Had the occasion to talk to former Imperial TOM DAY about his organization called "Bugles Across America".
A great service to our servicemen and their families!

Bugles Across America, NFP was founded in 2000 by Tom Day, when Congress passed legislation stating Veterans had a right to at least 2 uniformed military people to fold the flag and play taps on a CD player. Bugles Across America was begun to take this a step further, and in recognition of the service these Veterans provided their country, we felt that every Veteran deserved a live rendition of taps played by a live Bugler. To this end, we are actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

Bugles Across America now has over 5000 bugler volunteers located in all 50 states and growing number overseas. Since the Department of Veterans Affairs is expecting more than 1/2 million veterans to pass every year for the next 7 years, Bugles Across America is ALWAYS recruiting new volunteers.

Bugler Volunteers can be male or female. They can play a traditional bugle with no valves, or they can perform the ceremony on a Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn, or a 1, 2 or 3 valved bugle. The bugler can be of any age as long as they can play the 24 notes of Taps with an ease and style that will do honor to both the Veterans, their families, and the burial detail performing the service.

See their website at: www.buglesacrossamerica.org
-or-
http://xeml.buglesacrossamerica.org/

YOU MAY WANT TO SUPPORT THEM FINANCIALLY OR BY PARTICPATING!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

This is truly a great organization, started by a former Cavalier (sorry about that!). Tom has been featured on several TV shows and newspapers across the country, especially when the military started using electronic bugles that actually played Taps while the "player" simply held the bugle (how tacky is THAT?!).

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

Tom Day is an Imperial alumn BEFORE he was a Cavalier alum. (Sorry about that!)

Tom's organization is fantastic, and I am proud to call him an Imperial. (Sorry about that, too!)

Unfortunately, I didn't think to contact him when my brother died and we had to listen to recorded taps. It just isn't the same.

What did you do in the Corps? Drumline

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1965

Larry,

Was the recording on a CD, or on one of those electronic bugle things? I'm curious about the sound on those.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

It was a CD, and not great quality, played on a cheap battery-powered boom box. It was raining and the sound was muffled by plastic covering the player.

While everyone thought it was touching, I knew better, and I felt my brother deserved better. I am embarassed that I hadn't thought of BAA when I needed it most.

Tom Day has a great solution, but I suspect information about what he offers is not well-known. If the Funeral Director had knowledge of the availability of live buglers, and had informed my family, I am sure that one would have been there.

I can't imagine an electronic bugle being any improvement. Funerals are no place for gimmicks.

What did you do in the Corps? Drumline

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1965

Here is some additional information about how BUGLES ACROSS AMERICA operates, from alum Tom Day:

1. To be a member of BAA all you need to do is go to the web site. www.buglesacrossamerica.org
and click on Volunteer.

Complete the form and within a few days your name will filter through the system and you can then access the the entire site.

2. The website discussion area is composed mostly of other horn players and the biggest percentage are from Drum Corps.

3. There are no dues. It is free. However there is a member packet that is available that consists of a Book on Military Funeral info.(100 pages). A Medal and certificate, a patch a lapel pin and car or horn case sticker. All for $15.00 postage by priority mail included.

4. Once you are r a member, you will get e-mails when somebody requests a bugler via the system. If you can do the mission you respond to the requestor. If you can't do the mission you delete the request.

5. If you take the mission, you show up at the funeral and sound Taps when needed.

We have 5,000 plus members and do about 1,000 funerals monthly all across the USA!!

More info at www.buglecall.org

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Received this note from 1950s alum, TOM CUSHING.

I played Taps at four cemeteries and at one local war memorial here in Griffith, Indiana, the Scouts joined me at two of the services. I would have liked to have played: To The Colors, but those planning the ceremonies aren't aware of other bugle calls.

Griffith American Legion Post #66 hosted lunch for all involved. It felt good to honor the veterans again.
--------------------------------

Way to go Tom!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Note that Tom Day has personally assisted at the funerals of two Norfwood Corps related people recently!

