Veteran 12 20 2013

VOL. 2/ISSUE 7

2013 had good and bad for veterans

35 cents

Living color

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013

Patrick McCallister For Veteran voice

patrick.mccallister@yahoo.com

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Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer U.S. Army veteran Ray Russo manned the green station as the runners passed through the gauntlet of color during the Color Vibe 5K at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds Saturday, Dec. 14. A portion of the proceeds of the race benefit Special Olympics.

Was Edward Snowden justified in his disclosures?

Send your thoughts to:

info@veteranvoiceweekly.com 7705

The year is heading to the history books with a pocketful of developments for veterans. Some were good, others not.

The Florida Veterans Hall of Fame Brevard County’s John Cleland was in good company on Nov. 12.

He’s among six who were inducted into the inaugural class of the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame.

Governor Rick Scott inducted the six at the Cabinet Room of the State Capitol. In addition to Cleland, inductees are Sam Gibbons, Tampa, John Haynes, Monticello, Robert Milligan, Tallahassee, Jeanne Rubin, Sunrise, and Robert Silah, Tampa.

The Veterans Hall of Fame Council had its first meeting in

2 • DECEMBER 20, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE

our mIssIon statement anD our obJeCtIVe

Veteran Voice is a weekly publication designed to provide information to and about veterans to veterans and to the broader community. Veterans are an integral part of their Florida communities, which currently have individual organizations of their own, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Vietnam Veterans of America and many other groups with a narrow focus, but no convenient way to connect to a wider population of veterans and to the community in general within a limited geographic area, their community.

The mission of Veteran Voice is to publish a weekly source of information that will provide, in one place, a listing of resources available to veterans, articles about changes in policies or organizations affecting veterans and events of interest to veterans as well as articles about veterans of interest to the general public.

Veteran Voice LLC is organized as a partnership of experienced newspaper executives with an interest in veterans and in the communities of Florida veterans and friends. Veteran Voice is a start-up intended to address a perceived lack of information readily available to veterans on programs and policies affecting them and objective reporting of veteran affairs to the public.

To our knowledge, and based on comments from leaders of local veterans organizations, there was no media or website currently meeting this need until the launch of Veteran Voice.

We hope you agree, and will support this publication with your subscription. Without subscriptions there will be a limited number of people we can help, without which this mission will not be realized. As part of our commitment to supporting local veteran communities, we will donate 10 percent of our profits each quarter to qualified veteran charities recommended by you, our readers and subscribers. Please let us know what you think by emailing news@veteranvoiceweekly.com or mailing your comments to us at 1919 S.W. South Macedo Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL 34984.

Important numbers ...

County Veterans Service Officers St. Lucie County, Wayne Teegardin Phone: (772) 337-5670 Fax: (772) 337-5678 veterans@stlucieco.org Dorothy J. Conrad Building (formerly the Walton Road Annex Bldg.)

1664 S.E. Walton Road, Suite 205 Port St. Lucie, FL 34952 By appointment Mon., Tues, Thurs, Fri * 8:30 am-4:30 pm Wed * 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

St. Lucie County Community Services Bldg.

(Corner of Avenue D and 7th Street) 437 N. Seventh St., Fort Pierce, FL 34950 Walk-ins Mon. and Fri. * 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Brevard Veteran’s Services Office 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Bldg. B, Suite 102, Viera, FL 32940 Office: (321) 633-2012 Fax: (321) 637-5432 Mon., Tues. and Thurs., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Wed. and Fri, 8 a.m.-noon Manager: Glenn McGuffie Indian River County Joel Herman Vero Beach 2525 St. Lucie Ave., Vero Beach, FL 32960 Ph: (772) 226-1499 Fax: (772) 770-5038 Sebastian Square 11602 U.S. 1, Sebastian, FL 32958 Ph: (772) 589-6597 Fax: (772) 581-4988

Veteran Voice The Voice of Experience

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Martin County Tony Reese, Veterans Service Office Supervisor Nick Ciotti, Veterans Service Officer (772) 288-5448 Veterans Services Office Martin County Community Services 435 S.E. Flagler Ave., Stuart, FL 34994 Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

VA Life Insurance Ctr., Phil., PA 1-800-669-8477 VA Regional Office - 1-800-827-1000 VA Medical Ctr, W. Palm Beach 1-800-972-8262 Pharmacy, VA Medical Center 1-800-317-8387 Military Retired Pay Activities, Cleveland, OH - (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force ONLY) 1-800-321-1080 Military Retired Pay Activities, Topeka, KS - (Coast Guard ONLY) 1-800-772-8724 Survivor Benefits (SBP), Denver, CO - 1-800-435-3396 Stuart VA Clinic - (772) 288-0304 Okeechobee County Veterans Services office (863) 763-6441, Ext 5.

