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The President and Saluting

MotionMan

MotionMan

Lifer
When the President of the USA is saluted by someone in the military, is the President supposed to salute back, do nothing or do something else?

I ask this because, on the news this morning, I saw Obama salute a military officer and it seemed odd to me.

MotionMan
 
http://tinyurl.com/cy6bly

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1807772/posts

President's salute not a good idea [Progressives find something else wrong, Reagan did it]
Capital Times ^ | 3-27-07 | Dave Zweifel

Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 7:43:39 PM by SJackson

It raised eyebrows back in 1981 when new President Ronald Reagan began returning the military salutes of the servicemen standing guard when he'd disembark from Air Force One or from Marine 1, the helicopter that would deliver him to the White House lawn.

No presidents before had returned those salutes, not even Dwight D. Eisenhower, who just seven years before he took office had been a five-star Army general. Reagan, who had held the rank of captain in the Army Air Corps during World War II, changed all that and every president since, including our present one, renders the salute.

Although it was far from the biggest issue of the day, many commentators did question the practice at the time, pointing out that while, yes, the president was commander in chief of the military, he wasn't a military person himself and by saluting was insinuating that he was.

I hadn't heard much about that issue since, but noted author Garry Wills, a professor emeritus of history at Northwestern University, brought it up again in an op-ed column he wrote for the New York Times earlier this year.

"We hear constantly now about 'our commander in chief.' The word has become a synonym for 'president.' It is said we 'elected a commander in chief.' It is asked whether this or that candidate is 'worthy to be our commander in chief.'

"But the president is not our commander in chief. He certainly is not mine. I am not in the Army," Wills wrote.

Wills recalled how he cringed back in 1973 when Richard Nixon's chief of staff, Al Haig, tried to justify Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre" firings because the attorney general and deputy attorney general had refused an order from their "commander in chief."

"President Nixon was not (Elliot Richardson's or William Ruckelshaus') commander in chief," he commented. "The president is not the commander in chief of civilians. He is not even the commander in chief of National Guard troops unless and until they are federalized."

It all may seem like small potatoes, but Wills and others see that attitude and the extension of the salutes as the increasing militarization of U.S. politics.

"The citizenry at large is now thought of as under military discipline," Wills wrote. "The executive branch takes actions in secret, unaccountable to the electorate, to hides its moves from the enemy and protect national secrets."

The bottom line, Wills said, is that "the representative is accountable to citizens. Soldiers are accountable to their officer. The dynamics are different, and to blend them is to undermine the basic principles of our Constitution."
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Commander-in-Chief. He is the head of the military, and as such should respond as if he were in the military as a sign of acknowledgment. Technically, being the commander-in-chief though, he could simply not give a fuck and leave soldiers hanging. After all... HE makes the rules.
 
Originally posted by: SunnyD
Commander-in-Chief. He is the head of the military, and as such should respond as if he were in the military as a sign of acknowledgment.
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So was Ike, and he never did.
 
Originally posted by: Chryso
He is not in uniform and therefore should not return the salute.
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The downside if Obama doesn't is that people will say he hates the troops or something. It's a no-win situation.
 
Originally posted by: Chryso
He is not in uniform and therefore should not return the salute.
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Oh? And what exactly is the proper uniform for the position of Commander In Chief? Never seen it. I always thought it was a suit and tie. That's all he seems to wear.
 
Originally posted by: SunnyD
Commander-in-Chief. He is the head of the military, and as such should respond as if he were in the military as a sign of acknowledgment. Technically, being the commander-in-chief though, he could simply not give a fuck and leave soldiers hanging. After all... HE makes the rules.
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He doesn't make the rules.
 
Originally posted by: dainthomas
Originally posted by: Chryso
He is not in uniform and therefore should not return the salute.
Click to expand...

The downside if Obama doesn't is that people will say he hates the troops or something. It's a no-win situation.
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I don't drink the Obama Kool-Aid but dainthomas is correct. I remember there was some static tossed Clintons way over this issue as well. Personally it is a non-issue to me.
 
Originally posted by: Chryso
He is not in uniform and therefore should not return the salute.
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From United States Army Field Manual FM 22-5
The rules of saluting are as follows:

When you meet someone outside, salute as soon as you recognize an officer (when about six steps away).

Salute all officers (recognized by rank) in official vehicles identified by special plates or flags.

Salute only on command when in formation.

If in a group and an officer approaches, the first soldier to recognize the officer calls the group to attention and all personnel salute.

If you approach an officer while you are double-timing alone, assume quick time march and render the hand salute. When the salute is returned, execute order arms and resume double-timing.

The salute is always initiated by the subordinate and is terminated only after acknowledgement by the individual being saluted.

Accompany the salute with an appropriate greeting, such as, ?Good morning/afternoon/evening, sir/ma?am.?

Salutes are not required to be rendered by or to personnel who are driving or riding in privately owned vehicles.

It is not customary for enlisted personnel to exchange salutes, except in some ceremonial situations.

Never render a salute with a noticeable object in your mouth or right hand.

If you are on detail and an officer approaches, salute if you are in charge of the detail.
Otherwise, continue to work. If you are spoken to, then come to attention.

Saluting is generally prohibited in field conditions, as it could help an enemy identify officers.
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Per wikipedia

I would say that he is not required to, but it shows a sign of respect from him to the soldier.

I say salute them if you choose to, but they should out of respect.
 
Originally posted by: dainthomas
Originally posted by: SunnyD
Commander-in-Chief. He is the head of the military, and as such should respond as if he were in the military as a sign of acknowledgment.
Click to expand...

So was Ike, and he never did.
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Clinton rarely got saluted :laugh: What a dooosh.
 
I think it's appropriate. The president is the Commander in chief of the military, so it seems correct to follow military protocol when interacting with soldiers - it's not a civilian exchange.

 
It's one of those choice things that people are going to make a big deal of if he does or does not do it because they want a reason to dislike them. Wave, salute, as long as it's not a middle finger it works.
 
Originally posted by: DougK62
I think it's appropriate. The president is the Commander in chief of the military, so it seems correct to follow military protocol when interacting with soldiers - it's not a civilian exchange.
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the president is a civilian, so everything involving him is a civilian exchange. in our country we have civilian control of the military, commanding the army doesn't make him a general.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...ontrol_of_the_military

Remember Top Gun? "Charlie is a civilian contractor so you don't salute her." And if it's in a Tom Cruise movie it's fact.

The secretary of defense supervises the joint chiefs and must also be a civilian by statute.
 
If you are inside a building you should never salute anyone, outside any building you salute when wearing appropriate head gear for whatever situation you are in.

IF you are not wearing anything on your head you are either not properly dressed or you are a civilian.

That's why i wouldn't salute the Mr Brown and i wouldn't salute Mr Obama either, nor am i required to do so.
 
The problem with not returning it, is that it leaves the soldier stuck.

Technically you can't drop the salute until it is returned or acknowledged by the superior officer.

You end up standing there looking like a dork until the officer goes by...

 
Originally posted by: LTC8K6
The problem with not returning it, is that it leaves the soldier stuck.

Technically you can't drop the salute until it is returned or acknowledged by the superior officer.

You end up standing there looking like a dork until the officer goes by...
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Not if he acknowledges you. An officer carrying a box to his car still gets saluted.
 
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