[Puddles]

A question has come up that I have not found the answer to. Was wondering if someone here had the answer.

I know that Vets may now render a salute to the flag when not in uniform, but the question of can a non military - someone with no military background salute the flag vs putting thier right hand over thier heart?

Thanks for your time!!


Puddles
Blue Star Mom

[Peter Ansoff]

Hi, Puddles, welcome to the forum.

a non military - someone with no military background salute the flag vs putting thier right hand over thier heart?

There's an earlier thread in this section called "Veterans Salute Protocols." Check out my post in that thread from 8/28/08 -- it lays out in detail what the flag code says about saluting.

The short answer to your question is that, according to flag code, only military personnel (and now, in some cases, veterans) are supposed to give the military salute. Other citizens are supposed to use the hand-over-heart salute. However, these are only guidelines, based on custom. If you really want to render a military salute, I doubt that any one is going to stop you!

Peter Ansoff

[Puddles]

Peter,

Thank you so very much. It is as I thought, I just didn't know where to find the information to directly quote the flag code in the discussion. I was informed that they could not find anything to back a person with no military background saluting the flag.

Came up in a discussion after a military funeral. Those Active duty and Vets were saluting, it was asked about rules/regs about someone with no military experience or background saluting the flag.