When a soldier or a veteran passes away, it's customary for "Taps" to be played at his or her funeral. A fellow member of the military will play the heartbreaking tune on the bugle to honor the fallen service member. As Marine veteran Roy Zanni points out, "Taps" isn't always honoring the deceased the way it should. More often than not, recordings of the tune are broadcast from a speaker placed inside a bugle that isn't actually being played.
It's a little-known secret that Roy hopes will move people to join Bugles Across America, just as he has. Volunteers with the organization play "Taps" live at military funerals — no recording necessary.
This is a cause dear to his heart. He joined the Marine Corps because he wanted to fight in Vietnam, but he never made it there: his musical talent saved his life when the war killed most men in his platoon.
It breaks his heart to this day, and he is still reduced to tears at the thought of all the comrades who fell, including a friend he used to play sports with. To honor these brave people, he's spent the last five years playing at over 3,000 military funerals.
Luckily, he's not the only volunteer who holds this cause dear; there are countless others who believe it's their duty to properly honor the fallen.
Please SHARE if you believe that every member of the military deserves to have "Taps" played live at their funeral!