His volunteer group, BUGLES ACROSS AMERICA, does this every day across the country!

Imperials alums should strongly consider giving financial contributions to Tom's group and (even better) being a playing volunteer when feasible!

See his website at www.buglesacrossamerica.org for more info.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-1963

My wife and I attended a funeral today .. the father of Joanne Borck (my brother's wife) died and was buried today. He was a WW2 (Army Air Force) veteran.

The graveside ceremony was supported by two Air Force staff members, who did the flag removal and presentation. They did a fine job, crisp, military and respectful. But, one member "played" Taps, using an electronic bugle! The sound was fine but it was clear that he was NOT playing.

But, it was also only 15 degrees and snowing! Not great weather for brass instruments.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer: later: Quartermaster, assistant drum instructor

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Bugles Across America: up-date for the new year 2009.

In 2008 we had a good program on CNN and that produced over 400 new members worldwide and moved our overall member list to 6,140.

A couple of years ago we took over most of the active National Veterans Cemeteries across the US. For example in Riverside, Calif. we are doing about 65 missions a day. Closer to home at Abe Lincoln (down south of Joliet), we do about 15 a day. Florida is another big state for us.

In 09 we will have Echo Taps at Abe Lincoln in May and the Army will be filiming us at Rock Island .

May in Chicago BAA puts a 75 person color guard together to lead the Chicago Memorial Day Parade.

We will also work with the new small corps program that will start operation in the Midwest.

Anybody in Norwood want to start a small music group with Trumpets? We have the music all re -written. Its Tru Crawfords, rearranged for band by Gene Van DenBosch.

We have given away over 450 horns. in 8 years.

The Volunteer hours for BAA in total is very high. The VA has credited me with 56,000 and the presidents commission as given me another 5,000. So that's just one old man from Norwood Corps.

I also carried the BAA flag on the field with the Cavalier Alumni Corps at DCI in Indiana.

So a Norwood/Cavalier and several other Norwood/Cavaliers also participated. The Honor Guard was my responsibility as it was when I did the Anaheim Kingsmen alumni corps for the previous 2 years.

We are always looking for new projects and new foundations for support. We welcome folks of all ages , race, creed, and color. We still have as on going goal to save live music for military funerals.

Yours in Drum Corps, Tom Day
Alderman till April, of the Fighting 5th Ward, in the country of Berwyn, Illinois.
tomjday@sbcglobal.net
www.buglecall.org

What did you do in the Corps? drummer: later: Quartermaster, assistant drum instructor

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

NEW INFORMATION!

Bugles Across America announces Veterans" Stolen Dignity" Campaign.

Bugler Tom Day met with Three Star General and Mrs. Eric Shinseki the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the United States.

Tom Day explained the the nine year old program of Bugles Across America where they have signed up over 6,200 live horn players to play live Taps for Fallen Heroes and their Families at Veterans Military Funeral Honors. Tom and Veterans all across America feel that using a recording or a fake look- a- like bugle is not conforming with the original law passed allowing all Veterans to have a Military Funeral. The law states the Military must seek out a live player first prior to using a recording. Not doing so is Dignity Stolen.

Tom met the new Secretery when he was asked to play for the West Point Academy reunion gathering at Medinah Country Club March 14th. Tom was also selected to play for the last reunion of Medal of Honor Recipients in September at Solider Field and for the Loyal Order of the Purple Heart on June 14 th in East Peoria at the dedication of a new memorial.

Tom comments that "There Is No Longer A Shortage of LIVE Buglers". We are here and ready to serve. We are just a click away by going to www.buglesacrossamerica.org
and clicking on "Find A Bugler". complete the form and the request will go out to all players within 100 miles of the event. When that Veteran is your Dad, Brother, Son, Best Friend, don't steel their Dignity with a recording or some kind of fake imitation.
--------------------------

If you can play, and have some time available, sign up for this great program.

