Buglers

[AJR2305GDC 10]

Just want to see how popular buglers are these days ...

 

Does your unit use a bugler? If so, how? What type of bugle do you use?

 

My current troop does not use a bugler, though sometimes it would be nice to have one.

[JMHawkins 15]

Good buglers are pretty awesome to have. Not very practical for backpacking, but a very nice touch for the occasional car camping.

[Frank17 10]

We have had a Troop bugler for about the past 3 years (4 different scouts). All are in band in school and play the trumpet. They use their own trumpets rather than play on an actual bugle. We only use them at COHs and resident Summer camp. Too hard to travel with an instrument when camping / backpacking.

[SSScout 1615]

When the PtB declared "Bugler" no longer a PoR, no one in our home Troop wisht the post. First, you need someone who can PLAY. Second, someone willing to take up the responsibility to learn the various calls, and play them WELL. Third, opportunities to play.

I heartily recommend offering your Buglers to local Camporees, Webelos Weekends, Cub Scout Day Camps, and summer resident camps. A good bugler can be a paid staff position. And other Scout venues. Also, offer them to local festivals, and events that might want a flag ceremony. And, if they are GOOD, connect them to

http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org/ and see if they can be of real service.

 

One more idea. We have an adult that plays trumpet/cornet and does bugle for several CSDC in the area (not all the same week). The Cubs love it, and respond to his calls. I played bugle when staffing my Woodbadge course, and actually got some positive feedback(!), much to the CD's chagrin. He wasn't sure how the reveille at 6am would go over! Turned out , most folks were already up and about, but the reast (CttC, First Call, Assemby, Mess, etc.) was ok with everyone. See if there are any ADULTS in the area that can be an EXAMPLE for the Scouts.

[oldisnewagain1 42]

Not in recent memory has our troop had a bugler (or someone who played trumpet) however...

 

A new scout has approached the SPL asking if he could be bugler next year

[RememberSchiff 3673]

I like this photo of the rare scout bugler at a recent Memorial Day ceremony

 

http://www.pamelasteadjones.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/IMG_6691-e1306763288226-577x1024.jpg

 

The rest of the story (scroll to end to see above scout photo)

http://www.pamelasteadjones.com/2011/05/30/memorial-day/

 

Save Our Buglers.

 

 

[jtswestark 11]

Like anything else make it fun and the guys fight over it! We rotate boys that play in the band. We had a troop bugle, but some found others on their own to use. One made up a nice notebook with sheet music with different calls in it, slipping in some Pink Floyd or Beatles every now and then. They enjoy training each other and the different calls to others while showing off their skills. Reveille and taps at every weekend campout and summer camp is really cool (although one wiseguy bugler was threatened with lifetime KP duty when reveillie came a little too early one morning). None really wanted to take bugling at summer camp for some reason though. Only the musically inclined boys seem to be interested, but you never know who may take an interest. They never wanted to really do it for the POR anyways, so that was a moot point to any of them (no self respecting kid was going to put Bugler on his adv records). The frustrating part for me was when theyd forget their bugle; so the even if the ASPLs reminders when unheeded he usually makes sure the troops bugle is there as a back up.

[Eagle92 110]

I heard for the very first time one of the automated bugles DOD created at a Memorial Day Service. Very sad.

 

I still get goose bumps remembering when my JROTC unit started doing, for lack of a better name, "Echo Taps:" one bugler basically center stage, another bugler 5 floors up on the roof at opposite end of the courtyard.

[OwntheNight 10]

Our troop doesn't use one, even though we have a bunch of boys in band. I'm trying to convince Scoutson to try it when he reaches 1st class. I've even joked with him that he could be the troop tubler if he brought his tuba. Imagine hearing reveille from a tuba at 6:30 am!

 

I've been using the digital versions at Day Camp this week, and haven't had any complaints so far. Maybe because people are looking at their watches and checking their pocket schedules for what is next. I did get to go over and talk to our Tigers and explain the significance of the bugle and explain the different calls to them.

 

(no self respecting kid was going to put Bugler on his adv records)

 

So when did Bugler become a position of disrespect?

 

During the civil war, bugler and flag man were considered honorable positions and highly cherished, yet now bugling is a lost art and an unenviable position. It is a difficult PoR with having to learn all the calls. But my gosh, I'd rather hear reveille than a bunch of cell phone alarms that are programmed for all different times or hearing the SPL and ASPL shaking all the tents yelling "WAKE UP" around camp. just as I'd rather hear "TAPS" at night to reflect on the day for those few moments, instead of just hearing "Lights Out"

 

I respect the bugler, even though I don't know how to play it (Woodwind side of the band for me).While every PoR is important to how the troop operates, I feel bugler is the 3rd most important position behind SPL and PL. The bugler should be controlling the movement of the troop on input from the SPL. It's unfortunate that nobody in our troop wants to step up and even try it but they will fight over QM because it's one of the "easier" PoR's around. I even heard one of the boys complain about being historian, because he had to pull pictures from the troop website and make a slide show for an upcoming COH. That was his job for his 6 mo. term. Kind of sad if you ask me.

 

Keep the bugler alive!

[AJR2305GDC 10]

To all:

 

Thanks for your input.

 

I think that the bugler POR is important, but even when working on camp staff for a few years I think I only heard one other bugle besides the camp bugle (at AM and PM flag, and playing taps at the closing campfire). Quite sad.

 

My troop currently has a few band members, and I think a few may play trumpet/cornet - I should work on convincing them to bugle, at least for summer camp.

 

 

[OwntheNight 10]

Speaking of Great pictures:

 

Here is a cool bugler photo. This has made it's way to my workstation background.

 

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/traveler-magazine/unbound/boy-scouts/

[RememberSchiff 3673]

That's a great photo from back in the day. Thanks.

[Stosh 3452]

Must be a really old picture, the boy is in full uniform and necker...

 

Stosh

[EagleBeaver 10]

The troop has a bugler selected by the SPL each 6 months. The troop has its own bugle that goes from bugler to bugler.

Bugler has significant responsibility, even if only used for wakeup and lights out. Once, we had a bugler that had never played before. For wakeup, he went to each tent door and blew whatever sound he could make until someone inside let him know they were awake. We've also had very talented scouts that played for every troop meeting and court of honor. The expectations for success get set differently for each.

 

Scout On

[SeattlePioneer 144]

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That sounds like an interesting idea even if it produces some uneven results.