CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Have you ever thought about how the military salute came into existence?
Some individuals believe the salute began in the medieval times when knights on horseback would raise their right hand to move the visor up towards their forehead in order to show their face to the other individual as a sign of recognition and respect.
Today, we continue our tradition of showing respect to other individuals. Our installation commander drives the "blue car with the white top." This vehicle should be saluted when it is seen with the commander in it as a sign of respect. We also show respect to the United States flag by standing at attention and saluting on the first note of the national anthem or To the Colors while in uniform outdoors.
There are other vehicles on the installation that are not as easily recognized, however, and they should be saluted as well. If you see the "colonel's" license plate on the front bumper, you should salute it. At times, those license plates are hard to recognize at a distance, but now you know they do exist so be vigilant and aware of your surroundings as you are walking. Other individuals that are easily recognized would be general officers because their vehicles normally have a "star" plate on the front bumper.
Were you one of the individuals standing outside on the sidewalk when the president drove past last week? Did you remember to salute the commander in chief's vehicle even though you could not see through the tinted windows? The president of the United States is always honored with a salute.
Today, every branch of service extends the same courtesies to members of other services. This is equally true for the friendly armed forces of the United Nations.
Why is this important? You never know when you will be part of a joint operation, especially with all the deployments and exercises, or when members of foreign militaries are on base for official functions. The most important thing an individual should do is continue to display proper customs and courtesies at all times no matter what.
Is it possible that the military salute came into existence because of the knights in medieval times? Yes, it is very possible. The salute is a courteous exchange of greetings between junior and senior ranking individuals and it is also rendered to the flag as a sign of respect.