U know, it took someone long enough to figure out that (since I have been a Vet/97) all U have to do is sit outside a V.A. hospital, watch Old Glory get carried by in a parade, or simply hanging outside a post office, if U were a lifer like me, or just a one tour patriotic Vet there is no mental process involved, the right hand snaps up, pops off a smart salute and you drive on. Us Vets are pretty easy to peg by that simple yet profound (reflex) gesture we needed no authorization to effect and received no rebuke for saluting a symbol we had rendered honors to so MANY times. ABOUT TIME it is now correct protocol! About 10 years ago when I first retired I had to go to the VAMC in San Francisco, which [then] was one BF dump, but on my way towards it I saw an older WWII Vet in a wheel-chair being pushed towards me, I saw every Vet who passed him pop-off a salute, wondering WTF, as I closed the distance, the sun caught the blue ribbon aound his neck and at the bottom a star shone around this old heroes neck, the Congressional Medal of Honor, I saluted the medal and he looked up at me said four words: "God Bless You Son." I was in tears by the time I made the front door and felt so insignificant and petty.
Canis-Lupus