[naturalman1975]

I wrote the following in another thread on this earlier today: "As a very junior Naval officer (I'd been a sub-lieutenant for a few weeks), I found myself (in uniform) on a busy street approaching the then Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Admiral Sir Victor Smith, also in uniform. He was carrying something. He saw me and he handed what he was carrying to the lady who was with him (I assume his wife) so he would be ready to return my salute when we passed. That's what you do if you are anticipating a salute - you make sure your hands are free if possible (obviously if you are carrying something you can't put down or pass off it's different.) Surely President Obama should have anticipated he was going to be saluted in this situation." Since writing that, I've been thinking further on that incident and that thinking leads me to add the following. I actually got a real thrill out of rendering that salute and receiving a salute in return. I'd worked very hard to get where I was, and the acknowledgement from the Admiral, even if it was just a matter of form, felt deeply respectful of what I had earned. It was a highlight of my career at that point.

I've got to think that that may well have been true of those young Marines - even more so, given that I was saluting an Admiral and they were saluting their Commander-In-Chief. I don't know their exact position - it may be that for them it's not that uncommon a thing to have to do, but what is worrying me is the idea that it may have been something they only get the opportunity to do once - and to have it treated like this if that is the case, could seriously sour what might have been a very special moment for them.

It is disrespectful - President Obama must know that he can expect to be saluted leaving Marine One. He should have made sure he was ready to return such a salute properly. If he can't understand that, he should have aides who make sure he gets it right (I've worked as a protocol officer, and part of my job was to make sure any VIPs I was working with were prewarned of anything they might be expected to do, if I had any reason to think they might not know.)

[Dr. Pritchett]

Excellent story and personal observation about the salute, natural man.

Furthermore, BO knew there would be cameras as well, and therefore knew the “optics” of his actions to the public and the world (during a military campaign overseas, no less). A wartime CINC?!? Pfffft.

[Cen-Tejas]

Great story!

Thanks!

I was on an Admirals staff for two years in Japan. That Admiral was ALWAYS the same way. He NEVER failed to salute even the lowest ranking enlisted personnel.

We ALL greatly respected him, young kids that we were.