Jackson Memorial Jaguar Marching Band Marches In Inaugural Parade [VIDEO]

Members of the Jackson Memorial Jaguar Marching Band will be bleary eyed but back in class today a day after performing in President Obama's inaugural parade in Washington D.C.

Band Director Bud McCormick said it was an "exciting" day for the band and everything went "really well" for the band that left Jackson on Monday morning around 2AM to arrive in Washington at 7:30AM, in uniform, ready for the first of four security checks.

A Perfect Day For A Parade

The students got to see President Obama and his family applaud their performance of "God Bless America" as they passed the reviewing stand on the mile-and-a-half route on what McCormick describes as a "perfect" day for a parade. "We were sweating by the end of the parade," said McCormick, who remembered a freezing cold day in 2005 when the band played in the inaugural parade of George W. Bush. "It was really cold" remembers McCormick, recalling a temperature of 20 with a wind chill of 5.

Hurry Up And Wait

After their early arrival in Washington D.C. it was a case of "hurry up and wait." The band spent most of the morning in one of several large white tents at the Pentagon where the band ate lunch and watched the inaugural ceremonies on one of several television sets set up, albeit on a delay. McCormick they would hear crowd reaction in the distance and then hear it loud and clear on the television sets.

McCormick was impressed by how well the event was run, saying it was well-organized and "military style" in its precision. But event the most efficient event planner cannot keep politicians from their lunch.

As the start of the parade was delayed by the traditional Congressional lunch that ran late, the band drum line played with the Kamehameha Schools Warrior Marching Band from Honolulu, Hawaii. McCormick met the band's Assistant Band Director, Charlie Iwanaga,during their performance at the Tournament of Roses Parade. An impressed Iwanaga presented McCormick with a “lei” of Hawaiian Kukui Nuts, a sign of respect. McCormick returned the favor with Jersey Shore glasses from Lucky Leo's in Seaside Heights which.