Obama Fails to Salute Marine

[DLR Pyro]

    Under gray skies and intermittent drizzle, President Obama boarded Marine One at 9:30 a.m. EDT in an open press event.

    A few White House regulars were atwitter (and on Twitter) when the President walked directly up the steps of Marine One without saluting the Marine on duty. He soon came out of the helicopter, walked down the steps, shook hands with the Marine and engaged in a brief conversation.

I'm sure the bamster was just making sure the Marine will have an umbrella at the ready for his return trip in the event the gray skies and intermittent drizzle persist.

[Chris_]

I'm sure he was just tired and resting his arm.

[Wineslob]

He has allot on is mind with trying getting his back swing straightened out.

[Revolution]

Oh, I'm sure he was just too worried about the backlash of all these scandals, and he just forgot.

You didn't see the Marine forget to salute his C&C, did you? 

[Big Dog]

He has allot on is mind with trying getting his back swing straightened out.

(Cue "Nadia's Theme")



Reggie Love says King Hussein's back swing is "juuuuuuust right".


"Keep it on the Down Low, baby."

[DefiantSix]

This is a bad thing be-cauuuuuuse???

I'm serious. The marine has to salute the Commander in Chief. That's part of the job, and times like this it's a shitty part of the job, but ya do the job anyway, and get it over with.

On the flip side of that coin however, nothing in the book says that Dear Leader HAS to return a salute. More to the point, knowing what he thinks of these young men and women (if the incident last week with the umbrella didn't speak volumes about his contempt for the uniformed servicepeople around him, I really don't know what could), why would you WANT somebody who disrespects you, your brothers and sisters in uniform, and every single thing you hold dear, to disrespect you with a hollow, contemptuous mockery of your token of respect that he doesn't even understand at any level?

Personally, were I unfortunate enough to be in the boots of a serviceman who was assigned to work within eyeshot of this useless, pathetic fop of a POTUS, nothing would please me more than to be completely ignored by the bastard.

[JohnnyReb]

This is a bad thing be-cauuuuuuse???

I'm serious. The marine has to salute the Commander in Chief. That's part of the job, and times like this it's a shitty part of the job, but ya do the job anyway, and get it over with.

On the flip side of that coin however, nothing in the book says that Dear Leader HAS to return a salute. More to the point, knowing what he thinks of these young men and women (if the incident last week with the umbrella didn't speak volumes about his contempt for the uniformed servicepeople around him, I really don't know what could), why would you WANT somebody who disrespects you, your brothers and sisters in uniform, and every single thing you hold dear, to disrespect you with a hollow, contemptuous mockery of your token of respect that he doesn't even understand at any level?

Personally, were I unfortunate enough to be in the boots of a serviceman who was assigned to work within eyeshot of this useless, pathetic fop of a POTUS, nothing would please me more than to be completely ignored by the bastard.

Puller is loved by enlisted U.S. Marines for his constant actions to improve their working conditions. Puller insisted upon good equipment and discipline; once he came upon a second lieutenant who had ordered an enlisted man to salute him 100 times for missing a salute. Puller told the lieutenant, "You were absolutely correct in making him salute you 100 times lieutenant, but you know that an officer must return every salute he receives. Now return them all, and I will keep count.

[Eupher]

This is a bad thing be-cauuuuuuse???

I'm serious. The marine has to salute the Commander in Chief. That's part of the job, and times like this it's a shitty part of the job, but ya do the job anyway, and get it over with.

On the flip side of that coin however, nothing in the book says that Dear Leader HAS to return a salute. More to the point, knowing what he thinks of these young men and women (if the incident last week with the umbrella didn't speak volumes about his contempt for the uniformed servicepeople around him, I really don't know what could), why would you WANT somebody who disrespects you, your brothers and sisters in uniform, and every single thing you hold dear, to disrespect you with a hollow, contemptuous mockery of your token of respect that he doesn't even understand at any level?

Personally, were I unfortunate enough to be in the boots of a serviceman who was assigned to work within eyeshot of this useless, pathetic fop of a POTUS, nothing would please me more than to be completely ignored by the bastard.

