About the tradition, Ronald Reagan said, I never ceased to enjoy reviewing our men and women in uniform and hope I started a new tradition for presidents. As Commander In Chief, I discovered it was customary for our uniformed men and women to salute whenever they saw me. When Id walk down the steps of a helicopter, for example, there was always a Marine waiting there to salute me. I was told presidents werent supposed to return salutes, so I didnt, but this made me feel a little uncomfortable. Normally, a person offering a salute waits until it is returned, then brings down his hand. Sometimes, I realized, the soldier, sailor, Marine, or airman giving me a salute wasnt sure when he was supposed to lower his hand. Initially, I nodded and smiled and said hello and thought maybe that would bring down the hand, but usually it didnt. Finally, one night when Nancy and I were attending a concert at the Marine Corps Headquarters, I told the Commandant of Marines, I know its customary for the President to receive these salutes, but I was once an officer and realize that youre not supposed to salute when youre in civilian clothes. I think there ought to be a regulation that the president could return a salute inasmuch as he is commander in chief and civilian clothes are his uniform. Well, if you did return a salute, the general said, I dont think anyone would say anything to you about it. The next time I got a salute, I saluted back. A big grin came over the Marines face and down came his hand. From then on, I always returned salutes. When George Bush followed me into the White House, I encouraged him to keep up the tradition. - See more at: texasgopvote/military-salute/it-proper-president-render-military-hand-salute-002816#sthash.IjfRaPeg.dpuf
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 00:01:58 +0000
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