Navy base's "Ask the Commander" - looking for an old classic response

Have you tried to see if Naval Air Station Oceana Station Library has hard copies or microfiche of said base newspapers? Or maybe they can tell you if those newspapers have been digitized and where to access them.

Hey that's a great idea, thanks!

That is an interesting question though. I always rated a salute when driving in, even in civilian clothes. Not sure how the gate guards would know the wife wasn't the officer.

In my time in the army, you saluted every vehicle with a blue permit.

I was never aware of that or seen that in practice. That could just be my anecdotal experience.

I remember this but I googled the description: "Beginning in 1925, enlistees in the peacetime army were permitted to marry, but only with the written permission of their superior officer. Until World War II, one adage prevailed above all else: “If the Army wanted you to have a wife, they would have issued you one.”

Years ago while I was first working for DoD we would get copies of "The Stars and Stripes", we loved the letters to the editor. In one issue an officers wife complained that officers children were being treated like all the other children in the school. She thought it would be a good idea for the children to display 'ranks' so that the officers children would be given the respect of their Dad's rank. This was back in the 70's when you hardly ever saw women in the military, so this was a disgruntled wife. (Yes there were women in the military but in the intelligence field they were usually special aides to flag officers, secretaries or nurses in the medical center. Women were not trained in language or operations because they were women) (I'm not making a 'feminist complaint' here, but the introduction and training of women was a slow painful process that took years to develop) (Hey, it was the 60's and 70's)

I don't know how it works now anywhere, but when I was in, people in civilian clothes weren't generally saluted. In fact I recall some idiot Captain (supposedly) in civvies getting in my face once (why isn't worth getting into) going "I'm a Captain!" I said "Really? Can I see some ID?" She declined so I ignored her...

In fact I'll go one better: I was once walking into the BX and a full bird was coming out. I was about to salute, but he purposely looked the other direction, so I didn't. His son was with him and you should have his mouth drop open, lol. Hey I'm not going to salute the air. Needless to say the Colonel just kept walking.

Thanks for the replies!