The DIRECTIVES FOR BUGLERS make it very clear that at no time, will any volunteer for BAA be allowed to require or even suggest that a family pay a fee for sounding Taps at a service. Doing so will result in immediate deletion from the membership roster. BAA has had some confusion about this issue recently, and this message is posted to clasrify their position.

The policy has been in place since the inception of the organization, some 11 years ago. 

The directives plainly spell out that if anyone offers a BAA bugler an honorarium, he may accept it with gratitude and dignity. BAA advises to not expect such a gift, so as not to offend the giver; if the bugler doesn't wish to keep it, he may give it away, at his/her own discretion. Bugles Across America is a 501c(3) organization, and they publically state that their services of Live Taps are “free”.

  When one of their volunteers accepts a mission, informing the family of his or her fee (??), it constitutes a misrepresentation on the part of  BAA, and it simply will not be tolerated.  

The only possible exception to this rule is that if the bugler is a paid bugler under a military AP3 program, then the bugler is paid directly from government funds, provided under that particular state’s AP3 program, usually controlled through a state National Guard (NG). Accepting pay under this program does not fall under the protocols of BAA’s DIRECTIVES FOR BUGLERS , whereby, not placing “undue” pressure on a grieving family.

 Every state does not have these AP3 programs available to BAA buglers, so they can check with their state NG Military Funeral Honors coordinator.  

If any volunteer for BAA has been charging a fee their services, they are hereby required to cease from that activity immediately. If BAA receives a complaint from a famiy that has been charged, BAA will deal with those, accordingly.

BAA sincerely hopes and believes that the percentage of problems, of this nature, are very low, but in these situations, communication is the key. They have made the DIRECTIVES FOR BUGLERS very transparent and available to all, feeling that they have done their job to convey the information properly.

Anyone with questions about this matter can contact Mr. Tom Day, any National Coordinator, or your State director.

BAA thanks all BAA buglers, for what they do to Honor the Veteran.

Larry Wiseman, National Coordinator