Why is it important for civilian trumpet players to proactively make themselves available to play Taps at Military Honors Funerals?
Updated by Tom Allen, May 2010:
- According to a Pentagon official in an article in the USA Today (November 2009), only 20% of eligible veterans will have a live Taps Bugler at their service. The other 80% will get a recorded device. If it's 20% now, what's it going to be like in 50 years?
- Families won't necessarily know until the last minute if a recording will be used, and funeral directors aren't obligated to tell them.
- Some veterans organizations pay hundreds of dollars to buy the recorded "bugle-like device" and feel they have to "get their money's worth," so they don't bother to look for volunteers to play.
- Some people think the recorded device is better than an unqualified volunteer... but I've had active Military Honor Guardsmen tell me that even a "less than perfect" performance by a fellow American volunteer is better than the recording.
- When school districts argue over the importance of Instrumental Music in our schools ... THIS is why it's important.
- We can't let the tradition of Taps disappear during our generation.
- Every day is Memorial Day for 1500 - 1800 families around the country.
According to the US Dept of Veteran Affairs (Nov 2008):
23.8 Million living US veterans who will someday be eligible for a full Military Honors Funeral.
Average age of WWII Vets: 84
Average age of Korean War Vets: 76
Average age of Vietnam Vets: 60
- It is estimated that there will be 686,000 deaths of veterans eligible for a full Military Honors Funeral this year.
Finally: When my father passed in 2002, we had 100 guys right there who could have played Taps... the thought that other families of WWII vets might get a recording is unacceptable.
"Taps should always be played by a real guy, not a tape recorder."
- Walt Allen
