YOUR JULY 4TH CELEBRATION

This weekend, while all do the grilling and beer drinking, please take a moment and think about what it took to get us Americans to this point where we can sit around, drink the beer, grill the steaks, etc. Then take just a moment to say a thank you or prayer for those serving, and not able to be there with you during your little celebration. We don't need a parade to thank those that today are in harms way.

HAVE A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE 4TH.

:thumbsup: Will do navycpo7. Thanks to all who have or are serving.

I will also give thanks that the king of Great Britain was such a tyrant and he and the legislature's actions helped immensely in our founding fathers vision for the 13 colonies.

Exactly right Navy CPO, the 4th of July is not about an extra day off. The significance is far greater, many men and women have given so much of themselves, even their lives, to ensure our way of life and we owe every one of them a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. In my humble opinion the best we can do is to carry on the traditions of service to country before our personal concerns. That's easy to say and a lot harder to carry out, I have 26 years of experience, mostly as an enlisted man and later as a warrant officer, ultimately retiring as a Lieutenant. I will never claim that I understand the stress and strife being endured by those who are serving now but I'd like to think I have a fair idea.

The celebration on the 4th of July is a remembrance of those who went before us and those who are serving now. I do make a point of opening my home to old shipmates and service members I have been stationed with in the past, Memorial day is the more significant holiday but a lot of my friends can't take vacation until mid-summer. No matter if it's May, July, or any other month of the year when I have visitors we always visit Fort Logan to pay our respects to others we served with who paid the ultimate price and those who were fortunate enough to die of old age.

I would like to add:

Honoring the flag by flying it in good condition and by standing and placing your hand over your heart when it passes during a parade are ways to show respect for this country and those that have fallen.

The celebration on the 4th of July is a remembrance of those who went before us and those who are serving now.

No, its not. It is the day we celebrate independence from Great Britain.

That's what I thought?!? I thought "remembering who went before us and those who are serving now" was what Memorial Day and Veterans Day was for? Was there a new memo that I didn't get?

(Not that it's not appropriate to remember them all the time, but are we now co-opting July 4th for something other than its originally intended purpose?)

ComputerBreath wrote: I would like to add:

Honoring the flag by flying it in good condition and by standing and placing your hand over your heart when it passes during a parade are ways to show respect for this country and those that have fallen.

CB or anyone, I have a vague notion that prior service can salute. Can anyone say if that is true or just a product of my imagination?

If you are prior service, you can choose to salute the flag while in your civilian clothing. I was taught that if a military member was outside when the flag passed or the National Anthem was playing and they were in civilian clothing, to stand at attention or to salute.

Now apparently, if you aren't in uniform and the flag passes or the National Anthem plays it is appropriate to place your hand over your heart.

Yes, prior service can salute.

So now we have the salute police.

I'm not sure I understand your comment, 2w.

It is common for prior-service military to prefer to salute the flag when it passes or when the National Anthem is played than it is for them to place their hands over their hearts. And it is perfectly acceptable.

As I understand it, the reason it is acceptable now for veterans to place their hands over their hearts is because there were some people that thought them saluting out of uniform or merely standing at attention was disrespectful.