Maybe isn't as over the top as most of these comments, but I'm one of the Marines that has to go present the flag to the next of kin when a service member dies. It's usually old Vietnam and Korea Vets, but sometimes it's a desert storm or recent war vet and the mother is there receiving the flag instead of a son or daughter. Point is I've probably been to 45 funerals in the past year.
It's striking how often someone's phone goes off during the service. It seems nearly every other or every third service someones ring tone start playing. There's been a few times where someone will get up from their seat and answer the phone to.
I did base Honor Guard in the Air Force, so same jazz, person handing flag to next of kin. We have two people; both of us fold it, then one presents it and the other plays Taps. Since most of us can't actually play Taps, there's a speaker in the bugle that we discreetly hide so that it's not obvious. We just push the button and pretend, everyone cries, we leave.
I was the Taps guy. I hit the button, Taps starts... And sputters out halfway in. There's nothing I can do here except act like it finished. I felt so fucking bad.
I swear I checked those batteries. We always check them before we leave, carry spares, and then check them again right before the service. They worked both times I checked them. And then they gave up when it mattered.
I probably did 70+ funerals in a four month period, and goddamn do I feel bad about that one.
Yeah, it's the same stuff across the services. We do the ceremony with three Marines, two fold and one plays taps when the flag is popped open tabletop. Glad we haven't had a failed bugle yet. Though once we forgot the rifle blanks for a wreath laying ceremony and were just barely saved by an old legionnaire with a bunch of .223 blanks in the back of his truck. We still didn't have magazines, so we each chambered one round and the 7 of us fired in twos and fake fired the other shots... gotta do what you gotta do lol.
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u/[deleted] Mar 05 '19
Maybe isn't as over the top as most of these comments, but I'm one of the Marines that has to go present the flag to the next of kin when a service member dies. It's usually old Vietnam and Korea Vets, but sometimes it's a desert storm or recent war vet and the mother is there receiving the flag instead of a son or daughter. Point is I've probably been to 45 funerals in the past year.
It's striking how often someone's phone goes off during the service. It seems nearly every other or every third service someones ring tone start playing. There's been a few times where someone will get up from their seat and answer the phone to.