It's simply a mark of mutual respect. Respect is not automatically given (or shouldn't be, anyway). And I don't give a rat's ass how far up the ****ing ladder you are.

If you, as the leader you've been elected to be, can't seem to acknowledge a simple act of respect with a mutual one, go **** yourself.

Yeah, Barry's the big badass on the block, but he's a ****ing pimpass schlumpf if he can't get his head out of his ass long enough to extend a simple salute, he needs to get the **** out of the job.

And for the record, if I were still active duty and assigned to D.C. in any capacity with that asshole in my White House, my 4187 would have hit the commander's desk faster than Barry can pull his putter out of his bag. **** him. He deserves nothing but my contempt, salute or no salute.

[Big Dog]

he's a ****ing pimpass schlumpf

That is a given.

[vesta111]

That is a given.

Question here, following links I found a clip about the Medal of Honor Salute.    Strange but being born, raised, and raising my 4 kids as Navy Brats, I have never heard of this.

Can someone fill me in on the whys and where fores of this tradition.

[Big Dog]

Question here, following links I found a clip about the Medal of Honor Salute.    Strange but being born, raised, and raising my 4 kids as Navy Brats, I have never heard of this.

Can someone fill me in on the whys and where fores of this tradition.

Can you be more specific?

[vesta111]

Can you be more specific?

Sure, it was a clip of a TV program NCIS that the plot revolved around a civilian accused of murder and when arrested the  military were to take him somewhere and he pulled back his tie to show he was wearing under his tie the Medal of Honor.    All fell back and saluted the Medal or the man, not sure how this works.

[Big Dog]

Sure, it was a clip of a TV program NCIS that the plot revolved around a civilian accused of murder and when arrested the  military were to take him somewhere and he pulled back his tie to show he was wearing under his tie the Medal of Honor.    All fell back and saluted the Medal or the man, not sure how this works.

vesta,

That was TV, but there is a real-life military tradition behind it.

It is customary for Service Members or Veterans salute a Medal of Honor recipient (regardless of rank) who is wearing the Medal. This is a custom, not military regulation or law.

And the salute is for the man, not the Medal. He earned the Medal and the salute.

[vesta111]

vesta,

That was TV, but there is a real-life military tradition behind it.

It is customary for Service Members or Veterans salute a Medal of Honor recipient (regardless of rank) who is wearing the Medal. This is a custom, not military regulation or law.

And the salute is for the man, not the Medal. He earned the Medal and the salute.

Thank you, does this also apply to the president ???  As a commander and chief of our military does he salute the wearer also ?????    If a civilian is the wearer required to salute back ?

So many customs in the military, walk into a military club without removing ones cover and one has to buy the bar a drink for example.       I all way wondered why there was a brass bell at the end of the bar and when the bartender rang the bell everyone ran to get to the bar.

The navy has some really odd customs as do all services, Any one but Sub Sailor can tell of a few, the Welcome aboard  of a newbie aboard their first boat is not something to tell the kids of.  But on the other hand, why not.

[Big Dog]

Thank you, does this also apply to the president ???  As a commander and chief of our military does he salute the wearer also ?????    If a civilian is the wearer required to salute back ?

So many customs in the military, walk into a military club without removing ones cover and one has to buy the bar a drink for example.       I all way wondered why there was a brass bell at the end of the bar and when the bartender rang the bell everyone ran to get to the bar.

The navy has some really odd customs as do all services, Any one but Sub Sailor can tell of a few, the Welcome aboard  of a newbie aboard their first boat is not something to tell the kids of.  But on the other hand, why not.

Technically, it would not apply to the President, as he is a civilian (the custom exists among military and Veterans), but it would be a sign of great respect if the President saluted the man who wore the Medal.

[BattleHymn]

Technically, it would not apply to the President, as he is a civilian (the custom exists among military and Veterans), but it would be a sign of great respect if the President saluted the man who wore the Medal.

It would also work better if he could award the MOH without getting the recipient's name wrong.

[DefiantSix]

It's simply a mark of mutual respect. Respect is not automatically given (or shouldn't be, anyway). And I don't give a rat's ass how far up the ****ing ladder you are.

