TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- While most civilians only recognize the bugler’s call from military-themed movies, they understand the underlying message when at daybreak they hear it from afar; rest easy, because the U.S. military is on the job.
According to the Federation of American Scientists, the origin of Reveille is traced to a French bugle call used during the Crusades. While bugle calls were used by the Continental Army when Gen. George Washington assumed command in 1775, they were not fully formalized within the Army until after the Civil War. They served as a way to more effectively command soldiers in battle, as well as to instill discipline and order by signaling daily orders, such as when to assemble for inspection, or return from a work detail.
While few bugle calls are part of today’s military life, the playing of Reveille remains as dependable as the rising sun, albeit from a more powerful and automated source than a lone bugler. Every weekday at 0700 hours at Travis Air Force Base, California, the public address system, operated by the 60th Communications Squadron, broadcasts the song from four locations on base, at 75-85 decibels. In certain weather conditions, the song echoes throughout the community for miles.
Reveille is more than a simple way to mark whether we have time to stop for coffee on the way to work, it is a daily opportunity to render honors to the flag, and to reflect on their service and commitment to a higher cause.