Hats

• A civilian should remove his hat on the first note of the national anthem. Further, he should remove it with his right hand, according to the Federal Flag Code. It is considered disrespectful for civilians to wear a hat while the national anthem is being played.
  
  Military personnel who are outdoors leave their hats on during the national anthem. Military personnel are rarely permitted to wear hats indoors; the general exception is when they are carrying weapons. The few military personnel who are authorized to wear hats indoors do not remove them during the national anthem.
  
  

Salutes

• U.S. citizens should salute the flag during the national anthem, or they should salute in the general direction of it. A civilian salutes by placing the open palm of her right hand over her heart. If the civilian is wearing a hat, she may hold the hat in her right hand while keeping the hand over her heart.
  
  Military personnel stand at the position of attention and render a hand salute on the first note of the national anthem. The salute must be held until the last note ends; at that point, the service member returns to the position of attention before relaxing.
  
  

Protocol for Veterans

• The Defense Authorization Act of 2009 changed protocol for veterans by giving them the honor of being able to render a hand salute -- whether in or out of uniform -- during the national anthem. Throughout 2008, veterans could only salute when the flag was being raised or lowered, or when it passed by them in a ceremony. Prior to 2008, veterans in civilian clothing could not render a hand salute like active military personnel.
  
  

Miscellaneous

• Every American citizen should face the flag when the national anthem is being played. If you cannot see the flag from your location, face the direction the flag is in or face the direction of the music.
  
  While appropriate conduct during the national anthem is outlined in Title 36 of the U.S. Code, it is non-punitive. That means citizens who fail to put their hands over their hearts or remove head coverings cannot be prosecuted. However, active military personnel are held accountable for improper conduct during the national anthem, and they may be punished under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for disrespect.