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"New" law for you vets in the crowd....

Night Stalker
My apologies if you've already read this.

Thanks for your service to our great Nation.

NS
____________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2008

New Law Authorizes Veterans' Salutes during National Anthem
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 military salute is a unique gesture of respect that marks those who have
served in our nation's armed forces," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B.
Peake. "This provision allows the application of that honor in all events involving our
nation's flag."

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.

Traditionally, members of the nation's veterans service organizations have rendered
the hand-salute during the national anthem and at events involving the national flag while
wearing their organization's official head-gear.

The most recent change, authorizing hand-salutes during the national anthem by
veterans and out-of-uniform military personnel, was sponsored by Sen. Jim Inhofe of
Oklahoma, an Army veteran. It was included in the Defense Authorization Act of 2009,
which President Bush signed on Oct. 14.

The earlier provision authorizing hand-salutes for veterans and out-of-uniform
military personnel during the raising, lowering or passing of the flag, was contained in the
National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which took effect Jan. 28, 2008.

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Comments

17 comments

Date Votes
  • HonestBlues
    Good to know...and thank you too.[:)]
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  • grumpygy
    Will still be hard to break old habits.

    Marines do not Salute in Civilian Attire. But do when in uniform.

    Still will use the old Standby of hand or cover over heart.
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  • scottm21166
    I might look stupid doing that, completely out of uniform.
    We have a retarded guy who comes to all the HS games (even when I was playing 35 years ago) He always gives the hand salute. it;s ok everyone knows he is retarded. but peole still look at him funny when he does that
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  • cce1302
    quote:Originally posted by dnelson457
    Will still be hard to break old habits.

    Marines do not Salute in Civilian Attire. But do when in uniform.

    Still will use the old Standby of hand or cover over heart.

    I follow the Gunny's lead.
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  • grumpygy
    The only time I have was at the funeral of a fallen serviceman. That time it felt right.

    I was riding with the PGR at the time.
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  • Txs
    quote:Originally posted by dnelson457
    Will still be hard to break old habits.

    Marines do not Salute in Civilian Attire. But do when in uniform.

    No branch of our military ever did.
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  • HandLoad
    Few BUT the Military families still render courtesies to the Flag and/or the Anthem.

    For me, it is Either/or. I know a correct salute when I see one, whether the person is in or out of Uniform, and Respect them all the more.

    I like that it easily Identifies one who has served, even if out of Uniform. When nearly all Men had served, there was little to justify so identifying oneself, and it reserved to those who were in uniform a little bit of Pride. Now that less than 25% of Citizens have served, I like that you can self-identify, and Share that Pride.
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  • Old-Colts
    I didn't know about the improvement to the law. Thanks for posting this information!
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  • kristov
    It seems resonable. I am not sure that I am clear on something; was there actually a Federal regulation with the force of law which specifically prohibited former service members and out of uniform active personel from using the hand salute or was the hand over the heart simply the accepted custom?
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  • grumpygy
    Update for Marines.

    quote:**************** UNCLASSIFIED// ****************

    Subject: CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

    Originator: CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)

    DTG: 161950Z Dec 08

    Precedence: ROUTINE

    DAC: General

    To: AL ALMAR(UC)



    UNCLASSIFIED//

    ALMAR 052/08

    MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//

    SUBJ/CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS//

    REF/A/DESC:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC/05MAY2003//

    AMPN/REF A IS MCO P5060.20, MARINE CORPS DRILL AND CEREMONIES MANUAL.

    //

    GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THIS ALMAR REINFORCES THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR

    CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS AND AMPLIFIES THE PROVISIONS OF THE REFERENCE

    FOR RENDERING SALUTES AND HONORS TO THE NATIONAL FLAG; THE PROPER

    CONDUCT OF THE MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY CAKE CUTTING CEREMONY; AND THE

    PLAYING OF THE MARINES' HYMN.

    2. CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS PROVIDE A LINK TO THE PAST; THEY BOND

    MARINES WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE WITH MARINES WHO WILL CARRY THE TORCH

    THROUGH THE FUTURE. ANY LOSS OF TRADITION OR IMPROPER OBSERVATION

    OF CUSTOM BLURS OUR IDENTITY AND WEAKENS US AS AN INSTITUTION.

    THROUGH THE FAITHFUL ADHERENCE BY COMMANDERS AND EACH INDIVIDUAL

    MARINE, WE PRESERVE OUR IDENTITY AND REPUTATION AS A UNIQUE AND

    ELITE FIGHTING ORGANIZATION.

    3. SALUTING. A RECENT CHANGE TO THE LAW HAS AUTHORIZED ACTIVE DUTY

    AND RETIRED SERVICEMEMBERS TO SALUTE THE NATIONAL COLORS, WHETHER

    COVERED OR UNCOVERED, INDOORS OR OUT. BY CUSTOM AND TRADITION,

    MARINES DO NOT RENDER THE HAND SALUTE WHEN OUT OF UNIFORM OR WHEN

    UNCOVERED. LET THERE BE NO CONFUSION; THAT HAS NOT CHANGED. DURING

    THE PLAYING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, OR THE RAISING, LOWERING, OR

    PASSING OF THE NATIONAL FLAG, MARINES WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW NAVAL

    TRADITIONS AND THE POLICY / PROCEDURES CONTAINED IN REFERENCE (A).