Fax: (863) 763-0118.

Orlando VA Medical Cente 5201 Raymond St., Orlando, FL 32803 (407) 629-1599 or (800) 922-7521 Telephone Care (407) 599-1404 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon. - Fri. (800) 645-6895 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mon - Fri (321) 637-3625

West Palm Beach Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 7305 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33410 (561) 422-8262 or (800) 972-8262 Telephone Care (561) 422-6838 (866) 383-9036 Open 24 hours - 7 days Viera VA Outpatient Clinic 2900 Veterans Way, Viera, FL 32940 Phone: (321) 637-3788 1 (877) 878-8387 Mon. - Fri. - 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

St Lucie County PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) Outpatient Program 126 S.W. Chamber Court, Port St Lucie, FL 34986 Phone: (772) 878-7876 Fort Pierce Community Based Outpatient Clinic 727 North U.S. 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34950 Phone: (772) 595-5150 Fax: (772) 595-6560 St Lucie Community Based Outpatient Clinic 128 S.W. Chamber Court, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34986 Phone: (772) 344-9288 Stuart Community Based Outpatient Clinic 3501 S E Willoughby Boulevard, Stuart, FL 34997 Phone: (772) 288-0304 Fax: (772) 288-1371 Vero Beach Community Based Outpatient Clinic 372 17th St., Vero Beach, FL 32960 Phone: (772) 299-4623 Fax: (772) 299-4632

Viera patients 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mon. - Fri. (877) 741-3400 Weekends, holidays, evenings and nights

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YEAR from page 1 December last year. Dr. James Harrell, who lives in Stuart, is among the council’s seven members. His wife, Gayle Harrell, is the Florida Representative who introduced the legislation that created the hall. She represents parts of Martin and St. Lucie counties. Harrell was appointed to the council by Jeff Atwater, chief financial officer of the state.

“This is for people who were in the military who did something outstanding for the state of Florida,” Harrell said in a Veteran Voice interview earlier this year.

“It’s a way to honor people (for civilian accomplishments). There are an awful lot of people who come back and are very successful in medicine, or business, politics.”

Cleland moved to Melbourne back in 1982, and joined the Retired Officers Association — which was later renamed Military Officers Association of America, MOAA. The 88-year-old is active helping the Florida Institute of Technology’s Army ROTC program. He helped establish its Distinguished Lecturer Series.

Every year up to 20 veterans will be inaugurated into the hall.

They’re names will be displayed at the State Capitol into perpetuity. The public can financially contribute to the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame through the Florida Veterans Foundation, a notfor-profit organization operating through the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.

To learn more about the Hall of Fame, including nomination criteria, visit floridaveteranshalloffame.org.

Community Blueprint Brevard County and its neighbor to the south, Indian River County, became Blueprint Communities.

Earlier this year, the Military Officers Association of America, Cape Canaveral chapter, MOAA, started work to establish a countywide Community Blueprint to help returning service members in Brevard re-enter civilian life. The Veterans Council of Indian River County started work on its Blueprint around the same time.

The Cape Canaveral MOAA got help from an unexpected place: the Community Foundation for Brevard, a philanthropic facilitation organization. The foundation and MOAA chapter hired Air Force veteran Carole Williams-Hayes to be the coordinator of Community Blueprint Brevard County. Williams-Hayes will soon be paid through a fellowship from The Mission Continues. That national organization offers financial fellowships to post-Sept. 11 veterans involved in community services.

In Indian River, the county’s veterans council opted to hire

Bernadette Rednour to serve as its director of veterans outreach committee and facilitate the local Community Blueprint. She’s married to combat-wounded veteran, James Rednour. He served in the Army from 2000 until medical retirement in 2007. He was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq that left him with the current wars’ signature wound — traumatic brain injury. The council believed it gave Rednour unusual insights on the needs returning veterans have. Rednour started the job on June 1.

Community Blueprint is a Points of Light Institute initiative started last year. Mike Monroe, vice president of military initiatives at the institute, said the Community Blueprint was born in the Sunshine State and officially launched on Nov. 9, last year.

