Who do soldiers salute?

Answer 1

In the middle ages, when the king rode by the knights, they would hold their visors on their helmets up so the king could recognize them. That is where the tradition of soldiers saluting began.

Answer 2

Soldiers salute the President, officers, anyone other than NCO's who are in authority, the flag, and deceased soldiers. It has become a gesture of respect, and respect may have been part of the original reason for it.

In medieval times, when knights would pass each other on the road, it was common courtesy and practice for them to raise the visors of their helmets as they passed. Eventually, the use of visored helmets fell out of use, but the practice of raising the right hand to the brow with a flat open palm continued, perhaps to show that neither held a weapon. This eventually developed into the military salute.

The traditional US Military salute is one of the more formalized in the military world. The right hand is raised in a "snap" to the right eye brow, or cap brim, fingers together, fingers and palm straight and flat from the finger tips to the elbow. The upper arm is to be flat and perpendicular to the ground, the wrist is to be slightly turned, palm downward and not showing. The salute is held by the junior service member until it is returned by the senior officer and dropped. NCO's are not traditionally saluted. Only the Army salutes indoors, and only when formally reporting to an officer such as a company/battery commander. In the event officers gather, as each more senior officer approaches, a salute is given. If a more junior officer approaches the group afterward, he salutes the senior officer but the group does not salute him.

If saluting while stationary, one assumes the position of attention. If saluting while walking, the junior service member either raises his salute and continues walking or stops, assumes a position of attention and raises his salute. If moving in a group and passing a senior officer, the highest ranking service member raises a salute for the group or squad.

Saluting is never done in a combat zone or in a place where identifying an officer will place that officer in danger.

Answer 3

What, as opposed to who; The nations flag is the main item. However certain countries have their own traditions and specific artefacts that will be codified.