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The United States Naval Academy Pipes and Drums is a highland musical cadet unit of the United States Naval Academy (USNA). Currently, the 42-member military pipe band is the only active duty unit of its kind in any service of the Department of the Navy (United States Marine Corps included). The band group provides musical support to the academy's Brigade of Midshipmen as well as the larger city of Annapolis, Maryland. It is one of several service academies and senior military colleges to maintain bagpipe bands, alongside the West Point Pipes and Drums, the Pipes and Drums of The Citadel and the Virginia Military Institute Pipes and Drums. The USNA Pipe Band is one of the more recent of these types of bands, being established in 1996 with funding being provided by members of the Annapolis class of 1961. It was officially approved as a Brigade Support Activity (BSA) three years later.

Today, it provides musical support for the following events and musical requirements of the USNA:

• Graduation and commissioning ceremonies of USNA Classes
• Military/patriotic ceremonies
• Public concerts and social events
• Retirement ceremonies
• Funerals
• Sporting events/televised performances
• Organized civil/military parades
• Celtic, Scottish and other cultural festivals
• Pipe band competitions
• Any other solo activity or joint activity with the United States Naval Academy Band

The band wears a kilt which features the Polaris Military Tartan when they are in the parade ground. The design originated in the early 1960s and was pioneered by Captain Walter Schlech and Alexander MacIntyre of Strone.  The tartan is patterned in service tartan of the navy and is similar to the Black Watch tartan with the only difference being the addition of a four thread overcheck consisting of yellow - black - sky blue - black - yellow. 

Gallery

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• The Polaris Military Tartan

References

1. Limited, Alamy. "Stock Photo - 070522-N-1134L-002 Annapolis, Md. (May 22, 2007) Ð Midn. 4/C Beth Kent performs as part of the U.S. Naval Academy Pipes and Drums, the Department of the NavyÕs only active". Alamy. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
2. "Pipes and Drums". www.usna.edu.
3. "Pipes and Drums". Friends of Naval Academy Music.
4. ShoWare. "Tickets - Pipes & Drums". USNA Music And Theatre Ticket Office.
5. "Navy Bagpiping - U.S. Military Bagpiper Network". www.militarybagpiper.org.
6. "The Scottish Register of Tartanstitle=Tartan Details - Polaris Military". Retrieved 11 May 2019.

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U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps	Premier ensembles U.S. Marine Band U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps U.S. Naval Academy Band U.S. Navy Band Specialized units of premier ensembles Commodores Country Current Cruisers Sea Chanters Naval fleet bands Naval Forces Europe Band Seventh Fleet Band Pacific Fleet Band Navy Band Northwest Navy Band Great Lakes Navy Band Southwest Navy Band Northeast Navy Band Mid-South Navy Band Southeast U.S. Fleet Forces Band Marine wing/division bands United States Marine Band Quantico Marine Corps Band Parris Island Marine Band Marine Corps Band San Diego 1st Marine Division Band 2nd Marine Division Band 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band Marine Forces Reserve Band Former bands Navy Band New Orleans Navy Band South III Marine Amphibious Force Band Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms Band
U.S. Air Force	Premier ensembles U.S. Air Force Band U.S. Air Force Academy Band Specialized units of premier ensembles Max Impact Regional bands Air Force in Europe Band Air Force Band of Flight Air Force Band of the Golden West Air Force Band of Mid-America Air Force Band of the Pacific - Asia Air Force Band of the Pacific Air Force Band of the West Air Force Heritage of America Band Air Force Heartland of America Band Air Force Academy Drum and Bugle Corps Former bands Air Force Band of Liberty Band of the Air Force Reserve Tops in Blue U.S. Air Force Pipe Band
U.S. Coast Guard	Premier ensembles U.S. Coast Guard Band Other bands U.S. Coast Guard Pipe Band
State defense forces	Maryland Defense Force Band Oregon State Defense Force Pipe Band
Corps of Cadets / Midshipmen	Citadel Regimental Band and Pipes Fightin' Texas Aggie Band Golden Eagle Band Highty-Tighties Merchant Marine Academy Regimental Band

• Bands of the United States Navy
• Musical groups established in 1996
• United States Naval Academy
• College marching bands in the United States
• Pipe bands
• Military academy bands
• Ceremonial units of the United States military