“About three years ago, there was an off-site retreat (at the White Oak Plantation near Yulee) he said in a 2012 Veteran Voice interview. “Fifty-five groups got together to discuss community needs and action plans. One of the findings out there is anything to help communities help veterans would help the communities.”

To become a Blueprint community, one or more organizations have to complete a needs assessment and survey, then submit an agreement to implement solutions to at least two issues within a year. When done, the institute can provide volunteer help from the Veterans Leaders Corps, which operates through AmeriCorps. Nationally, the Military Officers Association of America has been one of the leading agencies for establishing Blueprint Communities.

For more national information about the Community Blueprint, visit pointsoflight.org/programs/ military-initiatives, or moaa.org/ blueprint. The Brevard MOAA chapter is at moaacc.org. More about the Indian River Community Blueprint is at indianriverveterans.org/site/index.php/community-blueprint.

Government shutdown Eric Shinseki, secretary of Veterans Affairs, has a reputation for calling as he sees it. He softened no words to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, which is chaired by Republican Jeff Miller, who represents Florida’s 1st District, western Panhandle.

The former Army general said D-Day was coming for a lot of veterans and family members who depend on pensions, disability compensation and other benefits if Congress doesn’t pass and the president sign a continuing resolution or budget to fully fund the federal government to end the partial federal government blackout that started on Oct. 1.

“On 1 November, I will not be able to pay the beneficiaries ex-

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4 • DECEMBER 20, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE

Veterans, students, deputies assist with laying wreaths at cemeteries in White City, elsewhere Saturday People gathering up wreaths to put on graves.

Patrick McCallister For Veteran voice

patrick.mccallister@yahoo.com

Retired Air Force Staff Sergeant Diane Almodovar has put together the Wreaths Across America at the White City Cemetery for the past three years. Dave “Deaf Dave” Slaght has been the coordinator for the motorcycle escort for the truck carrying the wreaths.

Thursday about 35 motorcycles escorted the truck from the Flying J truck stop to the cemetery.

There were many groups represented including, The Marine Corps League, Boy Scouts, Civil Air Patrol Cadets, Jr. R.O.T.C. from Treasure Coast and Fort Pierce Westwood High Schools, Disabled American Veterans of Port St Lucie, AMVETS Riders Post 92, Jensen Beach; American Legion Riders Post 318 Port St Lucie and Post 399 Palm City; Blue Knights Motorcycle Club; Leathernecks Motorcycle Club; VFWs, American Legion’s, Vietnam Veterans of America and the St. Lucie Sheriff’s Office.

Two American Gold Star Mothers, Linda Shuman and Fran Frazier, who lost their sons in Afghanistan and Iraq were in attendance.

PROGRAM Moment of Silence: Master Sgt. Roy Brewer, Vietnam veteran, USAF, Retired Opening Prayer: Chaplain Thompson, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office

Photo courtesy of Frank Maitlland Presentation of Colors: Treasure Coast High School AF Jr. ROTC Pledge of Allegiance: Master Sgt. Roy Brewer, Vietnam veteran, USAF Retired National Anthem: Alicia Almodovar and Michelle Lucey Opening remarks: Master Sgt. Roy Brewer, Vietnam veteran, USAF, Retired Laying of the Wreaths: U.S. Armed Forces representatives Armed Forces Hymns: Bill Kane Accordionist Intro of Guest Speakers: Rich Vassar, Vietnam veteran, U.S. Army, Special Forces guest speaker: Lt. Col. Scott Caldwell, U.S. Army retired

veteran voice The Voice of Experience

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Veteran Voice is a newspaper for veterans, active military, their families and their friends.

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Closing Remarks: SSgt. Diane Almodovar, USAF, retired Closing Prayer: Chaplain Thompson, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office 21 Gun Salute: Marine Corps League, Rifle Team Taps: Jack McCarthy, American Legion Post 318 Honor Guard Nathaniel Jenkins, VFW Post 10554 “I would like to thank Mike Giarraffa for his hard work and dedication all year long. Also I would like to thank Stephanie Giarraffa for her support all year long,” Retired Air Force Staff Sgt. Diane Almodovar. “Thank you to Dave Slaght for making all the arrangements for the wreath escort. Also I would like to thank everyone that took part in the escort and the unloading of the wreaths once we arrived at the cemetery.

