Posted by Sean Chisham on November 03, 2002 at 21:06:22:
In Reply to: Re: Shortage of Military Musicians? posted by Lee Stofer on October 30, 2002 at 08:08:16:
About the "extremely emotionally taxing" statement Lee made. When I first got in the band it was surreal playing for so many funerals. Two full honors per day is typical plus the simple honors done by buglers. I had more than a few occasions to reflect on my own mortality seeing all those families and tombstones. Graves fill up fast in Arlington National Cemetery.
I don't give it much thought now. Not that what we do isn't important for the families. It is just that you have to treat it as a job and do what is professionally expected of you. Spending too much mental energy on the painful part of the ceremony can drive you batty. My mental thought process on funerals is much the same as that for any other ceremony.
sean