text: Question: Is It Disrespectful For A Civilian To Salute A Soldier? - enginyweb.com
  Is a soldier a civilian?
  What civilians do military salute?
  Why do soldiers salute with their right hand?
  Do you salute an officer indoors?
  Therefore, the Commentary to the Protocol pointed that, any one who is not a member of the armed forces and does not take of hostilities is a civilian.
  Civilians cannot take part in armed conflict..
  If there is a reason not to salute with the right hand, due for example to performing an activity that should not be interrupted, or injury, an equivalent left-hand salute is sometimes performed. A right-handed boatswain's mate piping an officer aboard may salute with their left hand.
  When a side had successfully removed their dead, they fired three rifle volleys to signify the continuation of battle. When the honor guard is finished with the volley, they generally fold three shell-casings into the flag before presenting it to the family.
  The regulation states: "The President of the United States, as the commander in chief, will be saluted by Army personnel in uniform. "Civilian personnel, to include civilian guards, are not required to render the hand salute to military personnel or other civilian personnel.
  The origin of the Hand Salute is uncertain. … A citizen who wanted to see a public official had to approach with his right hand raised to show that he did not hold a weapon. Knights in armor raised visors with the right hand when meeting a comrade.
  The U.S. Air Force is the world's largest air force, the U.S. Navy is the world's largest navy by tonnage, and the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps combined are the world's second largest air arm….United States Armed ForcesMarks of the U.S. Armed Forces' service branchesFounded14 June 177526 more rows