In 2000 Congress enacted legislation that every honorably discharged Veteran was entitled to Military Funeral Honors.  Said honors were to include 2 representatives from that Veteran's branch of Service to fold and present the American Flag and the sounding of TAPS. Since there weren't enough buglers to be able to send one to each Veteran's funeral, many times TAPS was sounded usng a recording.  At first the recording was played using a boom box which really looked tacky.  Later some clever person came up with an insert which would fit inside the bell of a bugle and which had an MP3 player and a very small speaker.  the faux "bugler" pushed a button on the insert, raised the bugle to their lips and the mp3 player played TAPS after a fashion.  The reproduction was very tinny and there were times when it failed to play or played early before the bugle was at the lips of the person pretending to be a bugler.

 

A retired Marine Sergeant saw this as unacceptable and wrote to the Pentagon and got permission  and started a volunteer organization to have auditioned volunteers  sound Live TAPS for Veterans' Funerals -actually passing air between lips and into the horn and actually Sounding LIVE TAPS.  Thus was Bugles Across America (BAA) born.  We are now at over 7000 Volunteers in all fifty States and in Germany as well.   This service is our tribute to the service of the Veteran and there is no charge for our service.   One has only to request a bugler and the request is sent to every BAA Bugler within a one hundred (100) mile radius of the funeral site.  A BAA bugler, who is available for that TAPS Mission will take the Mission and you will receive an email giving you their name and contact information.  The accepting Bugler will also contact you to confirm that they will be there.  They wiill arrive early and report to the Military representatives.  

 

Just remember if a Veteran has passed away, go to BuglesacrossAmerica.org and click on the Request a Bugler area.  It only takes about a minute to fill out the bugler request.

OH - and be SURE the Funeral Home knows that a BAA Bugler has been requested to avoid possible confusion or duplicate requests. And if a Veteran Service Organization (VFW,DAV, American Legion. AMVETS, PVA, Vietnam Veterans of America) will be participating, they should also know in advance of the funeral.

 

You will not be disappointed.

 

 

 

Ernie Richardson

Bugles Across America

Michigan Assistant Director

and 

Patriot Woodworker member

Ernie. thank you for bringing this to our attention - AND - thank you for being part of such a great organization.  I think every one of us should copy and paste your words in an email to their local veterans' organization.  I know I have.

Thank you, Ernie, for your service and for reminding us where we can locate this valuable resource.

Lew,

Thank you for your kind words. I just need to make sure that everyone understands that I am NOT a Veteran of the United States Armed Services. I was DQ'd for a small heart murmur. I do not want to be guilty of Stolen Valor. I do belong to Bugles Across America (BAA) and am Assistant State Director for Michigan which has around 240 BAA Buglers and I do Sound TAPS for deceased Veterans. I will be honoring two Veterans this week - one on Friday and one on Saturday.

Ernie, thanks so much for the information, and yes, thank you sir for being a part of a great organization, and thank you for giving back to the men and women who have served. Some folks talk volunteerism, and some like you, do it!

Lew,

Thank you for your kind words. I just need to make sure that everyone understands that I am NOT a Veteran of the United States Armed Services. I was DQ'd for a small heart murmur. I do not want to be guilty of Stolen Valor. I do belong to Bugles Across America (BAA) and am Assistant State Director for Michigan which has around 240 BAA Buglers and I do Sound TAPS for deceased Veterans. I will be honoring two Veterans this week - one on Friday and one on Saturday.

You ARE serving, now, Ernie and we thank you for it.