honors, but, for military reasons, he was refused permission to fire seven rifles three times (three volley salute) over the grave. Tidball later wrote, "The thought suggested itself to me to sound taps instead, which I did. The idea was taken up by others, until in a short time it was adopted by the entire army and is now looked upon as the most appropriate and touching part of a military funeral." As Tidball proudly proclaimed, "Battery A has the honor of having introduced this custom into the service, and it is worthy of historical note." It became a standard component to U.S. military funerals in 1891. Use "Taps" concludes military funerals that are conducted with honors at Arlington National Cemetery and elsewhere. The tune is also sounded at memorial services in Arlington's Memorial Amphitheater and at grave sites throughout the cemetery. “Taps” concludes about 15 military funerals conducted with honors each weekday at Arlington National Cemetery (run by the U.S. Army), at nearly 200 other National Cemeteries (run by the Department of Veterans Affairs) around the country, and at Cemeteries overseas run by the American Battle Monuments Commission. The tune is also sounded at memorial services in the Amphitheater and at gravesites. ”Taps” is sounded during the 2,500 military wreath ceremonies conducted at the Tomb of the Unknowns every year. The ceremonies are viewed by many groups, including veterans, schools, and foreign officials. One of the final bugle calls of the day on military installations, “Taps” is played at 10 p.m. as a signal to service members that it is “lights out.” When “Taps” is played, it is customary to salute, if in uniform, or place your hand over your heart if not. "Taps" is sounded during each of the military wreath ceremonies conducted at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every year, including the ones held on Memorial Day. The ceremonies are viewed by many people, including veterans, school groups, and foreign officials. "Taps" also is sounded nightly in military installations at non-deployed locations to indicate that it is "lights out", and often by Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides to mark the end of an evening event such as a campfire. Melody and lyrics The melody of "Taps" is composed entirely from the written notes of the C major triad (i.e., C, E, and G, with the G used in the lower and higher octaves). This