07/09/2026
This September, Real Taps for Real Heroes is proud to bring live performances of “Taps” to the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo as part of our 30 Days of Real Taps campaign.
The Alabama National Cemetery is a relatively new but vital part of Alabama's story of service and sacrifice. Authorized by the National Cemetery Expansion Act of 2003 to serve central Alabama’s large veteran population, the 479-acre site was purchased by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2007. It was formally dedicated in 2008 and welcomed its first burials on June 25, 2009 — becoming the third national cemetery in Alabama and the 129th in the national system.
Before this cemetery opened, many central Alabama veterans and families faced long drives to older sites like Mobile (Civil War-era) or Fort Mitchell in the far southeast. Today, this beautiful rolling, wooded ground — with its Avenue of Flags, memorial wall, committal shelters, and rows of white marble headstones — provides dignified, perpetual care close to home for thousands of veterans and their families, with capacity planned for at least the next 50 years.
Every live “Taps” we sound here is a promise kept: that those who served will not be forgotten, and that their final farewell will be marked with the same respect and presence they gave our nation.
How you can be part of this mission:
Volunteer as a bugler (or help us recruit talented musicians)
Sponsor a day of live Taps
Donate to support our volunteers and operations (now a 501(c)(3) — tax-deductible!)
Share this post and help us reach more families and buglers
Visit realtapsforrealheroes.com to learn more, donate, or sign up to serve.
