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When Navy veteran Robert James Smith was buried at Skyline Memorial Gardens this month, a bagpiper and drummer played "Scotland the Brave," "My Home" and, with violin accompaniment, "Amazing Grace." A trumpeter played a solemn Taps. And a uniformed Naval reservist presented a folded flag to Smith's son, Roger, and, "on behalf of a grateful nation," thanked him for his father's "honorable and faithful service."
When Navy veteran Robert James Smith was buried at Skyline Memorial Gardens this month, a bagpiper and drummer played "Scotland the Brave," "My Home" and, with violin accompaniment, "Amazing Grace." A trumpeter played a solemn Taps. And a uniformed Naval reservist presented a folded flag to Smith's son, Roger, and, "on behalf of a grateful nation," thanked him for his father's "honorable and faithful service."
"Honors teams have, in many cases, shrunk to two people, and taps is frequently played electronically, with a digital device inserted into a bugle, rather than by a trained bugler.New York announced this month that federal budget cuts mean virtually all military funerals in the state will feature the canned version of taps beginning Oct. 1."
I have to ask-for the bugler, is it really budget cuts? How many people do *you* know who know how to play a bugle? That pool is small, shrinking, and not easily expandable.
"Honors teams have, in many cases, shrunk to two people, and taps is frequently played electronically, with a digital device inserted into a bugle, rather than by a trained bugler.New York announced this month that federal budget cuts mean virtually all military funerals in the state will feature the canned version of taps beginning Oct. 1."
I have to ask-for the bugler, is it really budget cuts? How many people do *you* know who know how to play a bugle? That pool is small, shrinking, and not easily expandable.
I would think that it would be easy to expand the amount of buglers by "supply and demand" economics. Pay more and you will get more applicants. High School and College Music departments can encourage students to learn the bugle as a secondary instruments. Perhaps they can be paid as "part time" or reserve military to play at funerals. The HS where I sub teach has 40 to 60 talented band/orchestra members if only a few decided to learn the bugle too that would be more than enough for provide for the military funerals in our town.
Churches and religious organizations can look for retired military among their members to relearn/learn how to play the bugle to play at fellow church members, plus other funerals.
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and other oganizations like that can encourage this with special badges and programs. Boys & Girls clubs and other low income/inner city can start to have programs in this this.
More newspapers and other media can do articles on the shortage to raise awareness of the problem.
I admit that I don't know all the legal ins and outs of this but I think it is important to honor the men and women who fought to protect out country. I don't agree with all of the politics and all of the wars but I still feel that we need to honor those very brave people.
When Navy veteran Robert James Smith was buried at Skyline Memorial Gardens this month, a bagpiper and drummer played "Scotland the Brave," "My Home" and, with violin accompaniment, "Amazing Grace." A trumpeter played a solemn Taps. And a uniformed Naval reservist presented a folded flag to Smith's son, Roger, and, "on behalf of a grateful nation," thanked him for his father's "honorable and faithful service."
I quite frankly do not see why the government should have to pony up for a bagpiper, a drummer and a violinist for every military funeral.
I think, contrary to the man involved, that what the government provided was adequate, and how he chose to enhance the ceremony at his own expense was his business and should be his expense.
I quite frankly do not see why the government should have to pony up for a bagpiper, a drummer and a violinist for every military funeral.
I think, contrary to the man involved, that what the government provided was adequate, and how he chose to enhance the ceremony at his own expense was his business and should be his expense.
I don't think that people are saying that all military funerals need all those things (violin, bagpiper, etc), but I have read that not all military funerals even get someone playing a "fake" bugle. A few years ago I read that in many rural places they only have a cassette tape of "Taps" and you or the funeral home even have to provide your own cassette player and person to "play Taps" for the ceremony.
That is a sad way to honor a brave soldier who fought for our freedom in WWII, Korea, Vietnam or where-ever.
When Navy veteran Robert James Smith was buried at Skyline Memorial Gardens this month, a bagpiper and drummer played "Scotland the Brave," "My Home" and, with violin accompaniment, "Amazing Grace." A trumpeter played a solemn Taps. And a uniformed Naval reservist presented a folded flag to Smith's son, Roger, and, "on behalf of a grateful nation," thanked him for his father's "honorable and faithful service."
That's different than what I have done.
I was a volunteer in the "Honor Guard"
I was a part of many funeral services.
We provided a bugler, 7 who fired M1's for a 21 gun salute, and 2 flag folders.
Free of any charges provided by Uncle Sam.
I think Robert James Smith's son deserved not to be charged.
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