A lone airman salutes the U.S. flag as the final scene at this year's Air Force tattoo ceremony at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., on Oct. 3, 2004.

The word Tattoo is derived from the Dutch word "Tap-toe" which means quite literally "turn off the taps." The signal which indicated that soldiers should return to their quarters and that the beer in the taverns should be turned off was transmitted by drum beat each evening.

Eventually this developed into a ceremonial performance of military music by massed bands.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Amber K. Whittington)

03/05/05... EAR TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Erica Clark talks with a young local Bedouin girl as she places a shoe on her foot. Sergeant Clark and Senior Master Sgt. Robert Appling (back) visited local Bedouins as part of an outreach program. Sergeant Clark is assigned to the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. Sergeant Appling is the fire chief assigned to the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark Bucher)

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NV -- Staff Sgt. Robin Walker (left) and Staff Sgt. Greg Slavik prepare an F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter to launch from here. Sergeants Walker and Slavik are crew chiefs assigned to the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald)

INDIAN SPRINGS AIR FORCE AUXILIARY STATION, NV

The 2005 Thunderbirds practice a Delta pass here March 3.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin D. Pyle)