KampKrug

Sam gets to check out a drum used in the performance!

The only drum and bugle corps representing our armed forces was on tour throughout the Pacific this week, and came to the Marine Corps Base for a performance this morning. It was very impressive, to say the least! We were honored to get to see it – usually they perform for heads of state, either visiting D.C. or when they travel (50,000 miles a year and 500 performances!). We learned a little about how to join the drum and bugle corps, and I asked a bunch of questions, such as did you always drum or did you come to the drums later in life (Sean, pictured above, told us his mother said he “came out of the womb drumming!”). Sean said he’d drum on anything – old cans, whatever. Sounds about like Sam. We have two sets of scavenged drums in the garage that were given to us from neighbors all done with the banging in their own yards and homes (Mahalo Giji and Andrea!) What a thrill to see these guys (and seven women) march in precision while playing. Then the amazing silent drill team (28 guys with operational rifles affixed with bayonets) came out to perform. Wow. Tossing bayonets around, twirling them, marching in criss-crossing lines without stabbing anyone. Amazed at their concentration, I asked them if an earthquake started while they were performing would that cause them to lose concentration? No, probably not, unless something were to topple on top of them, they said. We hooked a drum up to Sam in the yard with an old innertube tonight. He had fun marching around and drumming