Why no salute by Obama

[Diane Amberg]

As far as my question about when and how the medal can be worn, never mind, I found it for myself, plus a lot of other interesting information. It comes with a special pension for life, automatic admission to the military academies for their kids and some other interesting benefits.
  Still not sure why people are saying that the Presidents I named that did not salute are acceptable even though they didn't...but Pres. Obama isn't?  Why no righteous outrage about them? They were the highest ranking in the land too. I really don't get it. Selective anger? Lack of information?  Loss of objectivity? What is it?  You say he should have known better. Who should have advised him? Aren't those ceremonies practiced and rehearsed? Surely there were ranking military personnel who told him what to do and how everything should have been done to most honor the awardee. No, I'm not trying to "protect" him , so don't start on that.   

[jarhead]

quote:
Although not required by law or military regulation, members of the uniformed services are encouraged to render salutes to recipients of the Medal of Honor.


So sixdogsmom ,the MOH does not get the salute but the recipient does. As to why should Obama salute when other presidents in the past have not done so . Just because other Presidents didn't do the right thing I guess it's OK for Barry to do the same ? I have no use for Obama but as for vilifying him for saluting, I for one would have thought more of him if he had done it.
You question why people don't remove their cap during flag presentation. Just a few years ago a law was passed that gave veterans the right to salute the flag even when out of uniform. You never salute unless you have your cover (hat/cap) on. With that being said, a Marine Corps directive says that even though the law says we can do it, out of uniform Marines WILL NOT render a salute. Don't think they would put an old fat non active duty Marine in front of a firing squad for doing it but I will do what MY Commandant tells me to do !!!
What veteran associations are closing ? I was just at the Independence VFW this evening and slammed a couple of Margaritas and the place seemed to be hopping .

[sixdogsmom]

Sorry, guys; I cannot find a single photo of any president saluting a MOH recipient, or even an account of it happening. Jar, I am happy that the VFW in Indy is well and happy however many across the country are suffering decline with the aging of the vets from WWII and Viet Nam. As far as your quote, what is it quoted from? And you know that I would never criticize a veteran for saluting a flag with his cap on; I was speaking of the clods who stand there with their caps/hats square on their heads, scratching their behind or spitting as the Colors pass by.  Most of these guys never served and haven't a clue what it's all about. However I do wonder why the younger vets are not participating in parades or ceremonies for fallen comrades? And why are they not helping to educate the younger ones than themselves? Jar, I do hope that you show respect for the colors even though you might not render a salute.

[W. Gray]

I met one Medal of Honor recipient while I was on active duty. It was in my Finance Office in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1972. The man was Captain Roger Donlon, who was awarded the medal for action in 1964.

By the time he came into the finance office, he was a major and almost 40 years old but with a flat top hair cut, a strac military appearance, and he was a very impressive looking man. He eventually retired as a colonel.

The only way I knew about him was from reading Time magazine several years earlier. He was the first man to receive the Medal of Honor in Vietnam.

When I first saw him I took a mental note of a senior officer being in the office and then noted his name tag. I thought his name was familiar and remember thinking "holy cow!" or words to that effect. As I looked up to the ribbons above his name tag, he was wearing the Medal of Honor ribbon and then I knew immediately who he was. I do not recall what unit he was assigned to or what he was doing in Bangkok.

In the Army at least, the ribbon, which is the same size as any other, substitutes for the medal on the normal Class A working uniform, i.e., the green uniform, or back then khakis during the summer or in warm climates, such as Thailand. Needless to say, it would never be worn on the Class B uniform, i.e., fatigues.

He would wear the actual medal on special occasions when attired in the Army dress blue uniform, which some folks like to compare to the late 1800s cavalry uniform worn in the movies. However, on the very few special occasions in which dress blues were to be worn, the senior command officer would often put out the word that only ribbons and no medals would adorn the uniform.

I recall talking to him and shaking his hand but do not remember the conversation.
Did, I salute him? No, we were inside. He reportedly now lives in Kansas.

At one time every hero received an identically designed medal. There are, today, three different Medals of Honor. One design is awarded to Army members, one design is awarded to Air Force members, and the third design is awarded to Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. Prior to about 1965, Air Force members received the Army version.

At the time he was in Bangkok, Donlon was getting $100 per month as a recipient of the medal. I did not ask him, I knew because I was a finance officer. The amount received for a Medal of Honor was doubled by Congress in 1979. Until 2003, Congress would periodically up the amount. After 2003, the amount has been adjusted annually for inflation. The last I have heard, a recipient was receiving $1,194 per month in 2008.

