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Taps Dancin'!

Dr. Drill

You can submit your questions to Dr. Drill via e-mail to : DrDrill@CadetStuff.org.

Heres a question for you. When in uniform and evening Taps sounds, should one salute?

2nd Lt Charles Ingold

Dr. Drill responds

Chuck,

No.

Regards,

Dr. Drill

Okay, no, seriously. You knew the good doctor wasn't going to give you such a short answer! But, the answer is 'no', you do not salute during 'Taps'.

But, let's use this as an opportunity to educate and talk about when you do salute and what the sequence of calls during the evening is...

First, if you looked at the question about saluting anthems, you would know that you salute on the first note of the anthem during morning colors and drop your salute when the anthem completes.

If a more formal colors ceremony is used, you will salute during the first notes of 'Attention' and hold it until the last note of 'Carry on'.

In the evening, the sequence is the same, save that 'Retreat' is played as the flag is dropped.

Morning colors happens at a set time, generally 0800. Evening colors happens at sunset.

After evening colors, there is a sequence of calls that may be played, depending on the post and service. They are Tattoo, Call To Quarters, and Taps.

'Tattoo' signals that all light in squad rooms be extinguished and that all loud talking and other disturbances be discontinued within fifteen minutes. Funny, it never got the guys in the next set of racks to knock off their card game before midnight.

Call to Quarters' signals all personnel not authorized to be absent to their quarters for the night.

And, finally, 'Taps signals that unauthorized lights are to be extinguished. This is the last call of the day. Sure, the lights are out, but those guys were playing cards with flashlights and the cherries on the ends of their cigars!

Of course, 'Taps is also sounded at the completion of a military funeral ceremony.

So, there ya go, Chuck! You've got your answer and then some. So, you don't have to salute when 'Taps' is played, but for crying out loud! quit the card game! (Unless you're way up, of course!)

Regards,

Dr. Drill

Caution: Dr. Drill isn't always one hundred percent serious. Please activate your Joke Detectors. And don't call us when you find yourself explaining to a membership termination board why you used a staple gun to keep a cadet's hands at his sides during "To The Rear, March". All we're going to say on your behalf is "Duh!"

And if you find yourself on the bad end of a serious counseling because you decided to go toe-to-toe with your squadron commander over the position of the guide during a squadron-in-mass formation or something similarly trivial, well, we're just going to point, laugh and call you names!

Dr. Drill welcomes comments and corrections. Nothing herein is to be construed as official policy unless quoted from an up-to-date regulation or manual and Dr. Drill is not to be used as a blunt instrument to reshape the pointy heads of your superiors. Dr. Drill has made an extensive study of the drill and knows some people who know some things, but he's not the Final Authority on what happens at your unit. That Final Authority is? That's right, kids! Your UNIT COMMANDER.

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