“I would like to thank South-

eastern Military Academy and Boy Scout Troop 420 for all their help. If it were not for these people this program would not be such a success today: Am Vets 92 AmVets Riders Post 26 American Legion Post 40 American Legion Post 355 Cora Stickney Harper Chapter DAR Knights of Columbus Council 13042 Our Lady of Fatima Assembly 3090 Bill Schultz Chevrolet Buddy’s Holiday Mobility Southern Eagle Wal-Mart Transportation “Also, thanks to all the individuals that have sponsored wreaths for their loved ones and the do-

See WREATHS page 5 Active duty personnel from left, firefighter Angelina Perrone; Seaman Justin Basham; Bosun’s Mate 2 Andre Pinault; Bosun’s Mate 3 Taylor Ceutig, all from U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce; Private First Class Jacques Max U.S. Marine Corps; recruiter Fort Pierce; Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Farr U.S. Army recruiter Fort Pierce.

Phil Galdys Director of Operations Donna Marinak HR/Accounting Manager

Photo courtesy of Frank Maitland

VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE • DECEMBER 20, 2013 • 5 Gold Star family Linda and Clay Shuman.

Air Force Junior ROTC Color Guard.

Photo courtesy of Frank Maitland

Photo courtesy of Frank Maitland

nations received so we were able to purchase all of the wreaths for the White City Cemetery.

“Thank you to Mr. Bill Kane,

Accordionist, Michelle Lucey and Alicia Almodovar for providing the beautiful music that accompanied this ceremony.

“Finally, thank you to all men and women who are serving and have served.”

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WREATHS from page 4

6 • DECEMBER 20, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE

YEAR from page 3

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pecting these checks,” Shinseki said at a hastily called committee meeting on Oct. 9.

Shinseki told the committee the Veterans Benefits Administration, VBA, was quickly running out of money from its mandatory-spending accounts. He said nationally more than five million veterans, surviving spouse and children usually get more than $6 billion a month in pensions, disability compensation and benefits from the VBA. “As that account has demands written against it, it is exhausted before the end of (October) at some point,” he said. Shinseki added, “Before the end of the month, the account will not support claims in November.”

The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs reports that Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Okeechobee counties have nearly 121,500 veterans among them collectively receiving about $431 million a year in pensions, compensation and benefits. That doesn’t include the federal dollars that flow into the area through VA programs such as medical facilities.

What was never at any risk for shutting down until next October was the Veterans Health Administration, VHA. That’s because the VA health care system receives advance appropriations

from Congress. That’s because of the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. It created advanced appropriations for the VHA. Ray Kelley, national legislative director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said the VHA’s advance appropriations is more than a big IOU. “VA has money in the bank,” Kelly said in a phone interview.

“That advance appropriation carved off some money and put it in the bank.”

But that money was only for veterans health care. There have been moves in Congress in recent years to create advance appropriations for the entire VA to protect it from temporary budget battles, such as the partial government shutdown.

Airshows grounded After an airshow dearth the Blue Angels announce that they’re coming to town in 2014.

“Their schedule starts in January,” Marty Zickert, president of the Veterans Council of Indian River County, said. “We’re on the list and unless something major comes up, they’ll be here.”

Here being the second revived Vero Beach Air Show, May 10 and 11 next year. The first revived Vero airshow was in early October. The veterans council is one of the co-organizers of the

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YEAR from page 6

ment picture has been getting brighter for veterans lately for several reasons. He said there have been several national and state initiatives in the public and private sectors that have raised awareness among large and small businesses about hiring veterans, such as the radio ad Johnson mentioned. Additionally, Tabar said Workforce has cultivated more relationships with local employers, and word is spreading.

Gov. Rick Scott, a Navy veteran, declared November as “Hire a Veteran Month” throughout the state to build on veterans-employment momentum. Jessica Sims, press secretary at the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said at least about 25,000 veterans have found work through the department’s efforts this year.

“The State Veterans Employment Program also assisted Regional Workforce Boards with the placement of more than 600 veterans, on average, each week during 2013, totaling 25,459 employed veterans since January 1, 2013,” she said in an email response to queries.

One reason veterans employment is improving is because the job market is better. On Friday, Nov. 22, the Department of Economic Opportunity released its state employment report for October. The department was unable

to produce an employment report the previous month, because of the 16-day federal government shutdown.

“The state’s October (unemployment) rate was the lowest since August 2008 when it was also 6.7 percent,” the report reads.

And only one county had double digit unemployment: Hendry. The national unemployment rate in October was 7.3 percent, seasonally adjusted. Florida has been below the national average for eight straight months.

