For those people who never served in the US Military you would not understand why THE LATTE SALUTE has created such ire in the military ranks. I served in the United States Navy aboard the attack aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, CVA60 pictured below. I was one of those sailors standing at the very front of the flight deck as we MANNED THE RAIL entering Barcelona Harbor in 1965. I spent 10 years in the Navy Active and Reserve time, 3 years at sea during the Viet Nam War. We launched airplanes daily while cruising at sea. While we aboard a ship are not in direct combat we are always in danger just being aboard a floating airfield with 100 jets and helicopters on deck. We lost sailors who were blown overboard by jet blasts. We had bombs drop on the deck of the Saratoga and Forrestal where many sailors were burned to death. But through it all we do what we do for our country, our families, and your freedom. Every military enlistee in the United States Armed Forces must pronounce the following OATH OF ENLISTMENT and live by the statements made: “I , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulation and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, So help me God. I swear (or affirm) that I am fully aware and fully understand the conditions under which I am enlisting. Remember that our Armed Forces are all VOLUNTEERS, yet the members of our military forces have written you, the American people, a BLANK CHECK, to do with them as is needed for as long as it is needed to protect you, our Constitution, and our Country. The standard show of respect in the Armed Forces is the Hand Salute. Every time we board our ship or leave our ship, no matter how many times during the day, we face the flag of the United States and salute, then we face the Officer of the Deck who is manning the gangway and we salute, every time, nothing fancy, nothing cute, just the right way, EVERY TIME . . .
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 01:35:40 +0000
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