I’m surprised at the extent is all. My experience 1968-1976 didn’t give me any sense that Music was this much involved.
I did funeral detail in 69 before going overseas and we had a bugler but the others among us were volunteers who got per diem mostly and a day off from duty if the funeral conflicted with work.
I started as an E-1 making about $94/month and ended as an E-5 after 8 years making about $600/month. Hardly budget breaking then I guess.
What I DO agree with is cutting out all Military Honorifics for f@cking politicians. To my mind, they should be lauded by Prison Bands, if that.
A lot of budget projections comes down to book keeping and future cost projections. In terms of actual man hours, the bands cost no more today than when you were in. But, the Dollar buys about 10% today of what it did when you first went in.
As a side question, do you remember the minimum wage in 1968? I do, and kids today would laugh and not believe anyone would have worked for that.