Actually, the salute is not to the person holding the rank. The
salute is an acknowledgement of the "commissioned" status of the
rank, that by Constitution, the person is empowered by the state to
execute his duties. You are actually saluting the Constitution, the
state and the government. So , we should be impartial in
saluting.
Just like in civvy life. Somehow, you got to acknowledge the boss.
He may fat, handsome, stupid or a genius. He is somehow the boss
!
