and now all this fuss is proving that you don't respect the RNVB's either, despite the hard work we put in beside you, and for you.
Everyone needs to grow up and stop behaving so childishly.
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eastneyslapper
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 Hmmmmm...
 Time to take cover, methinks!! 
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Anne Picc
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It's been a really interesting debate and one that Ive continued to have with an ex serving bandsman. There have been several comments that I hadn't considered before and I can now see both sides to the arguement. I'll play devils advocate for a minute ...........
There is a point being made that this site is open access - anyone can comment and anyone can lurk. Lurkers who know nothing about the RM / Volly set up will make no distinction between the two so comments made by Vollies may well be interpreted as being from RMs (hence I think the suggestion of 'labels'). I personally do agree that both RMs and Vollies are equally guilty of forgetting at times that conversations and comments made on this forum are actually far more public than any verbal conversation and as such maybe we all have a duty to up hold the reputation of both our services while on the forum. Maybe the rule should be, if you wouldn't say it at the top of your voice in public in uniform, don't say it on here?
I do agree that there seems to be a bit of a them and us feeling at the moment, which I really don't like and isn't born out in any real life dealings I've ever had in 12 + years of serving as a Volunteer with The Royal Navy bands. Having said that, looking at some of the posts from some of us on the RM sites, I can see their point - we do crash threads at times and reduce a sensible RM topic of conversation to Volly banter at times. Again - maybe we should remember the rules of conversation - none of us would gate crash a verbal conversation in real life the way we do sometimes on here would we? The forum is used by many ex serving RMs to catch up with old buddies, re live stories and events, re make connections and generally share in joint memories. Maybe we should respect that and give them a bit more peace and space? The other side, as I've already said, is that many RMs encourage Vollies to post and seem to enjoy the banter, so blaming the Vollies entirely for this situation just doesn't seem fair. I'm not sure how wide spread the feeling is amongst RMs either - it could just be one or two who are offended and vocal - I really don't know. I for one am certainly not interested in gate crashing a party I'm not invited to and have no desire to offend anyone.
I do think it is very easy for things to become enflamed on a web forum - it's easy to misinterpret text - the reader usually interprets what is written according to how they are personally feeling (trust me - I'm a speech therapist - I know about this stuff!) so if the reader is feeling irritated, that is likely to be how they interpret a post. It is next to impossible to express all the non verbal signals we do normally so how a text is interpreted may having no resemblance to how it was intended.
Maybe there needs to be consideration in how this site is accessed and what the registration process is. On our own Cologne site, you can only register if invited so the site is not open to the entire world to lurk on. If this is a big issue, it looks like we need some ground rules born out of mutual respect for each other. If it isn't a big issue, perhaps all that is needed is a big breath and things to be put back into perspective?!
As I said - playing devils advocate here. And given what I said above, this is meant in a calm, non irritated or annoyed tone of voice! Purely meant for reasonable debate, not inflamatory purposes 
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Dan A
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Anne the most sensible response i have heard so far..
Dan
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Anne Picc
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Why Thank you Dan! Sensible isn't normally an adjective attributed to me outside work - I must have been having a good day  .
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Gromit
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| A wrote: | I agree.
It has never been a case of 'them and us' before, so I don't see why we should be now......... Everyone needs to grow up and stop behaving so childishly. |
Deli set up the RMBS web site for RMBs & ex RMBs to stay in touch - and the vollie posts may have been harmless but it was certainly more than the odd 'harmless post or two'. I joined the forum in July as a Vollie/ex Wren and I am now embarrased about the fact that I butted in to RM chat. I thought I could as that's what was 'sold' to me when I joined the 'musicians' forum. However it's a RM musicians forum and on reflection I can see why the RMBs are getting a bit chewy.
I don't like the 'them & us' comments as whoever initiated the 'complaint' had every right to voice a concern. I regard visiting the RMBS web site or any web site, like visiting a Mess - all are welcome by invitation but one has to remember the etiquette.
I like Ann Pics comments, especially ref being invited to join as it works for Cologne reunited.
Ref Serving, ex serving, RMB fan etc - I like the idea and don't see it as being detrimental. We work out who is who eventually and I think it can put things in to perspective and add diversity.
I would like to take the oportunity to thank admin et al for taking the time to sort the issues out in a swift & mature manner. I am sure you had better things to do this weekend, and thanks for all the tweaks and attention to detail especially as you were not obliged to do so.
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