Anthem is back with a snap

A new speaker system blares retreat and pipes the national anthem around MacDill. Those on base say it's serious business.

By DONG-PHUONG NGUYEN, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 12, 2002

TAMPA -- Golfers whacked balls down the driving range. Pedestrians strolled to their cars. A woman sat on a lawn chair, watching her toddler play nearby.

In an instant, they all stood at attention, frozen like statues.

All around MacDill Air Force Base on Monday, people stood still. They placed their hands and their hats over their hearts. If they were in uniform, they saluted.

It has been more than three years, but retreat is back.

Since March 1, the base has begun playing The Star-Spangled Banner over the public address system each day to remember the people who served this country and to mark the end of the duty day.

At exactly 1730 -- that's 5:30 p.m. for you civilians -- a bugle blares the retreat and the Star-Spangled Banner plays.

It's one of the first things military people learn in basic training. It's in the Customs and Courtesies Standards manual.

Upon hearing the retreat call, those in uniform stand at attention and face the base flag or the direction of the music. But don't salute until the first note of the national anthem is played.

Folks in plain clothes are supposed to place their right hand over their heart.

Some, like Sonia Melton, a tech sergeant, have been caught with shopping bags in both hands.

"You just set the bags down," said Melton, who happened to be driving golf balls when the bugle blared. She held her 7-iron in her left hand. Her right hand covered her heart. "It just takes a minute out of your day."

It's serious business at MacDill.

"We run into folks too busy or too inconsiderate to stop and pay respects," said Chief Master Sgt. Lew Monroe. "If they're caught, they get hammered."

There's no retreat police patrolling the base forcing salutes or knocking hats off heads. The power lies in the hands of the people.

"Every person has an obligation to stop and correct (the offender)," Monroe said. "It takes a simple, "I'm not sure you heard, but retreat has sounded.' "

Retreat dates back to the Continental Army days, Monroe said, and is observed at virtually every base in the country.

MacDill stopped about three years ago because the sound system was so bad that the bugle sounded like static.

"We didn't have a quality public address system," Monroe said. "We weren't doing a good service."

There were plans to install some new speakers, but it wasn't a priority.

Then Sept. 11 happened, and some base officials pushed the issue.

"It was time, now more than ever, to have retreat played every day," Monroe said.

In January, workers erected 24 860-watt speakers on poles throughout the base. At 7 a.m., a bugle plays about 10 seconds of reveille to mark the beginning of the work day.

It's been almost two weeks, and the civilians have slowly begun to catch on.

The scene played out around the base has touched many hearts. One person even called the base action line to report seeing a young boy hop off his bike along the jogging trail to put his hand over his heart when the music began to play.

"It's a respect thing," said Joseph Landry, a World War II veteran who halted on his way to his car. "I still get the flutters."

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