Digital Bugle Plays Taps When GI's Can't

[GreenPartyVoter]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The playing of taps to honor America's fallen soldiers is a familiar sound, but at thousands of military funerals these days, not all is as it seems.

Instead of a bugler playing the 24 notes, a computerized chip implanted in the horn renders the heart-stirring song.

A push of a button starts the horn. It sounds a tune that not enough people in uniform can play given the pace of dying veterans and casualties from the Iraq war.

Some traditionalists object, but other people say it's an improvement upon the more widely used substitute - someone bending over and pressing a button on a boom box to play a recording of taps.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20040622/D83C3DB80.html

[Vickers]

1. Yeah, they played a tape at my dad's funeral

Two Navy girls were there. Still a nice gesture, though.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I think it's too bad they can't find more people, though.

I think I'd take a high school band member before I'd take a tape, but that's just me.

[wtmusic]

3. agree -- it's pathetic

misses the whole point. It would be like sending a computer-generated sympathy note.

[Vickers]

4. Have you thought of learning to play the bugle?

I see your military avatar, so I'm guessing you are a servicemember (or veteran like me).

I've thought of learning to play it for this very reason.

Edit: plus I see "music" in your name! I play guitar and harmonica, so I figure bugle wouldn't be too difficult (gotta admit, I never tried it though).

[wtmusic]

5. Actually the avatar

is Camilo Mejia, the Fla. GI who went to jail rather than return to Iraq.

No I'm not a vet, but I have a lot of respect for vets. I'm a musician, and I think if it were someone in my family I'd prefer silence.

[Vickers]

6. Actually "Taps" to me is a pretty soothing song

I remember hearing it in Basic and thinking, ahhhhhhh, now the DI can't fuck with me for 8 hours.

:P

[TN al]

7. Speaking as a veteran...

...I have no objection to playing a computerized bugle at my funeral if that is all they have. The visual is still the same of the lone bugler. I just hope they don't outsource it.

[disinfo_guy]

8. The sad state of basic musical education in the US

We don't even have enough people that can play a horn at funerals for our soldiers. Yet music programs are the first to get cut ... go figure.

[beyurslf]

9. Or maybe we have so many servie men and women overseas

and so many dying that there are not enough to go around to all the funerals.