Military Funeral Honors Ceremonial Bugle

1. MILITARY FUNERAL HONORS (MFH) IS AN INTEGRAL 
ASPECT OF MARINE CASUALTY'S PROMISE TO "TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN." 
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF RENDERING HONORS IS THE 
PLAYING OF "TAPS." UNFORTUNATELY, NOT ALL MARINE UNITS HAVE 
ACCESS TO A LIVE BUGLER. DOD CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 500
BUGLERS. WITH OVER 1800 VETERANS WHO DIE EACH DAY, A LIVE BUGLER
CAN NOT BE PRESENT AT THE SERVICE OF EVERY VETERAN, ALTHOUGH THIS IS
ALWAYS OUR FIRST CHOICE. THE CEREMONIAL BUGLE SERVES AS A 
LIFE-LIKE SUBSTITUE FOR THE UNAVAILABLE LIVE BUGLER THAT WOULD 
USUALLY PLAY TAPS TO HONOR MARINES WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY. 
2. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, DOD HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS CALLS 
FROM FAMILY MEMBERS CONCERNING TAPS BEING PLAYED ON A CD PLAYER. 
IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND A SOLUTION, THE DOD HAS EXPLORED NEW AND 
INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ENHANCE THE DELIVERY OF TAPS AT EACH FUNERAL.
3. THE DOD HAS TAKEN SEVERAL ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THE IMPORTANCE 
OF TAPS AT EACH MFH. FIRST, THEY UPDATED THEIR POLICY TO READ, 'A 
BUGLER, EITHER MILITARY OR CIVILIAN, IS PREFERRED FOR THE SOUNDING
OF "TAPS".' SECOND, THE DOD INSTITUTED THE AUTHORIZED PROVIDER 
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (AP3) THAT ALLOWS THE SERVICES TO PARTNER WITH 
VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO AUGMENT THE FUNERAL
HONORS DETAIL, TO INCLUDE VOLUNTEER BUGLERS. AND LASTLY, TO FURTHER
ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND PROVIDE A MORE DIGNIFIED ALTERNATIVE TO THE CD
PLAYER, DOD TURNED TO TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP THE CEREMONIAL BUGLE. 
THE CEREMONIAL BUGLE WAS DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE A MORE DIGNIFIED
ALTERNATIVE TO THE PRE-RECORDED "TAPS" PLAYED ON A STEREO. IT IS
NOT INTEDNED TO BE A REPLACEMENT, OR BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR A LIVE
BUGLER BUT TO GIVE THE FAMILIES A VISUAL THAT THE CASSETTE OR CD
DOESN'T PROVIDE. 
4. THE DOD CHOSE THE STATE OF MISSOURI TO BETA TEST THE BUGLE 
DUE TO ITS WELL ESTABLISHED STATE RUN MILITARY FUNERAL HONORS 
PROGRAM. THEY ENGAGED ALL FIVE OF THE MILITARY SERVICES IN THEIR 
PROGRAM AND MANY VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN MISSOURI.
THEY ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS. THE BETA TEST 
PERIOD STARTED IN NOVEMBER 2002 AND RAN UNTIL MAY 2003. FIFTY 
PROTOTYPE BUGLES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO MILITARY UNITS AND VETERAN 
SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN MISSOURI. DURING THIS TEST, FAMILY 
MEMBERS AND HONOR GUARD MEMBERS WERE SURVEYED. NINETY-SIX PERCENT 
OF THOSE SURVEYED SAID THEY WERE PLEASED WITH THE CEREMONIAL BUGLE. 
FAMILIES PREFER THE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING APPEARANCE AND SOUND OF 
THE CEREMONIAL BUGLE OVER THE CD PLAYER. PRIOR TO EACH FUNERAL, 
FAMILIES WERE TOLD ABOUT THE CEREMONIAL BUGLE AND WERE ASKED THEIR 
PREFERENCE. IF, AND ONLY IF THE FAMILY AGREED WAS THE BUGLE USED 
AT THE FUNERAL. NO ATTEMPTS WERE EVER MADE TO DECEIVE THE FAMILY. 
THE SURVEY CONDUCTED SHOWS WITHOUT DOUBT, THE ACCEPTANCE BY 
FAMILIES AND PROVIDING UNITS.
5. THE CEREMONIAL BUGLE CONSISTS OF A SMALL RECORDER INSERTED 
DEEP INTO THE BELL OF THE BUGLE THAT PLAYS A VERY HIGH QUALITY 
RENDITION OF "TAPS". THE RECORDER OPERATES ON TWO STANDARD 9V 
ALKALINE BATTERIES, HAS AN ON-OFF SWITCH, AN ADJUSTABLE VOLUME 
SETTING RANGING FROM A MUTED INDOOR TONE TO A HIGH ENOUGH TONE 
TO COMPETE WITH TRAFFIC OR AIRCRAFT SOUNDS. 
6. ACTION. DURING AUGUST THROUGH MID-SEPTEMBER, MARINE 
ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT PURCHASE REQUESTS FOR THE 
BUGLE. THERE WILL BE A LIMITED OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A ONE-TIME 
PURCHASE OF THESE BUGLES. AN APPROXIMATE SIX WEEK WINDOW OF 
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THESE PURCHASES WILL COME AND GO QUICKLY. WITH 
BUDGET CONSTRAINTS AS THEY ARE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, 
BUDGETING TO PURCHASE THESE BUGLES NOW, IS CRITICAL. THE COST OF 
THE CEREMONIAL BUGLES WILL BE $500 EACH, PLUS $25 SHIPPING AND 
HANDLING. RECOMMEND ALL UNITS/ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING MFH REVIEW 
THEIR NEEDS AND ENSURE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE THE BUGLE. 
DOD IS STILL DEVELOPING THE PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASING THE BUGLES 
AND THESE PROCEDURES WILL BE RELEASED ASAP.