DDurbin once mentioned on the forum that a Medal of Honor recipient during WWII was a young man who came from Moline. His name was Leon Johnson and he later became a four star AF general.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

My father was in the navy. As I was growing up, I remember him talking all the time about it. I was very proud of him. I even thought of going into the navy and then decided against it later. I am very scared of heights and flying. LOL! I am going to be honest, I don't know much about the medal of honor and all. But what I do know is that it takes a very big act of bravery and honor to even get it. As with all men and woman serving our country past and present, I have the utmost respect for them! I am a cousin who is currently in the army. He has been to Iraq and is going to be heading back either there or Afganistan in January after his daughter is born. I have several friends that are in the Armed forces, too.

To get to my point, it does show Obama's colors that he didn't saluate this man. As for the other presidents, I think they should have, too. But Obama is in a sticky enough situation, why would he not have done it? He knows that his approval rating is like at 0! But still again, he shows us that he has no respect for what our soldiers do everyday! They risk their lives for us and also for him, yet he can't seem to lift his arm and saluate him!!

Diane, I see your points. But I am so disgusted with Obama right now and this just makes things worse on him! My husband and I are one of the millions out there who have no health insurance. We pay as we go to the doctor. Does it hurt our pocket books, yes. But I don't want to be told by anyone that I have to buy insurance. I have looked and looked for some cheap for us and we can't find any. I don't want him to tell me that we have to pay an ungodly abmount for insurance that we can't afford.  As we are both self employed, and are having a hard enough time putting food on our table.

The right thing to do is saluate!! That is my opinion!!

[thatsMRSc2u]

    I am gonna put my butt in the soup and take a stab at why people arent that het up about whether or not previous presidents saluted as compared to Obama........
    Gonna call a spade a spade (AS in the card suit as in tell the unvarnished truth as I see it).......

    1. He is an American president with a "muslim" name during a war with Islamic extremists.....
    2. since he has a "muslim" name people figure he must be a closet muslim.....
    3. admit it or not...it's partially because he is a BLACK president with a "muslim" name.......
    4. He has ideas and opinions that dont wash with the uptight, conservative bent.....
I could probly come up with a couple more but face it...it's basically because he's black and has a muslim name.

I dont care for a LOT of the ideas being put forth by the ultra-liberals while they temporarily have the reins....but then again I dont care for most of the positions of the ultra-conservatives either LOL. Face it I dont care for MUCH about the government period but blamin the president for everything that happens when hes just the figurehead for Congress......the people WE......like to admit it or not.....ELECTED to tell us what we gotta do. Just cause "our" side isnt in charge at the moment.....(as in "our" insert your own side) us plain people will just keep on keepin on till "our" side comes around again and all the pissin and moanin and blamin and cussin each other AIN'T gonna make it happen any sooner than its gonna happen.

[Varmit]

Well, allow me to retort...

I think the reason folks aren't "villifing" other PAST presidents for not saluting is because, this is where it might get complicated so pay attention, ...THEY AREN'T THE CURRENT PRESIDENT.  I don't give a hootin' hell what color he is, what religion he is, or what his name sounds like, I don't like the bastard because of what he and his cronies are doing to my country.   

By the way, WE the people don't elect our representatives to tell us what to do.  Quite the oppisite in fact.  We elect them to be our voice in the federal gov't.  They are supposed to follow this document called the Constitution of the United States of America, something that should be required reading but obviously isn't.

[Patriot]

I am gonna put my butt in the soup ...
I could probly come up with a couple more but face it...it's basically because he's black and has a muslim name.

Oh, bull$hit!  The premise of your observation is that those opposed to Mr. Obama are basically racist, islamophobes.  Some time away from MSNBC & Mr. TinglyLeg Matthews might be in order.  LOL

[Diane Amberg]

I finally found the whole ceremony and watched all 24 minutes of it. It was in the East Room of the White House with other MOH honorees ,military buddies, his family etc. Frankly it was nicely done, IMHO, and was all about the young man and our other brave young men serving. It did seem to have been rehearsed because young 'Sal" knew exactly when to turn to have the medal placed around his neck. Is the fact it was indoors and nobody was covered why nobody saluted anybody? Just wondering. Even Al isn't sure any more because things do change.  Angie, I do see your points too! You may have to get in line!   Depending on what happens on the 15th the stock market may take another nose dive to the detriment of everyone who has chosen to be in it. Frankly, I'm unhappy with the whole pack of them right now.

[Wilma]

I seem to remember a time that Clinton was criticized because he tried to return a salute.  Seems that not having been military, he shouldn't have made the attempt.  Unfortunately, my memory isn't too good especially about things that didn't mean a lot to me at the time.  Does anyone else remember anything like this?