There’s wide disagreement about what the veterans unemployment rate is. What’s not disputed is that veterans — particularly young veterans — are more likely to be unemployed, or underemployed, than their non-veteran counterparts. Federal labor statisticians generally put veterans unemployment at about 10 percent. However, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and some other veterans organizations, hold that it’s closer to 15 percent.

So, why the high unemployment?

Numerous reasons are cited for veterans’ unemployment. What’s generally at the center of those explanations are the all-important resume and interview.

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airshow that had laid dormant for almost 20 years.

The Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron had to cancel its ground-rattling shows for the 2013 season, as did the Air Force’s Thunderbirds. That left only the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Snowbirds lending any military flight might at a handful of their American shows. None were in Florida. The federal budget sequestration grounded the crack demonstration flight teams in April.

The Thunderbirds and Blue Angels are the airshow rock stars.

Without them, tickets just don’t usually sell nearly as well, and that often costs veterans organizations large fundraising opportunities. Airshow organizer Bryan Lilley, B. Lilley Productions, said lots of organizers shut down shows rather than go the 2013 season without the elite flight teams to draw ticket buyers.

For example, the Cocoa Beach Air & Space Show was canceled when it became increasingly clear Thunderbirds weren’t going to get back to the airshow circuit this year. The Thunderbirds was the headlining act for the Cocoa Beach show. It turned out that the team’s last appearance of the season was the Warbird Museum’s Titusville show.

The Pentagon estimates that various public functions of the military, such as bands and the flight teams, affected about 2,800 events in 2013.

To find out more about the Blue Angels, visit blueangels.navy.mil.

The Thunderbirds are at afthunderbirds.com. Information about the Vero Beach Air Show is at veroairshow.com.

Paychecks for Patriots On a positive note, Florida veterans got some big helps finding jobs.

Workforce Solutions of the Treasure Coast aimed to get at least 30 veterans employed in November.

“We had 108 veterans get employment in November,” Jose Tabar, local veterans employment representative for Workforce, said.

Or about 360 percent better than hoped for. Tabar said things are definitely looking up for veterans seeking employment.

Workforce Solutions is a state-supported not-for-profit that helps job seekers and employers in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Okeechobee counties.

It is one of 24 Workforce Development boards in the state. It has a veterans room at its Port St. Lucie office, 584 N.W. University Blvd., and other veterans programs.

Tabar said the local employ-

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8 • DECEMBER 20, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE

Taps lives on in live playing Patrick McCallister For Veteran voice

patrick.mccallister@yahoo.com

Volunteer buglers and trumpeters sound taps at thousands of veterans’ funerals every year.

“My father was a World War II veteran,” Edward “Duke” Scales said. “At his funeral, we had a live taps player. It wasn’t until that time that I realized how important that was. Not too long later I saw a thing on TV about Bugles Across America.”

That was about two years ago.

The Vero Beach man immediately volunteered his talent and trumpet to play taps at local funerals and memorials for the live-performance preservation organization.

Tom Day founded Bugles Across America back in 2000. It now has about 7,500 volunteer horn players throughout the nation, Day said.

“To give that veteran the best sendoff we can — that’s why we do it,” the Illinois man said in a phone interview. “And we don’t charge.”

See BUGLER page 9

Photo of Edward ‘Duke” Scales Vero Beach trumpeter Edward “Duke” Scales plays for Space Coast Honor Flight at an early morning send off. The Barefoot Bay Marine Corps Honor Guard accompany him. Scales is a volunteer musician for Bugles Across America, an organization dedicated to preserving live performances of taps at veterans funerals and memorial events.

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Tapping the truth behind those 24 notes Patrick McCallister For Veteran voice

patrick.mccallister@yahoo.com

Taps. Some also know the bugle call — that eventually had lyrics written for it — as “Day is Done” and “Butterfield’s Lullaby.”

Taps haunting beauty has a mystique that evokes melancholy images which easily spin themselves into fantastic tales. One of the most circulated tales about taps involves a Civil War Union captain, one Robert Ellicombe.

After a fierce day of pitched battle, Captain Ellicombe heard a wounded soldier moaning alone in the blackness of night. The captain risked his life that inky evening to retrieve the injured man who was trapped on a narrow piece of torn land separating the battle-hardened Union and Confederate armies. When the

BUGLER from page 8 Oftentimes a bugler playing taps at a funeral or memorial actually isn’t. Sometimes folks without musical skills use ceremonial bugles — horns equipped with a device that has a digital recording of taps. Jari Villanueva played taps at thousands of Arlington National Cemetery funerals over almost 25 years. He’s widely considered one of the world’s foremost experts on taps and other military bugle calls.