I put together this short video from the CNN broadcast last year for Tom. The first 30 seconds are silent.

This is the web location:
http://gallery.me.com/wbkoenig#100237

the login name is: tomday (all lower case run together)
password is: bugles

You have to have quick time installed (all windows users) - enjoy!

Will

Will, that is fabulous. I saw the piece actually broadcast and don't recall it being the same. I think this one is much better, and you've wrapped it very professionally.

I'd like to put the actual file on the web site (I already grabbed it) and link it from a page about Bugles Across America that we hope to have written soon. Would you have any objection?

Larry

What did you do in the Corps? Drumline

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1965

NEW INFORMATION POSTED ON DRUM CORPS WORLD WEBSITE
----------------

Bugles Across America still filling important need, marks 10th anniversary

Some still ask, “What is Bugles Across America?”

At the end of 1999, Congress passed a law that said every veteran -- meaning anyone who has worn the the uniform of the United states and received an Honorable Discharge -- can have a military funeral. The military would supply at least two uniformed personnel to fold and present the American flag.

Since the military only has about 500 players to sound Taps, it could only send a live bugler when available. They said most would receive a recorded musical message since there are no more people playing bugles.

Tom Day, a long-time drum and bugle corps member and former Marine, took exception to this and said he would find “live” players to play “live” Taps. He started Bugles Across America in 2000, with himself as the first player, and by the end of the first year he had 300!
One was Col. Truman W. Crawford, former director of the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, “The Commandant’s Own.”

Moving to 2010, BAA now has over 7,400 players in every state and many foreign countries. Men and women of all age, race, creed and color. A good percentage are former drum corps and band players.

On November 11, 2009, U.S. Today quoted Mark Ward of the Pentagon saying that BAA is now doing 31% of all military funerals across the country.

BAA has been featured on every TV and radio network. The organization has helped sponsor the Anaheim Kingsmen Alumni Corps, the Cavaliers Alumni Corps, the Colts, Sun Devils, Knightfire and the Elks Sr. Corps from Baker, OR.

The non-profit organization has also given away over 600 horns free! The Getzen Co. from Elkhorn, WI, makes a special bugle for them. Getzen was the primary manufacturer of G bugles for the drum and bugle corps activity throughout the 1950s, the 1960s and into the 1970s.

Bugles Across America has established volunteer units at various national veteran cemeteries. They designed a special flag for the Gold Star moms and do much more to bring back a word that was almost forgotten -- the “bugle.” Of course, the instrument has a long history of association with the North American drum and bugle corps activity since the 1800s, and especially beginning in 1921 when the American Legion held the first organized competition at their annual convention in Kansas City.

BAA has more than 10 university and college music programs involved and members use bugles, trumpets, cornets, flugle horns and sometimes a baritone here and there.

There are openings in all parts of the country and they also have DVDs available .

For more information go to www.buglesacrossamerica.org or www.buglecall.org.

New BAA publicity program

Imperials alumnus Wayne Mounsey (1938-50) has been working with Tom Day and the Bugles Across America group (BAA) to improve BAA visibility and support. They are about to begin a nationwide publicity (radio and TV) campaign.

Wayne told me in his e-mail: "Attached is something that is dear to my heart. Please help Bugles Across America and Tom Day's cause. We have been working on this for almost two (2) years and we are proud to say that we are associated with Tom. His cause is a great one... One that deserves your help and support. Please forward to your friends and help by donating on line or call one of our toll free numbers."

See the BAA website: www.buglesacrossamerica.org

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958 -1963

Bugles Across America was recently featured on an ABC- national News spot ...

This was shown on ABC News Monday 5/30. Bugles Across America was founded and is run by Imperials alumnus Tom Day. Several of our corps members are volunteers with BAA, doing an excellent job! If you have time, and a horn, consider volunteering for this mission.

A beautiful tribute to those who've served... check the link shown

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/honoring-fallen-13721280
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What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958 -1963