Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida has decided to stop playing "Taps" and reveille in and near residential areas — and airmen are furious.
Tyndall said in a Facebook post Thursday that it has stopped playing the songs — which for more than a century have has often marked the beginning and end of the day for troops — in and near residential areas. The change was made "in an effort to minimize impact to our shift workers and families," Tyndall said.
The songs will continue to be played in operational areas "to honor our heritage and reflect on the sacrifices of those who came before us," Tyndall said.
But airmen and families reacted swiftly and angrily. By Friday morning, well over 300 comments had been posted on Tyndall's announcement. Nearly all of them mocked or criticized the change, and said it was disrespectful and contrary to military tradition.
"I am so embarrassed right now," airman Nicholas Mancuso said on Tyndall's Facebook page. "My Army co-workers are making fun of this and I got nothing."
"I can't believe you sir think it is appropriate to take this time honored tradition away for the slight inconvenience it might cause a few," Master Sgt. Rachael Colón said. "This is a small moment of reflection, a time to honor those that paid the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you for continuing to make this great AF a mockery to our sister services."
Some commenters pointed out that people who live on base also have to deal with the sound of F-22s and other aircraft, and that music twice a day shouldn't disturb them more than aircraft sounds.
But another commenter, Chris Shin, applauded the base for taking shift workers' schedules into consideration.
"Have you ever worked shift work?" Shin said. "Have you been on day 4 of only 3-4 hrs of sleep only to have [a] giant voice go off and you can't sleep? I applaud the base for not only honoring fallen members but taking care of the active duty ones."
In 2013, Tyndall started playing reveille at 6:30 a.m. and "Taps" at 9:30 p.m."to inspire esprit de corps," former 325th Fighter Wing Commander Col. David Graff said in a March 2013 commentary. Graff said Tyndall would continue to play retreat at 5 p.m.
"Tyndall proudly observes Reveille at 6:30 a.m., Retreat at 5 p.m. and Taps at 9:30 p.m. every duty day," Herman Bell, 325th FW public affairs chief, said Friday in an email to Air Force Times. "These time-honored traditions are an important part of who we are, and how we pay tribute to our nation, the patriots who have served before us, and those currently serving in harm's way. However, in order to take care of our Airmen executing the 325 Fighter Wing mission on swing-shift and midnight-shift hours, Reveille and Taps are now only being broadcast in mission areas, while Retreat continues to be played in all areas. Suspending Reveille and Taps in housing and dorm areas mitigates negative mission impacts for the Airmen charged with maintaining, servicing and guarding our F-22 fleet during non-standard duty hours."
This is not the first time an Air Force base has stopped playing the morning bugle call — and the move it didn't go over well in the past, either.
In May 2010, Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota announced it would no longer broadcast reveille over loudspeakers at 6:30 a.m. because some parents complained it woke their sleeping children. Ellsworth continued playing "Taps" at nighttime.
But after an outcry from airmen, Ellsworth reversed its decision two weeks later and restored the morning call to duty. As a compromise, Ellsworth began playing reveille at 7:30 a.m. to give children more time to sleep.
And iIn 2007, Eglin Air Force Base in Florida turned down the loudspeaker volume on reveille, retreat and "Taps" broadcasts in response to noise complaints.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
