I asked my husband who was in the Air Force (yes, I know all the Air Force jokes) about this and he said that this requirement is only for either indoors or outdoors–don’t remember which.
So–which is it? If a lower ranked person (assuming they’re both in uniform) meets a higher ranked person in, say, a restaurant, is s/he required to salute? Or is it the other way around–salutes are required only when they meet “outdoors”, i.e. in public?
Outdoors although there are exceptions for indoors like formally reporting to an officer.
One side of my family is Navy and they report no saluting indoors–and I don’t think they wear hats indoors either. I’m sure there’s more nuance to it than my basic understanding.
Well my father shows that’s not correct.
I should have done it before I posted but a simple google search shows several examples of both Truman and Eisenhower saluting troops. There are also examples of Truman “saluting” by placing his hat over his heart. So it was not universally done or expected but Reagan certainly wasn’t first.
We had a new ex-president just a week ago, and he returned the salute given to him when he boarded the helicopter to depart the Capitol. It looks like his predecessor did too, but the video isn’t quite as clear. Edit: Ronald Reagan did too.
So yes, sometimes they do.
I also noted, on the big day, that His Donaldness was saluting before he was sworn in. Can’t recall whether he was initiating or returning. So there seems to be some flexibility.
Also when he arrived on an Air Force jet the day before.
Not it doesn’t.
It just shows it happened sometimes.
This gets more confused because till Clinton most (all?) presidents were military veterans. Veterans have their own rules about saluting. Clinton, Obama and Trump are not veterans.
The president is CIC so there is no one who is willing to, or even can, bust him/her for a breach of military etiquette. I just asked the question to determine what proper etiquette is.
I think the history is Reagan made the salute compulsory (inasmuch as public opinion goes…you can’t court marshal the president for saluting/not saluting).
Military personnel are required to remove their hats upon entering a building. They are also not required to salute anyone in civvies, nor address them as “Sir”. Hence, officers and enlisted men/women play golf, tennis, etc. as if they are civilians.
Bumped.
I once saw a White House short film of JFK getting aboard his helicopter at his Virginia country estate, and he clearly saluted the Marine at the door.