Just Who Do You Salute

[Tab]

Watching the news on the TV this morning I watched Gordon Brown walk up to the aircraft he was to travel on, there was a couple of Royal Marines there and they snapped to attention and saluted. When he arrived at the airport he was escorted by the Police to his Official car and as a WPC closed the car door she saluted, very smartly and held the salute till the car drove off. This made to start to think just who the troops are supposed to salute these days and why?. Do all the Government Minister warrant a salute and if they do what about the Junior Minister and if we go along that route do you salute an MP and if so why. Then we get to local Officials, do you salute a Mayor of a City or Town then there are the local councillors who would not want to be left out off this. At this rate you would be saluting the dustmen. Now I know a number of minor Royal get saluted but this is often due to the fact that they hold honorary titles of Colonel In Chief of different Regiments and units and you are paying respect to the units as much as you are to them. Or is it life has changed since I was a soldier or is there just a bit more brown nosing going on these days.

[Wholley]

This happen's in the US too.
Bill Clinton,Who never served was notorious for not returning the Salute when exiting Marine One.His wife on one of her official duties wanted to know why that guy in Uniform is here?She also did not want Uniformed Marines and/or Secret Squirrels escorting her.She asked to have Marines detailed to the White House to be in Condition Bravo.
Now she's a famous Senator from New Yoik,she's covered in Secrets and anyone else she can get to protect her.First Female President?.
Ms. Thatcher were'd you go?

[Normal]

I expect they were all told to salute him... it happens.

[Tab]

Well Normal if this is true where does it stop.

[sneaky beaky]

To my mind, you only salute officers senior to you. Being a non-com, I saluted anything that had a pip on his shoulder.
I would not have saluted either Tony Blair or Gordon Brown. Neither has ever held any rank or has any respect for the Armed Forces. As for the other non-entities a "sir" would be quite sufficient, (or probably, too much!)
Sneaky

[got1]

I bollocked an officer once when he didn't return my salute, he went red and apoligized. [funny thing was I'd just crawled out of the mess and was half cut].

[Tab]

Sneaky you are a man after my own heart.

[flighty]

Protocol-wise a mayor is saluted as he/she is the Queen's representative.

In practice I find this excruciating as, for example, at the Remembrance Day Parade it appears as if we all (councillors) are being saluted on the march-past.

It's the mayor...... not us peasants...... who is saluted.

[Tab]

There was always trouble when we where in Aldershot as lads would only salute Airborne Officers, when the Officer tried to speak to them he was told to piss off. This normally resulted in an identity parade the next day and the whole Brigade would be turned out for this officers inspection. As we had over 5,000 men in the Brigade the Officer had nearly impossible job, and the offending chaps where often not on parade any way

[stever]

is it not the case or used to be [in the army]

if in barbour jacket salute

kept happenin to me whilst on ex with

army units

made my boss laugh as he was sittin next to me in my recce landrover

he used to tell me off "oi you c**t rooney that was for me

reply " oops boss "


made us laff

[Artist]

Once many Moons ago at Stonehouse Bks in Guz we had this USMC S/Sgt attached to us in Hq & Sigs. A S/Sgt Hank Marzella one A1 dick! A name I can still remember to this day.

On his second week attached to us, He had us Marines (No NCO's) who had the misfortune of being in his Section parade in the drill shed one Wednesday afternoon in Full Lovats. (Wednesdays a sports afternoon! )

Well this puffed up self important little Turd marched into the shed with all his medals a dangling and a jangleing, looked at us all there drawn up in two ranks, shook his head and proceeded to let loose a tirade of abuse! We were told by this Tosser that he was going to make us act and think like his beloved USMC Grunts, It must have lasted for a couple of minutes, at the end of this load of Crap he then informed us that he thought our attitude towards USMC SNCO's was disrespectful and he was not going to stand for it anymore, No Siree Bub!!

If that wasnt enough he then went on to tell us that he was going to inspect each one of us in turn and he expected a "Damn Salute" when our turn came. I was the first one he inspected. There he was stood in front of me waiting for a salute. He waited and waited and waited. Nothing. So finally he screamed at me "Evans you farking co*ksucking piece of trash! Salute me now!"

"Go and take your face for a sh*t you obnoxious little tosser!" Was my reply. He didnt like that one little bit! The little tw*t then leapt forward and grabbed me by my tie......................It was fun!!

Later that afternoon I was stood outside the OC's office whilst from within I heard the OC giving this Turd from across the ocean a right ear pounding! No charges were laid against me and Marzella was removed that same day and a decent USMC replacement was quickly found. The OC did say to me when I went into his office after Marzella had left with his nose in a sling to try and be nicer to our foreign fellow Marines in future.

This Marzella dick was the only USMC bloke I ever met with such an attitude. The rest were cracking good lads. And I had a fair few good times with them during my time in the Corp.

As to saluting government ministers, no way no how. All B'liar would get from me would be that wonderful gesture made famous by the Archers at Agincort. Two Fingers.

Artist

[BenChug]

Anyone who has the VC.

[aes69]

There is a directive that gives certain people certain privileges at official functions/meetings/appearances. Cabinet members on official duties are required to be given the correct compliments ie salutes. Majors are the age old garrison cdrs who would require the same compliments.

Doesn't the Oath of Allegience quote who we should 'bend over backwards' for? Queen, heirs, commissioned ranks & elected officials of the government?