We would like to present a strongly opposing view to the letter, “Navy’s bugle calls are nerve-jarring.” We doubt that many residents within earshot of the Navy base would agree with her choice of words: “overly long bugle blasts,” “annoying, nerve-jarring blasts,” and so forth. The bugle calls are not “apparently used to summon sleeping service members to breakfast,” but to alert everyone outdoors on the base that our nation’s colors are being raised or lowered.
For a U.S. Navy sailor, this is not just tradition, it is a very important way of ensuring that the flag raising and lowering ceremony continues to receive the respect it deserves. For a base as large as Everett’s, the bugle calls or other PA announcement is the only way for sailors and civilians on the base to stop what they are doing and render the appropriate respect.
We also live at a distance from the base, so have to strain to hear every pleasant note of the time-honored bugle calls. At a time when so many traditions seem to be disappearing, our family was delighted when the bugle calls were instituted at Naval Station Everett. We enjoy both the sound and the reason behind the bugle calls, and hope the Navy retains this tradition here.
The writer refers to the value of the base being the revenue to “those who have taverns, tattoo parlors, casinos and such businesses frequented by service members.” If she took the time to get to know any of our local sailors and their families, she would find the vast majority are much more likely to frequent our family restaurants, grocery stores, shopping centers and other retail businesses, and our churches.
John and Marilyn Christofferson
Everett
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