I seem to remember that former President Clinton was told he was in violating the law when he returned a salute to a member of our military.
Can anyone tell me if this in fact, a Federal law?

Whenever you see the CinC boarding or deplaning Air Force One or Helicopter One the Marine at the ramp salutes,the CinC returns the salute!

Pres. Eisenhower, a former 5 Star General, never returned a salute to Servicemen while in Civilian Clothes, because he knew it was inappropriate to do so, as per Military Code. I never remember seeing Kennedy (Navy Officer) or Johnson (Navy Officer) doing so, nor Nixon (Navy Officer), nor Carter (Navy Officer). I believe Reagan (Army actor) started doing so, getting on and off the Plane and Copter. He had been in the entertainment arm of the Army, and was so used to acting the part of a military person, I guess he decided it was okay - though it really wasn't. Eventually, even Clinton (draft dodger) started doing so during his eight years, and of course, Bush (Air Guard Officer) did so - as has Obama (may have recently pencil-whipped draft registration)...

There is no law against what a Civilian wants to do, since it is "freedom of speech." Any rules about saluting would only apply to Active Military Personnel.

Even though the President is technically "Commander and Chief" of the Military, he is supposed to be 100% Civilian, and should NOT take on any trapping of Military Uniform, Rank, or Behavior, lest the Office start slipping towards the appearance and behavior of Military Dictatorship. No matter how well-meaning our Presidents may think they are being, I think they have forgotten that - - -

*http://www.snopes.com/politics/clintons/salute.asp

Seeing this guy wearing a 3rd Armor patch about made we want to hurl!!

quote:

Originally posted by greywolfghost:
Seeing this guy wearing a 3rd Armor patch about made we want to hurl!!

I wonder if he ever went down range at Graf?

You had to bring up Graf.

Next it will be Wildflicken

quote:

Originally posted by mainedawg:
You had to bring up Graf.

Next it will be Wildflicken

Top of the rock in January. It never did quit snowing. Does it ever?

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyR8:

quote:

Originally posted by greywolfghost:
Seeing this guy wearing a 3rd Armor patch about made we want to hurl!!

I wonder if he ever went down range at Graf?

Nope, wouldn't fit in the breach!!

Wildchicken was a fav name for it.

Illishime was a bad place.

Got into real trouble there.

When Ike went to the White House after the election, HST met him on the steps and saluted.

Ike returned his salute. There is a picture of the event in the Truman Library.

If you look at the newsreels of the meeting between Truman and MacArthur on Wake Island you'll see Doug never saluted Truman.

There is an old adage, "When I doubt salute."

Sidebar: Several times during my nine years as a warrant officer, young enlisted men would pass me without saluting. Their standard reasons were either they didn't think they were required to salute warrant officers or that they thought warrant officer were only entitled to one salute a day. This was always followed by a lesson on when, where, how and who to salute.

I'm impressed with the gate guards at MacDill AFB. After they check my ID they have never failed to salute, not my sticker, but me. Of course, they have two four star generals and a dozens other flag officers plus the officers form many other nations.

quote:

Originally posted by mainedawg:
Wildchicken was a fav name for it.

Illishime was a bad place.

Got into real trouble there.

Not You!

quote:

When Ike went to the White House after the election, HST met him on the steps and saluted.

Ike returned his salute. There is a picture of the event in the Truman Library.

Those two had served in WW I... So there is some personal history at work there.

When I was teaching and had former students come walking into the room in uniform, though they be PVT-1s, I'd salute them to show my current students how much respect I had for them and their uniform. Invariably, they would be off the Iraq or Afghanistan - -

Nothing wrong with showing a little respect - It just gulls me a little to see someone, who had no respect for the Military when military age, now taking on military appearance, and mimicking military behavior - -

As an MP we had orders from our command how would salute. I should say the Post commander set the direction .

If you were on the job on a stop No salute was happening. Gate yes.

In K-9 no salute ever. Due to the dawg thinking that the officer was making a move on the handler.

Never on a flight line either.

But I always tried to salute if I thought it was safe to.
There was something about if you were carring a side are you didn't have to salute either.

Graf is where I got my limp.

I remember getting saluted a lot of times while on "police up the grounds" duty near the main gate at FT Dix as a PVT.

All the people in cars saluted the Dandelion flower I stuck in the front hole of my helmet liner.

quote:

Originally posted by mainedawg:
You had to bring up Graf.

Next it will be Wildflicken

Hey dawg. Baumholder was my first duty station on my first enlistment. After two years, they moved our company to Wildflecken in January 1957. I was in "the flicken," until October 57. I wouldn't you a "folding dime" (MPCs) for either place.

Back to topic, in case anyone has forgotten, here's how they say it should be done.

quote:

Sidebar: Several times during my nine years as a warrant officer, young enlisted men would pass me without saluting. Their standard reasons were either they didn't think they were required to salute warrant officers or that they thought warrant officer were only entitled to one salute a day. This was always followed by a lesson on when, where, how and who to salute.

Maybe Twice a Day, Chief . He11, Railroad Tracks don't even ensure a salute.

I was at the MacArthur Station in BART (transferring to the city-lines)(Technically outdoors, even if in the middle of a freeway interchange-very loud station) and in uniform, and these Navy enlisted and in unform (of course) never saluted when they passed me. I could have made a scene, but it is BART. They're on leave. Why be a jack you know what.

Now, if it were my fiancee, it would have been different, Chief. He's a hard arse when it comes to military discipline. He's an Army O-4 and can be a martinet, as I have experienced.

The applicability of saluting Warrant Officers and how a Warrant is addressed is not clear still among many young enlisted.

Well, a couple of things. Though no fan of his politics, Reagan was not an "Army actor" nor in a non-existant "Army entertainment branch." He was a commissioned officer (to rank of CPT) during WWII, and his duties involved producing/being in recruitment and morale films. Not everybody in WWII was a grunt or an Audie Murphy. So I took his salutes as well-intentioned and not - necessarily - a Hollywood PR gambit.

I had heartburn with Clinton's salute, as I do Obama's. Both Bushes could lay legitimate claims (especially GHWB) to saluting, and they were clearly comfortable with doing so - unlike Clinton and Obama.

GWG's points about being the CIVILIAN CINC are well-founded, and I promise if I'm ever elected President, I'll follow Ike's example ... though it would kill me not to return a salute. I'd probably have to have something in my right hand all the time.

Funny salute story:
Gate guard to the airfield where I was, you'd salute officers going onto the flight line, but not on the flight line. A crewchief & myself, plus a WO were walking in(all wearing flight suits), the WO was behind us. New guy on the gate. See us(enlisted) but doesn't see he was a WO. Gate guard didn't salute. Behind us was CWO4 Sneed(lovingly known as Sam Sneed).

The WO with us, great sense of humor, but could put the fear of God into you with a look. He says to the newbie, Son, I don't care if you don't ever salute me, but you see that man behind us, that's Sam Sneed, if you don't salute Sam Sneed you're going to jail.

Completely dead pan, the kid was shaking. We get a few paces away, we llok at him. Same dead pan, put the fear of God into you look on his face. Says to us what the hell you clowns looking at! Second later a big, schit eating grin breaks on his face. A moment later, very loud & clear we hear from the gate: GOOD AFTERNOON SIR!!! Mr. Sneed catches up with us & asks what's up with the kid on the gate??? The three of us start cracking up!

The salute is a "Sign of Respect" and according to Military and 'civilian'(Veterans and Government) regulations and policy, they are proper even if the salute is not returned!
It is also proper for Military personnel to render a salute whether in uniform or not.