    SPECIFICALLY, MARINES NOT IN UNIFORM WILL FACE THE FLAG, STAND AT

    ATTENTION, AND PLACE THE RIGHT HAND OVER THE HEART. IF COVERED,

    MARINES NOT IN UNIFORM WILL REMOVE THEIR HEADGEAR WITH THE RIGHT

    HAND AND PLACE THEIR RIGHT HAND OVER THEIR HEART. WHEN THE FLAG IS

    NOT PRESENT, MARINES WILL ACT IN THE SAME MANNER WHILE FACING IN THE

    DIRECTION OF THE MUSIC. IN CASES SUCH AS INDOOR CEREMONIES, WHEN

    MARINES ARE IN UNIFORM AND UNCOVERED, THEY WILL FACE THE FLAG, OR

    THE DIRECTION OF THE MUSIC WHEN THE FLAG IS NOT PRESENT, AND STAND

    AT ATTENTION.

    4. THE MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY CAKE CUTTING CEREMONY. THE MARINE

    CORPS BIRTHDAY CAKE CUTTING CEREMONY IS ONE OF OUR TIME-HONORED

    TRADITIONS IN GARRISON, IN THE FIELD, AND IN COMBAT. ONE OF THE

    MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE CEREMONY IS THE TRADITIONAL

    RECOGNITION OF THE OLDEST AND YOUNGEST MARINES PRESENT. TO CLARIFY

    THE LANGUAGE IN REFERENCE (A), THE COMMANDER CUTS THE CAKE AND HANDS

    THE FIRST PIECE TO THE GUEST OF HONOR. THEN THE COMMANDER HANDS THE

    SECOND PIECE OF CAKE TO THE OLDEST MARINE PRESENT AS A SIGN OF HONOR

    AND RESPECT TO EXPERIENCE AND SENIORITY. AFTER TAKING A BITE, THE

    OLDEST MARINE PASSES THE SECOND PIECE OF CAKE, AND A CLEAN FORK,

    DIRECTLY TO THE YOUNGEST MARINE PRESENT; THIS ACTION SYMBOLIZES THE

    PASSING OF WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS TRUST AND

    CONFIDENCE IN THOSE WHO WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY ON OUR MARINE CORPS

    TRADITIONS.

    5. PLAYING OF THE MARINES' HYMN. THE MARINES' HYMN IS THE OFFICIAL

    HYMN OF THE MARINE CORPS. IT IS THE SONG OF PRAISE TO OUR

    INSTITUTION AND THE LYRICS ARE A DIRECT TRIBUTE TO OUR WARFIGHTING

    CULTURE. BY CUSTOM AND TRADITION, THE MARINES' HYMN IS THE LAST

    SONG PLAYED AT CEREMONIES AND GATHERINGS OF MARINES. ALTHOUGH THE

    REFERENCE ALLOWS FOR THE PLAYING OF SPECIAL MUSIC REQUESTS BEFORE

    THE MARINES' HYMN, SUCH AS "ANCHOR'S AWEIGH," THIS IS BY EXCEPTION

    AND AT THE DISCRETION OF THE LOCAL COMMANDER.

    6. ONE OF OUR HALLMARKS AS MARINES IS THAT WE ARE AS GOOD ON PARADE

    AS WE ARE IN THE ATTACK. OUR SHARP APPEARANCE - IN AND OUT OF

    UNIFORM - AND OUR SUCCESS IN BATTLE ARE TWO IMPORTANT PARTS OF OUR

    IDENTITY. WE TAKE PRIDE IN OUR TRADITIONS, AND THEIR UNIFORM

    APPLICATION, WHEREVER MARINES ARE ASSIGNED.

    7. SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,

    COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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  • Laredo Lefty
    Has anyone ever heard of anyone being arrested for rendering the "improper" hand salute...... I dont think so.

    At most they might be out of protocol, but getting "permission" from the govt to salute a certain way is a little silly.

    I have attended many funerals for LEO's and have seen just about every method of saluting the flag.
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  • Txs
    There are a bunch of federal laws that contain no punishment provisions.

    You can add this one to the list.
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  • Jorge
    Veterans20Day202006.jpg

    Explain me this: an "improved" law authorizing veterans to render proper respect during the National Anthem?

    I thought this was already a civil right as safeguarded by the Constitution.

    Glad to know I now have the same protection under the law of the land as those miscreants whom bent on disrespect set fire upon Old Glory.

    "These pretzels are making me thirsty!"

    [:(!]
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  • guntech59
    We need a LAW for this??????

    Gee, I wonder who the idiots are that thought this was necessary.
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  • bobski
    classic jarheads.
    the law has changed, but they make and keep their own....and follow it.
    it doing so, they stick out like sore thumbs.
    [B)]

    classic new america. everyone does whats right in their own eyes.[xx(]
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  • Permanently deleted user
    quote:Originally posted by HonestBlues
    Good to know...and thank you too.[:)]


    +1
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  • Rack Ops
    quote:Originally posted by cce1302

    I follow the Gunny's lead.


    Me too.
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