Navy Music Program

Formerly Navy Music Ll Program (NMP), Fleet Band Activities (FBA) is the central management office for nine active-duty fleet bands. Located at Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee, this office has the responsibility of coordinating the assignment and distribution of personnel, equipment and funding to activities worldwide as well as managing the application and audition process for those wanting to serve as Navy musicians. Personnel at the FBA office work directly with Navy Personnel Command's Career Management Department (PERS-4) to meet our Musician manning requirements to the fleet.

Navy Band Northwest is one of 13 Official Navy Bands located throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, Italy and Japan. The band's early history dates back to the Bremerton Navy Yard Band of 1918 and the 13th Naval District Band of 1925. In 1944, a group of sailors from various ratings formed a band at Naval Air Station Sand Point in Seattle to welcome the Hellcat Fighter Squadron of Carrier Aircraft Support Unit 7. The band became known as the Hellcat Band in honor of the fighter squadron returning from combat operations in the South Pacific.

The official commissioning of the 13th Naval District Band took place in 1953 at Pier 91 in Seattle. The band moved to Naval Air Station Sand Point in the fall of 1970 where its name was changed to Navy Band Northwest and then to Navy Band Seattle. In April 1985, the band moved into Building 30, a remodeled portion of the hangar where the Hellcat Band welcomed home the World War II heroes of Carrier Aircraft Support Unit 7. Naval Station Puget Sound closed in 1995 as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. In February 1995, Navy Band Seattle moved across the Puget Sound to a new facility at Naval Submarine Base Bangor in Silverdale. Navy Band Seattle officially changed its name to Navy Band Northwest on 1 April 1999 as a result of the Navy Regionalization Initiatives.

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