Saluting the Office...not the man.

What is going through their minds?

Saluting the office, not the man.

This photo of Trump in his red hat, with his fist raised while Cadets saluted, has bothered me since it was published. I’ve been wondering what was going through the minds of these 1,002 newly minted second lieutenants.

My first impression was that he should be saluting them, the next generation of Army leaders.

A little research found the answer was related to the Cadet Honor Code. “A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do." Some reports indicate that Army leadership had carefully planned for many scenarios regarding Trump’s visit. His speech rambled on for nearly an hour, touching on topics unrelated to the ceremony.

As a convicted felon, the Honor Code would not allow the Cadets to tolerate his past and current behavior. Thus, they saluted the Office and not the Person.

Various reports claim that Trump said he had to leave early to deal with Russia, China, or play golf. These men and women spent the last 47 months preparing for this day, and they should have been treated with more respect. Raising your fist, almost in defiance, is not at all presidential.

While he did not serve in any military branch, he is the current commander-in-chief and should lead by example, which so far, hasn’t been very good. Meanwhile, I wish nothing but the best for all who are graduating from our service academies and university ROTC programs.

That’s 30…