the ultimate in last honors...

[acroyear]

...is having your funeral's performance of TAPS done by an "electronic bugle" being held up by a non-musician, rather than a real bugle player playing the tune for real.

*sigh*

these soldiers really are getting no respect at all...

Comments

[javasaurus.livejournal.com]

The photo indicates that it is being done because there is an increasing lack of true buglers in the army. While I suppose they could hire civilian buglers, is there another alternative?

[thatliardiego.livejournal.com]

That's disgusting, revolting and insulting.

Un-fucking-believable.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

They had been using boomboxes....

yes -- TRAINING

[acroyear70.livejournal.com]

the army can train people however the hell they want, so train more buglers. bugleing used to be an honorable part of the military tradition on land, just as the boson's whistle was at sea. restore that honor. TEACH the soldiers that it still means something, and now more than ever, and make them learn that respect again. Then you'll probably get more volunteers to learn to play.

i realize one of the problems is the lack of musical-types joining the army in the first place. it certainly doesn't help that many grunts are coming from schools that have had to gut their music programs for lack of funding.

[cozit.livejournal.com]

On top of that, any *trained* musician who decides to join up... having been offered a job with one of the bands, etc. has to go through training like everyone else. And there are a *lot* of trainers out there who *hate* college boys... and talented folk even more.

Neighbor of ours at our old place was invalided out of boot camp. Probably could have been dishonorably discharged, but because the drill sargent wasn't even *vaguely* subtle about the whole thing and not only started the fight, but wouldn't stop it or allow it to be stopped, they kinda glossed over it by discharging him honorably. He had a black belt of long standing and much practice... the drill sargent didn't, but fought dirty. Both ended up hospitalized for a while... idiots (not that Frank had much choice, he was pretty much told to go ahead, attack him, etc...).

Needless to say, not only did he end up saying 'forget them', but on top of that, he went out and actively discouraged everyone he knew from thinking of joining up, by telling his story around.

He's much happier now, in the safer environment... teaching High School English :-)