Did you know as a matter of protocol the POTUS isn't required to return a salute from a uniformed member of the armed forces? Traditionally it's been considered bad form,and been frowned on for the chief executive to give a military salute. True story. Why is that? Because the President of the United States of America holds no military rank. By constitutional design and founding intent the chief executive of the US government is a civilian. Civilians aren't entitled or required to salute. That's right,the commander in chief of the United States military is not in fact in the military. It's what we refer to as the civilian control of the armed forces. At the time of the founding of the US of fuckin' A the world was essentially ruled by religious monarchs,and their militaristic aristocracies. The founders of the republic had sought to avoid the establishment of an American aristocracy,or a descent into warlordism through ensuring only an elected civilian executive who was answerable to a bicameral civilian legislature could wield military power. …show more content…
For most of the history of the republic most chief executives avoided having a military air,and never saluted. Franklin Delano Roosevelt,and Harry S. Truman both commanders in chiefs in the same world war customarily placed their hands or hats over their hearts instead of saluting. Probably in a conscious effort to avoid appearing like the fascist military dictators, and other totalitarian counterparts around the world. There's always been that careful balance of being the president, commander in chief of the armed forces,but not wanting to be seen as a triumphalist authoritarian, absolute ruler. Historically being overly deferential to and adopting military mannerisms would call into question a president's dedication and loyalty to