Salute
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 6:54 pm
I recently attended the funeral (as time goes on, this seems to be a more common occurrence) of a relative who was a VietNam Era veteran sailor.
The services were held at his home church. At the graveside, a military honor guard was present. As he happened to be USN, both of the honor guard were also USN (although only one USN was required). As an aside, the senior PO had service stripes on his dress whites. I counted at least 7. I didn't catch his rate but was surprised to see that many.
With the exception of the honor guard, none of us were in uniform. The PO said that any military in the mourners could salute when the honor guard did.
I really didn't know for sure how to participate. My USN training says I wasn't in uniform and I wasn't wearing a cover so I didn't do a hand to brow salute. I know US Army and USAF salute in uniform without cover but USN does not.
My thinking is that, in civilian clothes, the proper response is hand to heart, or if wearing a hat, hand with hat to heart. Do you agree?
Although I wouldn't correct someone else, is there any organization where the correct response in civilian clothes is a hand to brow salute?
I figure this will come up again so what's the right way to show my respect and appreciation?
The services were held at his home church. At the graveside, a military honor guard was present. As he happened to be USN, both of the honor guard were also USN (although only one USN was required). As an aside, the senior PO had service stripes on his dress whites. I counted at least 7. I didn't catch his rate but was surprised to see that many.
With the exception of the honor guard, none of us were in uniform. The PO said that any military in the mourners could salute when the honor guard did.
I really didn't know for sure how to participate. My USN training says I wasn't in uniform and I wasn't wearing a cover so I didn't do a hand to brow salute. I know US Army and USAF salute in uniform without cover but USN does not.
My thinking is that, in civilian clothes, the proper response is hand to heart, or if wearing a hat, hand with hat to heart. Do you agree?
Although I wouldn't correct someone else, is there any organization where the correct response in civilian clothes is a hand to brow salute?
I figure this will come up again so what's the right way to show my respect and appreciation?