“The digital bugle has a place in today’s world,” he said. “When it is impossible to get a live bugler it’s better than having nothing.”

But live-play advocates such as Day and Scales said it’s rare that a skilled performer isn’t available.

They hope to make it even rarer by getting more volunteers, and get the word out to veterans and their families that they’re avail-

captain neared campfires he realized that he was saving a Confederate soldier — a Confederate soldier who turned out to be his son.

The lad had been studying music in the South when the Civil War broke out. Unbeknownst to the captain, the younger Ellicombe volunteered for the Confederate Army.

Sadly, the young man died that night, but the heartbroken father found a short bit of music in his son’s pocket. The captain had the uncompleted melody played at his son’s burial the next day.

Thus was taps born.

Many count Jari Villanueva as the nation’s foremost expert on military bugle calls, particularly taps. He’s performed the call at thousands of funerals and memorial events at Arlington National Cemetery and others. Additionally, he was the curator of the taps exhibit at Arlington

able.

Scales, 61, has performed taps about two dozen times at funerals and memorials over the last couple years. Some performances are more memorable than others.

“The most recent local vet I played for was a former Navy SEAL that passed away,” Scales said.

That was Chief James “Patches” Watson, former curator of the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce.

“They had a celebration of his life at Little Jim’s Bait & Tackle,” Scales said.

When he started playing taps— “Someone shouted ‘Hooyah!’ and everyone jumped up and saluted,” Scales said.

Scales said it almost threw him.

Almost. He has a bit of experience with veterans surprising him when he’s performing taps.

“The first couple times I did

Villanueva said Captain Ellicombe is a great story that captures the imagination, but it is bunk.

To prove it, he offered something for anyone who produced evidence Captain Ellicombe and his son even existed.

“I was offering a $2,000, gold-plated bugle,” he said. “All I need is the unit the guy was in and where he’s buried.”

At his website, wwwtapsbugler. com, Villanueva has the real story of taps’ origin. Turns out that like so many tunes, calls and songs of the Civil War, taps was a variation of an existing bugle call, which was itself a variation of another bugle call.

In July 1862, General Daniel Butterfield and brigade bugler Oliver Norton crafted the new extinguish-lights bugle call. Butterfield felt the Army’s official end-of-day bugle call, which was apparently

a variation of a French bugle call, was too stiff and formal.

While the two men later gave slightly different accounts of how taps was composed, the new endof-day bugle call caught on quickly with Union and Confederate buglers. Union and Confederate camps were often close enough that fifers, buglers and drummers could hear one another.

Villanueva said that taps has been an official bugle call at military funerals since 1891, but likely came to be used for that purpose long before then.

How the name “taps” came about is open to some conjecture.

It could have been a reference to the bugle call requiring the closure of beer taps. More likely it’s a reference to the fact that after a bugler played the end-of-day call a drummer would sound a short series of taps.

“The first couple times I did play taps at a funeral, I missed a note. I’d start playing and all these World War II vets who use walkers would start standing.

That floored me. I wasn’t ready for it. I’m ready for things like that now.”

Edward ‘Duke Scales play taps at a funeral, I missed a note,” he said. “I’d start playing and all these World War II vets who use walkers would start standing. That floored me. I wasn’t ready for it. I’m ready for things like that now.”

Look at the horn bell and nothing else when playing taps. Scales said that’s the secret.

“You definitely can’t make eye contact with anyone during those 24 notes,” he said.

Day said Bugles Across America volunteers have performed taps about 200,000 times at funerals

and memorials. Villanueva said some other organizations that provide the same service are Operation Taps, Taps for Vets, Honor Call and Taps for Veterans.

“They all have a common goal: that’s to make sure there’s live performer at military funerals,” he said.

Bugles Across America appears to have about 75 volunteer horn players in Veteran Voice’s coverage area. To find out about volunteering or getting a volunteer bugler, visit buglesacrossamerica. org.

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“A lot of veterans can’t translate their skills into the civilian world,” Tabar said in a previous interview. “They don’t realize in the outside world, you get paid for those skills.”

In short, many veterans are inept at speaking civilian job skills.

Conversely, a number of hiring managers don’t speak military.

In other words, they don’t understand how military experiences translate to job skills.

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“The one-day event was attended by more than 1,500 veterans and more than 200 employers,” Sims said. “Since the May event, 472 veterans have been placed in a job that was advertised at the event.”

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