The Gun Counter

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WASHINGTON -- Veterans and active-duty military not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem, thanks to changes in federal law that took effect this month.

The new provision improves upon a little known change in federal law last year that authorized veterans to render the military-style hand salute during the raising, lowering or passing of the flag, but it did not address salutes during the national anthem. Last year’s provision also applied to members of the armed forces while not in uniform.

H/T to Air Force Magazine's daily news letter.

I know this caused mixed feeling during discussions on an earlier forum, but my automatic reflex has always been to give a hand salute. It's taken a conscious effort to do the hand/hat over my heart and has never felt natural.

Second that. Always feels strange not to stand at attention and rendor a proper salute. I have to force myself to put my hand over my heart instead.

I think I like this better, it feels "right" somehow.

First Shirt wrote:I think I like this better, it feels "right" somehow.

Agreed!

Ah, the pledge of allegiance... Fun subject in 1st amendment law class -- the initial salute was the same as the NAZIs -- probably an old Roman one, it's where the NAZIs got most of their imagery.

That, and the religious implications of it -- some of them hold that "pledging allegiance to the flag" is venerating an object, against their beliefs -- legitimate argument.

As I've gotten older, it's bothered me more -- I don't see why you pledge allegiance to a flag, and a republic, when you actually owe your duty to the USCON...

Sometimes I think I've become overly obsessed about the specificity of words, and images... at other times, I remember how much people are affected by words and images, and think I don't pay enough attention...

The Pledge has bothered me too; Seems out of character with the anthem and the U.S. in general, but perhaps that's more a reflection on its origins than anything else.

As a legal resident, I'll happily stand and acknowledge the anthem, although I don't think it appropriate for me to place hand on heart, not being a citizen. That, of course, will change when I do become one.