Bugling reinstated

[ScoutNut]

Per the Scouting Magazine today -

 

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2010/08/bugling-reinstated-as-separate-merit-badge.html

 

Have your guys start practicing "Taps," because Bugling is here to stay.

 

In early June, we reported that the Bugling merit badge was to be discontinued and its requirements merged into Music merit badge.

 

That's no longer the case. Responding to concerns from hundreds of Scouters, the BSA's Youth Development team has decided to reinstate Bugling as a separate merit badge.

 

Oddly enough, this means that Bugling will never have officially been part of Music merit badge, because the changes were never reflected in a Boy Scout Requirements book.

 

Bugling and Music will continue to share a merit badge pamphlet. Requirements and information for both of the badges will be contained within that single booklet.

[Buffalo Skipper]

That is really strange. Just earlier today I was talking to a scout who wanted to earn the badge before it vanished. That meant a change of Bugler for him to earn it. The current bugler has not earned the badge either, but has held the position for 3 months and thus has met that requirement.

 

Just today. Spooky.

[qwazse]

SN, This is really good news.

BS, tell your new bugler that you pulled some strings for him.

[jhankins]

As a bugling MBC, this is an answer to prayer

[Miquin1978]

Fantastic! That was only 3 weeks for me lamenting its demise after learning about it here.

 

Now to sign up to be a MBC for it.

[Scoutfish]

That is AWESOME!

 

Back in September of 2002, my father dies. He was a retired United Stated Coast Guard Officer.

 

His funeral was not to long after the turmoil of 9-11 and all the changes within the military - the USCG went from being a Dept of Transportation unit to becomeing a Dept of Homeland Security unit.

 

Needless to say, with many apologies, the USCG was not able to send a bugler to my fathers funeral.

 

Well, a Boy Scout from Wilmington, NC stepped up and played TAPS at my father's funeral. He refused any compensation at all and said it was he who was honored to do it.

 

This was back before I had anything to do with scouting at all, so I do not know his name, rank or what troop he was from. I imagine by now that he is in his mid to late 20's by now.

 

Anyways, That is one thing that will always stand out in my mind.

 

ALWAYS!

[Miquin1978]

Another Unknown Scout.

[Bando]

HOORAY! Nationals actually gets one right!

 

Now all they have to do is put a bugle in the Supply Catalog again and we're all set to go!

[Stosh]

Out of a rather large sub-camp at Jambo, we had only 3-4 buglers. Some were fairly good, one was really bad. I so much appreciated the one bad bugler because it took a lot of courage to get up and struggle through the call and take the heat for a poor job and then get up and do it again. All in all a poor bugler is better than none at all.

 

Now that bugling is here to stay, when are we going to bring back whistles for PL's, or are we going to just rely on cell phones for communications?

 

Stosh

[Buffalo Skipper]

While at summer camp, 2009 there was on a large camp staff 2 excellent buglers. They each took separate parts in flags, sometimes playing off each other, other times playing in harmony. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard at camp.

 

We may now have a second bugler in the troop. I have a second scout who came across the sheet music for the different calls and decided to practice. While he plays the trumpet, he practices with only his mouthpiece. Interestingly, he and the actual troop bugler sat next to each other in band last year, and the only other trumpet in their class was a friend's son who is in another troop.

[Bando]

"Out of a rather large sub-camp at Jambo, we had only 3-4 buglers. "

 

Which has a LOT to do with Nationals de-emphasizing the skill over the course of the past decade. I was the bugler for my Jamboree troop in 2001. There were a lot of us, I remember more than a few mornings or evenings when I'd have the bugle on my lips ready to play and a kid in a neighboring campsite would start up. Heh, guess my guys got an extra minute here and there. I could buy a 2001 Jamboree bugle out of the catalog. I'd have to find my Scout Guide, but it was a leadership position in the book, as I recall.

 

This time around? No bugle in the catalog. Not emphasized to troops. And not even a leadership position for the troop in the Scout Guide. Instead we got just about the worst recording of Taps in the history of the world played at 10:15PM over the PA, Retreat AND To The Colors played back to back over the PA (and, I think, out of order, never mind that they're played at two different times of day) on the last evening, and a smattering of buglers here and there valiantly keeping the skill alive.

 

Again, with a minimal amount of work, the BSA could reinvigorate bugling as a vital troop skill, and why not use Jamboree as a launching point for that? Heck, if anybody from Nationals is reading this, hit me on a private message, I'll volunteer to head the movement. Get a bugle in the ScoutStuff catalog. Emphasize the leadership position for musically-inclined youngsters. Work through summer camps to get kids involved, for those camps that don't. Encourage troops to have their own buglers (after all, being your troop bugler at Jamboree is a memory that lasts a lifetime, something I can attest to). Don't play it over the PA, either.

 

As we've seen nationally, with the military now using tape recorders mounted in dummy bugles for veterans' funerals, there's a need out there for buglers. Let's fix that!

 

-Bando, Passionate Bugling MB Counselor

[Melgamatic]

My son and I spent last weekend at a council Webelos camp and had a great time. One of the things that got him excited were the buglers (there were two, although one used a trombone). He's bridging over in a few months, and I'd like to get him going on bugling while the excitement is there.

 

For a new bugler (he has a little flute, and a little piano), is it better to get a bugle or a trumpet on which to learn? The bugler this weekend used a trumpet, but just kept one set of valves steady, I guess to put it into a standard bugle key. I don't think he's very interested in trumpet, the real goal is bugling.

 

Thanks for any input!

 

[Eagle92]

One of my most goosebumpy memories is during my HS JROTC unit's Change of Command ceremony in which they did "Echo Taps" with two buglers on opposite ends of the field.

[Stosh]

If anyone really understood the importance of a bugler, there would be one in every troop!

 

5:45 am - Musicians Call (also known as first call to gather up all the musicians)

 

6:00 am - Reveille (everyone out of the tent and standing for roll-call before the playing of the last note! They should have heard the First Call 15 minutes earlier and have plenty of time to get ready)

 

7:00 am - Mess Call (grab your kit, food's ready!)

 

8:00 am - Assembly, To the Colors (Flags) (Line up we're going to be marching off to the parade field.)

 

8:30 am - Officer's Call (present the day's schedule of events to the leadership)

 

9:00 am - Fatigue Call / Church Call (Sunday) (Start of morning activities)

 

12:00 noon - Mess Call (grab your kit, food's ready!)

 

1:00 pm - Fatigue Call (activity call) (Start of afternoon activities)

 

5:00 pm - Mess Call (grab your kit, food's ready!)

 

6:00 pm - Assembly, To the Colors (Flags) (Gather up, we're heading out for evening flags!)

 

7:00 pm - Fatigue Call (Start of evening activities)

 

10:00 pm - Lights out followed by Taps (no more lights or talking!)

 

No boy needs a watch......

 

Of course there are other calls for specific situations that could also be used. The more the bugler teaches the troop, the easier his job will be to communicate with all the boys no matter where in camp they may be.

 

Stosh

 

[jhankins]

Melgamatic,

 

My personal opinion is let your boy learn on what's convenient. Both have their benefits, but you can learn on either one. A bugle only plays in the key that it was made to play in (usually C, but available in others), and a trumpet us capable of changing keys based on which valve you use.