Army Band bugler selected to model for Arlington National Cemetery statue

By Jim Dresbach Pentagram Staff WriterJanuary 23, 2013

Statue casting
The U.S. Army Band bugler Staff Sgt. Jesse Tubb begins the second phase of the statue casting process this past September in New York City. Tubb modeled for the casting for a bugler statue which was unveiled at the Arlington National Cemetery (Va.) v... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. (Jan. 23, 2013) -- Staff Sgt. Jesse Tubb's Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall roles are numerous.

He's a Soldier. He's a member of The U.S. Army Band, Pershing's Own.

Off base, he's a father and a husband. Tubb is a member of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall's Army ten-miler team. He sounds taps in Arlington National Cemetery as a bugler.

And now he's a model.

In September, Tubb was chosen to be plastered and cast for a new statue which will be debuted this weekend at Arlington National Cemetery. The statue of Tubb's likeness will represent one of ANC's most recognizable figures -- a service member blowing taps. That life-sized likeness of Tubb will be officially unveiled Jan. 20, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery visitor's center.

Tubb traveled to New York City four months ago for the casting session, which lasted between two and a half and three hours.

"I took the train up at 5 a.m. in the morning, did the casting and was back home by 6 p.m.," Tubb remembered of the trip to cast the statue. "They cast me in three sections. They did my head first, and they completely encase it. It took about 15 minutes. Then they did the lower body and the upper body.

"It was pretty cool," Tubb said of the initial process. "When the head was done, [there] was complete sensory deprivation. They cleared away two little spots for the nose [to breathe] and that's all I had. They put this seaweed composite material [on me], and then it got wrapped in plaster strips."

A support team of 15 to 20 workers coached and encouraged Tubb through the claustrophobic steps toward making a mold for the statue.

As for his feeling of being chosen to represent one of ANC's most iconic figures, Tubb mentioned that piece of information needed some time to be mentally absorbed.

"It took a while to sink in," Tubb admitted. "At first, I thought this will just be a cool little statue down there. But then I found out this will be in the center of the visitors center. When people walk in, it will be the first thing they see."

The staff sergeant's extended family from Ohio will be by his side for the unveiling. Before that, Tubb will have the opportunity to inspect the finished project. He also noted the statue is to be encased -- humorously mentioning he is relieved the figure will be surrounded by a protective cover.

"[I'm glad] it's going to be encased, so nobody will be able to go down there and draw moustaches on it," he said.

Related Links:

Army.mil: Human Interest News

STAND-TO!: The United States Army Band Pershing's Own

The United States Army Band, "Pershing's Own"

Tubb's statue is unveiled

The United States Army Band, "Pershing's Own" on Facebook