The President of the United States forgot something when he boarded his plane this morning.

He did not return the salute of the marine standing guard at the foot of the door of his aircraft.

Mr. Obama boarded his helicopter, Marine One, as he was en route to the U.S. Naval Academy to speak at their graduation. He walked up to the entrance, pacing by the uniformed soldier who stood, back hunched slightly, with his hand up to his forehead in usual salute form.

President Obama jogged up the steps of Marine One, merrily bounced inside and shook the hands of the pilot and another official.

He then waved at the pilot to hang on a second, bounced back down the stairs, and shook the hand of the marine, saying something inaudible on tape. A faint smile appears on the marine's face as they say a quick hello.

Mr. Obama still never performed a salute, but it seems it is not necessary. In a New York Times op-ed from 2009, writer Carey Winfrey says salutes are a recent phenomenon, and that marines are required to salute whenever they are in uniform.

The President, however, is not required to put hand to brow. Although he is in a uniform-of sorts-it is not a rule thumb.

Mr. Obama does usually salute marines standing watch, but he does not need to.

Hopefully this event will not end like a similar one did, when President Obama asked a marine to hold an umbrella last week.

People were angered by his request to shield himself and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan at the White House Rose Garden.

The New York Post published a photo on the cover of their paper that bore the caption, "Another scandal hits Obama: when it rains, it pours."

Mr. Obama made it safely to the Naval Academy graduation, where he delivered a rousing speech.