Thank you.
The rules were changed for active duty out of uniform and vets to allow the hand salute.
Prior to the change, when out of uniform, and now that I am retired, I would find myself rendering honors with a hand salute before I realized it.
I found myself naturally gravitating to the hand salute because it was the most natural and reflexive action that my body was programmed to do when rendering honors. It was what I was programmed to do and anything else just didn’t feel natural. The hand-salute “fits.”
At any rate, we have the choice, hand over heart or hand salute, it is up to the person to decide.
Either way, whats in the heart counts.
Cheers.
May the Lord bless you and the Glorious Flag cover your last caisson trip.