I've heard When in doubt, whip it out! as the SOP for saluting.
If the younger guy thinks the older man is a general, then he would very likely salute him out of respect, even if neither are in uniform in any way. The worst case if he salutes is that the other man doesn't care either way. Worst case if he doesn't, he gets dressed down for disrespect. (Although it'd take a pretty self-important general to go through the trouble of doing that on a random beach when neither of them recognize eachother.)
You can probably find some resources on the Internet by looking up something about military protocol with some other choice keywords tossed in.
My two cents. Was an Air Force brat most of my life and involved in the Civil Air Patrol for a number of years, if it matters.
no subject
If the younger guy thinks the older man is a general, then he would very likely salute him out of respect, even if neither are in uniform in any way. The worst case if he salutes is that the other man doesn't care either way. Worst case if he doesn't, he gets dressed down for disrespect. (Although it'd take a pretty self-important general to go through the trouble of doing that on a random beach when neither of them recognize eachother.)
You can probably find some resources on the Internet by looking up something about military protocol with some other choice keywords tossed in.
My two cents. Was an Air Force brat most of my life and involved in the Civil Air Patrol for a number of years, if it matters.