K folks, I need a very specific and factual answer.
If you are in uniform, with a sidearm, on active duty, wearing a lid; when the national anthem is played, do you remove your lid or not?
thanks.
No, you keep it on to stay in uniform.
I concur with Rabbit.
Sidearm or not… while in uniform, on AD, wearing any lid/cover/hat/etc… it remains on. You simply go to attention and render the proper salute.
Isn’t your cover supposed to stay on at all times when armed and on duty?
Depends where you’re at. Indoors… “no hat / no salute areas”… flight line… etc. But general rule of thumb, when outdoors (and area is not designated otherwise), is YES. Your cover remains on at all times.
Speaking from the Air Force side of house that is. Other branches feel free to clarify on their own backyards. 
I only brought that up cause I remember the SP’s in the chow hall always wore their Berets when they were armed and on duty.
Was just curious. thanks
Yeah, SF troops in the Air Force almost always wore their berets also. Could be their own thing. Then again, they also wore them on the flight line around running F22’s, F16’s, and other assortment of large multi-billion dollar “vacuum cleaners”.
Yeah lol…FOD
thanks for the input.
our understanding is that when on duty, with sidearm, in uniform (with lid), that you do not remove the lid when the anthem is played.
A sherrif’s deputy made the comment about how their department was at least taught to respect the flag during the national anthem, by removing their hats, while on duty. Not enough of an issue to bring it up to them, but wanted additional input that we weren’t in error.
If they don’t believe you, print out some pictures
http://www.buenapark.com/images/BPNLL/pages/5_National%20Anthem.htm
Just look at him and call “shenanigans” (helps if others chime in also). If that doesn’t work, tell him he’s wrong and owes you a liter of cola. 
I tried to find the answer in my “Green Monster” but I found this instead. David
http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html
§171. Conduct during playing
During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.
Kind of OT from the original question, but Veterans not in uniform are authorized under federal law to render the hand salute when the national anthem is played.
When you are outside you keep your cover on and salute. It doesn’t matter if you are under arms. Under arms comes into play when you are indoors. Under arms and indoors you keep you cover on.
keep your cover on, face the flag, and salute. If an honor guard has been posted, face the flag, and stand at attention, present arms when they present arms, order arms when they order arms, and stand at attention until the honor guard has left the field/court/etc.