Military can't afford 'Taps' buglers - CNN.com

[floatdude]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2012/09/05/dnt-no-more-taps.cnn

Military can't afford 'Taps' buglers - CNN.com ,

Electonic Bugle, I don't think so. The soldier that gave their life deserve a real bugler.

[Mello Dude]

Been that way for a while. Here try this.

http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org/

[skevinp]

Perhaps could be a noble thing for people with the ability to charitably provide, if there is a way such could be organized.

And I see now there is!

Edited September 7, 2012 by skevinp

[SaxmanSilver]

I can't speak for the guard, but on the active side we simply don't have enough bands with enough trumpet players to travel to every single cemetery across the country and play taps for every single funeral. It's sad, but it's true. And at the rate veterans are dying and the military is drawing down... this trend will sadly continue. Bugles Across America is a fantastic organization and I hope more trumpeters continue to join and honor our veterans.

[Steve Knob]

As said above, PLEASE join Bugles Across America (http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org/) and put your talents to use honoring a fallen soldier who protected your rights and freedoms. If you can play taps correctly, you can be of service.

[Ghost]

While Director of the MA group of BAA members, the roster was around 103. Of those, only about 6-8 were very active. The others, do to work conflicts, were not available during the week. Even on weekends, they never volunteered when the funeral was close to their town/city. Getting rid of the deadwood takes time. The current director, John Collins USCG, has done over 300 funerals in a year.

Back in the 90's the Army had teams of 2-3 members, out of Fort Drum, that would be on the road for a week or two covering funerals in the Northeast. I imagine other regions of the USA had the ssame set-up. They'd finish one funeral, check in, and be given another one. With the number of veterans dying in the thousands weekly, the government developed the bugle you saw in the video. The military had do away with many of these active duty folks and now rely on Reservists in the various branches.

At the National cemetery in Bourne, MA, they can handle up to 22 funerals a day. A bugler could spend a good portion of the day going between the locations they have for the funeral sevice. No bugler available, the funeral home rep pushes the button on the column and taps comes out of the ceiling.

Tom Day has been busting his butt for years to get more live buglers. But, I also agree that a phony bugle is better than a boom box.

It would be great if more D&BC members would check in with their local funeral homes, even if not a member of BAA, and let them know of their interest to pay respect to a veteran. The toughest one I ever did, was for my own Mother, but it was also the proudest I had ever felt of being her son.

[drumcorpsfever]

Thanks for posting. I've shared with my trumpet players!

Been that way for a while. Here try this.

http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org/

Edited September 8, 2012 by drumcorpsfever

[DPEmerald]

I am a veteran. I just signed up as a volunteer and would be honored to play taps for any veteran.

[GUARDLING]

I am a veteran. I just signed up as a volunteer and would be honored to play taps for any veteran.

:thumbup:

[ironlips]

This summer being the 150th anniversary of the composing of Taps by Civil War bugler Oliver Wilcox Norton and Gen. Daniel Butterfield, it's the ideal time to volunteer for Bugles Across America:

www.buglesacrossamerica.org

Join the hundreds of other current and former drum corps buglers who have done so.

Frank Dorritie

(former) Sgt. E-5

C Company, 1st Bn., 142nd Armor Div.