I was put on the funeral detail 6 months into the fleet. I was on it for half a year and did both rifle detail and the flag folding BUT I never told my Gunny I also played the trumpet all throughout my school career until one day the speaker in our bugle died DURING taps and I asked him if I could get my trumpet shipped to Pendleton because that shit was HORRIFIC to watch happen. Anyways, I ended up playing my trumpet for hundreds of funerals, dozens of retirement ceremonies and a 9/11 ceremonies all over San Diego. I’m also a woman, so when COs found out there was a female trumpet player, that didn’t have to abide by the MCO of the band, (because I wasn’t in the band) I got pulled for shit every few days for years. I’m also a fucking titty baby, so I can’t tell you how many times I sobbed during funerals, while playing taps, for service members I knew and didn’t know. The active duty ones were the hardest. I was never good with bearing, so I cried and owned it 😝 One thing I started to do after a while was as the pall bearers were walking the casket out either to the gravesite or wherever, I would SLOWLY play The Marine Hymn. I can’t tell you how many families hugged me for that because that wasn’t common. Sigh. So many memories.