CAMP PERRY, OH – It’s a familiar routine to regular National Match goers. The dew lingers on the blades of grass as light from the barely-risen sun cascades across the targets in the distance. A silence, then, promptly at 6:55 a.m., an exploding boom resonates through the thick morning air as the cannon is fired to start the day. Softly and strongly, the sound of the National Anthem begins to play across the ranges. But this year, to the surprise of many, it wasn’t a recording being played, but a live trumpeter from the tower.
Benjamin Brooks, 60, of Houston, TX, grew up in a military family. The uniform he wears symbolizes the sort of devotion he has towards those who have served and those currently serving. The “U.S.” pin around his collar was off of his father’s uniform. Another pin on his chest with the words “In Honor of Those Who Have Served” is the base of three rows of colorful ribbons, each significant to a military event related to members of his family and shooters he has met during his performances.
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His uniform includes a Buglers Across America beret, patch and colorful ribbons representing past military events. He also wears a “U.S.” pin on his shirt collar, in honor of his father. |
“Every time I perform, there are other things going through my mind other than honoring those who are there,” he said.
A patch on his left sleeve signifies his involvement with Bugles Across America, an organization that, along with Brooks, believes that veterans who pass away deserve live Taps. As senior bugler for the Texas Honor Guard, Brooks performs 100 to 150 funeral services a year.
“I would do more if I had time. Or, I joke, when I win the lottery, then I can do them all the time,” he said as he laughed.
He began playing the trumpet in the 7th grade, as a result of his mother’s side of the family being so musically inclined. She challenged him to find an instrument he would enjoy.
“I chose the trumpet because I liked the way it sounded, and I was kind of a natural for it,” he said.
Brooks took to the instrument quickly, receiving lessons in 7th and 8th grade then learning the rest on his own. He knows all 57 bugle calls, the standard for buglers, which he began doing while he was in Boy Scouts around the age of 14.
His talents led him to becoming the drum major with his high school band before enrolling at the University of Texas, where he joined the Longhorn Band and became a section leader.
Brooks enjoyed his time at the university so much that he still returns to his Alma Mater to play with the Longhorn Alumni Band that plays at halftime once a year, serving as the lead trumpeter.
When he’s not playing the trumpet or bugling, he’s a civil engineer in Houston, specializing in tennis courts with his company Patriot Court Systems he created in 2001. He builds, repairs and resurfaces over 200 courts a year.
“It’s particularly fun because I work for myself and I can do stuff like bugling because I control the company,” he said.
In total, he owns 13 trumpets. Some he uses for studio work, for a larger sound, and others he uses for their different qualities, like the flugle horn, for a deeper sound, and a piccolo trumpet for playing in the upper register when he does church work.
“My wife thinks I’m nuts, but I think it’s fun,” he said with a smile.
To keep his lips in shape, he practices almost 20-30 minutes each day. He also finds the pastime relaxing and fun, and it allows him to play with few interruptions and lack of concentration.
Besides bellowing out across the range of Camp Perry, he has been known to play the National Anthem at military events, professional baseball games and for whoever else may be interested in hearing his trumpet skills.
“I do these things throughout the year, and it’s just because I want to,” he said. “I think it’s the right thing to do, and typically it honors those who I’m there serving.”
Brooks is so adaptable to performing at any time that he carries a handmade French Besson, which he calls his “truck trumpet,” and uniform with him in the back of his pickup so he’s ready in case he is asked to play while on the go.
“I can be called en route, and I can pull over and perform as needed if we need to honor a veteran. I have no problem doing that.”
Thus how his impromptu performance at Camp Perry came to be.
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On the day of his final performance at the National Matches, he adorned himself in his full dress uniform and stood in the thick fog that briefly postponed the morning match relays. |
During the Saturday check-in of high power week, he went to the CMP office and asked if they were interested in a live National Anthem being played. At first, CMP members were puzzled and asked how that would be possible. Brooks mentioned that he was a trumpet player and would do it solo.
After a short discussion within the CMP office, he received a call while in the pits with the good news that they would be interested in him playing live. He was then quickly reprimanded by the pit officer for being on his cell phone.
“She was just doing her job. It’s alright,” he said with a laugh. “But at the end of that squadded practice, I came over, and we did a sound test.”
They placed helpers at the high end of Rodriguez, the low end of Viale and in the pits to see if the sound of his playing could be heard. If it was no good, they would hold their thumbs down, and if it was good, they were to take their hats off and wave them in the air. He played the bugle call “Retire the Colors,” which is played when the flag is lowered.
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Benjamin Brooks of Houston, TX, used his professional trumpeter skills to play the National Anthem live from the Rodriguez Range tower after the firing of the cannon each morning. He played with the instrument he calls his “truck trumpet.” |
The sound was phenomenal. Everyone waved their hats, but those on the range who didn’t know what was going on looked around in confusion, then quickly stood at attention as the call was played.
“Everyone was standing around Camp Perry going, ‘What do we do now? What do we do now?’ It was hilarious!” said Brooks. “The two sergeants standing with me said, ‘I think we’ve got a winner here.’”
The following Monday morning, he was out on the range, sounding in the start of the day. Since he was still shooting in the matches, he had to get his gear to the line, grab his trumpet and head to the tower, followed by a rush back to the firing line to shoot.
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Besides being a trumpeter, Brooks is also a veteran participant of the National Matches. After playing the National Anthem each morning, Brooks was quickly transported to the firing line for a day of shooting. |
“This has been particularly fun because I know a lot of these shooters. The Texas shooters have been bragging on me, so people will come up to me and say, ‘Is it true? Are you doing this live? That’s incredible!’ And I say good, I’ve accomplished my mission then,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. It’s been an honor to do that this week.”
Brooks came to Camp Perry for the first time in the mid-1990s, working with the Texas State Rifle Team. Family issues kept him away from the National Matches for a few years, but now that his kids are grown and he and his wife are “empty nesters,” he has time to return to his passion of shooting.
“This was definitely on my bucket list,” he said. “I had dreams of doing this even back in the ‘90s. At that time though I was new to high power shooting, and I was trying to stay focused. But over the years, I thought it would be something I needed to do.”
He would also like to play at Arlington Cemetery, still in the works, and is set to play Taps on the U.S.S. Arizona at Pearl Harbor within the next five years.
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Brooks was given gifts of appreciation for the beautiful trumpet playing that added a truly patriotic ambiance to this year’s National Matches. |
“I was thrilled that I was given the opportunity to play at Camp Perry. I was pleased with the immediate result of how it sounded, and it was fun to do each morning. I thank the communications group for being so helpful and cooperative so that I could do that and still shoot. And I’ll be back,” he said with a grin.
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