As members of the DCI community, we believe that revoking Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps’ consideration into Drum Corps International's Open Class competitive division is appalling in every aspect of the word. As such, we request that Arsenal be reconsidered for Open Class Competition. The actions of the former director (who resigned after the corps’ consideration for Open Class was revoked) came from a place of kindheartedness, camaraderie and community support towards the Veteran members of Pioneer and Oregon Crusaders, the two organizations that will not be fielding a corps for the 2019 Drum Corps International competitive season.



In a social media post by Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps, the corps announced their generous offer to provide financial assistance to any veterans of the recently, and somewhat suddenly, shuttered Pioneer and Oregon Crusaders organizations. Their munificent offer promotes and espouses the benevolent and tight-knit mission of the activity: that no matter what corps someone marches, we are all pursuing the same goal of excellence, and we are all brothers and sisters in music and performance. However, the backlash that Arsenal faced because of the outreach they offered goes against the very core principles upon which Don Warren, Jim Jones, et al. believed when they formed DCI. To punish Arsenal for generosity, while having just recently handed out consequences to Pioneer and Oregon Crusaders for blatant and appalling disregard for member safety, is an asinine miscarriage of justice and calls into question the values that Dan Acheson and the DCI board value.



We call upon the Drum Corps International board, as well as Dan Acheson, to reconsider Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps for Open Class division competition.