If you, as the leader you've been elected to be, can't seem to acknowledge a simple act of respect with a mutual one, go **** yourself.

Yeah, Barry's the big badass on the block, but he's a ****ing pimpass schlumpf if he can't get his head out of his ass long enough to extend a simple salute, he needs to get the **** out of the job.

And for the record, if I were still active duty and assigned to D.C. in any capacity with that asshole in my White House, my 4187 would have hit the commander's desk faster than Barry can pull his putter out of his bag. **** him. He deserves nothing but my contempt, salute or no salute.

But this goes directly to my point. There is no "mutual respect" in this equation. The POTUS' contempt for the men and women in uniform has been on open display for at least 4-1/2 years now, enough so that any claim to respect for them embedded in a salute is - yet another - demonstrable lie. So going back to my original post, I - having for the moment stepped into that Marine's boots - have to proffer the salute to POTUS; however, knowing that POTUS has no respect for me, given my druthers, I would prefer, personally, that POTUS just keeps his scrawny ass moving without saluting, over him returning a salute that insults my intelligence because we - POTUS and I, that is, - both know that it's just another bald-faced lie.

[thundley4]

He soon came out of the helicopter, walked down the steps, shook hands with the Marine and engaged in a brief conversation.

without a doubt someone inside Marine 1 told him he effed up by not saluting.

[rich_t]

without a doubt someone inside Marine 1 told him he effed up by not saluting.

Yup...  You can see the pilot saying something to Obammie...  Obammie immediately left the aircraft to address the young marine in question.

Wanna know why you never see an old crusty gunny on such details?  The Secret Service knows that a good gunny would drop the POTUS to the front leaning rest position and demand 50 for such a screw up.

[Eupher]

But this goes directly to my point. There is no "mutual respect" in this equation. The POTUS' contempt for the men and women in uniform has been on open display for at least 4-1/2 years now, enough so that any claim to respect for them embedded in a salute is - yet another - demonstrable lie. So going back to my original post, I - having for the moment stepped into that Marine's boots - have to proffer the salute to POTUS; however, knowing that POTUS has no respect for me, given my druthers, I would prefer, personally, that POTUS just keeps his scrawny ass moving without saluting, over him returning a salute that insults my intelligence because we - POTUS and I, that is, - both know that it's just another bald-faced lie.

You're putting too much into this, D6. It really is simple. No need to get complicated about it.

Take yourself OUT of the Marine's boots for a moment.

Barry's a piece of shit not only because he's clueless, selfish, utterly devoid of empathy (a true sociopath), but because he doesn't actually EXPECT the display of respect that's due the Office of President of the United States -- the respect that men and women in uniform themselves EXPECT to display to the President. It's a mark of a President's effort to unify, coalesce, and otherwise bring together the men and women wearing uniforms around him when he returns their salute. In short, it's a mark of leadership.

That Marine who stood there with heels locked at Present Arms does not EXPECT the Commander in Chief to return his salute, necessarily, but cannot fail to appreciate the President's acknowledgement. Instead, the Marine gets a dumbass stunt worthy of Shitbird the Clown.

Everybody does stuff they don't want to do. Call it a "lie" if you like, but I think it's much simpler than that.

Plenty of times I've stood out on some dismal parade ground somewhere, immersed in my little shit and dreading another ****ing 2-hour bus ride back to the kaserne, utterly failing to comprehend that my presence on that parade field had MEANING and SUBSTANCE. It was a little thing. Or was it? My presence on that parade field had substance and meaning because of the occasion in which those wearing the uniform had come together as brothers-in-arms. Whether it was a change of command ceremony, a Memorial Day ceremony, or an NCO Academy graduation, my presence at that ceremony meant something for the participants and for those watching -- but ESPECIALLY for the participants. That is noble, and lasting, and enduring. So for me to get wrapped up in my petty little shit was cheap and tawdry and selfish.

I can see with utterly clarity the similarity between me back then when I was all of 25 versus Barry the Big Guy at age 51.

It's not only sad, it's depressing. The ****ing President of the United States behaves like a self-absorbed 25-year-old.

THAT'S why your analogy doesn't hold with me.