Posted on Jul 9, 2014
SFC Steven Borders
124K
1.44K
466
205
205
0
Out of curiosity how many members have saluted the wrong rank working on a Joint Base or Assignment. With me working on JBAB (Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling) it has happened a couple times. I find it hard to recognize the Navy ranks sometimes at a distance. And found myself saluting a Chief. I have always followed the rule "when in doubt whip it out". Most just laugh and we carry on about our day. Would love to hear some stories.
Avatar feed
Responses: 302
Votes
  • Newest
  • Oldest
  • Votes
CW5 Sam R. Baker
100
100
0
What an awesome question and heck yeah I have! Oh and if I get called a LT one more time I am going to do bodily harm! Just kidding no violence in my system!
(100)
Comment
(0)
SSG(P) Brian Kliesen
SSG(P) Brian Kliesen
2 y
WO1 (Join to see) - you know what WOCS are good for? You throw them at wabbits...
(0)
Reply
(0)
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
2 y
Maj Gail Lofdahl - .....
One Afternoon, I Walked Into A Classroom , Where I Took A Program In Basic Economics.
I Took One Look At The Instructor, Just As He Started Staring At Me..
About The Same Time We Both Said "Don't I Know You"?.. For The Next 2 Weeks Or So, We'd Try To Figure Out Why.... Eventually, As He Was Writing Something On The Black Board; All Of A Sudden He STOPPED.... Paused For A Second Or Two.
Quickly SWUNG AROUND !! While Tossing The Chalk Into The Air, And SCREAMED OUT, Right In Front Of The Class, .. "SON-Of A- BI*CH, OSAN AFB, SOUTH KOREA, RIGHT"?
"I Remember You, But I Was Drunk All The Time, And Everyone Knew Me As "SCOTCH".. .
And He Was ABSOLUTELY Right...
Drunk On His A**, Every Time We Saw Him In Town.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Maj Gail Lofdahl
Maj Gail Lofdahl
2 y
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney - Ah, yes. Osan. Where alcoholics go to be inconspicuous. I remember going out with town patrol on "health and welfare" inspections. We were out one New Year's Eve, and I don't think a sober person stumbled through the gate after 9 p.m. The last I saw of one of my friends that night, she was being carried down the street by six of her co-workers who were carrying her on their shoulders like a corpse. Fun times.
(2)
Reply
(0)
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
2 y
Maj Gail Lofdahl - ....
LMAO: Here's My Disclaimer....... But I Sure Loved OSAN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
COL Randall C.
74
74
0
Edited 4 y ago
Just figuring out the Navy's officer ranks requires a switch in mindset ... you mean I have to figure out the enlisted ranks as well!?

That's probably why they they've been beating us in football these past 12 years ... we're too confused by those dang rank insignia and it shows on the field.
(74)
Comment
(0)
SSgt Forensic Meteorological Consultant
SSgt (Join to see)
>1 y
I go for the Air Force. lol
(1)
Reply
(0)
SSgt Frank Lanford
SSgt Frank Lanford
>1 y
OK so as a young Air Force Cop working the base gates, I was ALWAYS saluting the wrong people, the Officer Stickers were Blue and the car itself was to be saluted even IF the dependent Wife OR kid, was driving onto the base, BUT also the Civilian Contractor's stickers were green, and under the yellowish flood lights at the gates at night you could not tell green from blue so I ended up saluting a lot of civilians that did NOT deserve one. Now also the persons with paper temp tags (TDY etc.) who were wearing god knows what on their shoulders or on their collars, it was just best to salute and move on to the next car, so it was always better to just whip it out and IF wrong no biggie. Now then when I first got stationed in Alaska, I was NOT aware that Canadian Generals wore Maple leaves instead of stars , so when a Canadian staff car came through with ONE Maple leave on the front plate, I failed to salute and yes I heard about it from my desk sergeant not long afterwards :-)
(3)
Reply
(0)
CPT Lawrence Cable
CPT Lawrence Cable
2 y
At least with Naval Officers you don't need to remember Rate. The Navy was going to do away with the Ratings and instead going to just Rank. It instigated a Navy wide mutiny among the enlisted. So my son remains MA1 Cable. He has been boarded for Chief, but even after all of these years, my knowledge of how the Navy promotes is pretty limited.
(1)
Reply
(0)
Sgt Sheri Lynn
Sgt Sheri Lynn
>1 y
SSgt Frank Lanford - good grief, what a mess!
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
66
66
0
Guilty as charged - damn that Navy PO rank!
(66)
Comment
(0)
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
3 y
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney - Now that did get a laugh out of Me, I kind of
doubt though the response would be very good. lol Might add, well if You would just keep Your Mother off the street... .
(1)
Reply
(0)
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
3 y
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter - ....
Don't Kid Yourself, I DID Tell The SOB's That.
Being The Last Of 6 Kids, I Had To Learn Self-Defense Early In Life;
And Develop a "FA-Q" Attitude.....They Were "Life's Tools Of Survival".
(1)
Reply
(0)
CAPT Edward Schmitt
CAPT Edward Schmitt
>1 y
To me Navy ranks make way more sense. Three seaman ranks, three Petty Officer ranks, three Chief Petty Officer ranks. And easy to tell specialities.
(2)
Reply
(0)
Sgt Ed Allen
Sgt Ed Allen
>1 y
SPC Lyle Montgomery - I used that as a lowly PFC and LCPL.
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
Avatar feed
Anyone saluted the wrong rank working on a Joint Base?
CMC Robert Young
29
29
0
SPC Borders, I have not. Being reared in a thoroughly military family with uncles in the Air Force and Navy and my dad in the Army (God rest them all), I had a pretty good handle on who rates a salute and who does not. However, I am the beneficiary of a salute from another enlisted member on two occasions.

In the first an Army drill sergeant (a SFC no less) passed me on the sidewalk in my home town some 125 miles from the nearest ocean. I was wearing my Trops (warm weather dress). Guessing she had never seen a Coast Guard uniform. As she drew abreast of me, she snapped off a smart salute followed by a hardy "Good afternoon sir." I returned an equally smart salute and offered a very firm "Carry on". I then laughed all the way back to the car. I was a PO1 (E6) at the time. She had me by one stripe, but I'm the one who got the salute.

The second time I was walking down the sidewalk at Paris Island in my Winter Dress. The wife and I were on our way to see my stepson graduate from boot camp talking causally about how great it was to see him after three months when a Marine DI (E5) crossed my path with a smart salute (you got to love Marines) and a very military "By your leave sir." I returned a sharp salute and again in my most commanding voice offered "Carry on". In his defense, by this time in my career, I was a CPO (E7) waiting on my E8 advancement and had accrued enough chest candy to look like I should be dictator of a small South American country.

As he stepped off, my wife looked at me quizzically, and the conversation that followed went something like this

Her - "He wasn't supposed to do that".

Me - "I know"

Her - "You didn't correct him. He thinks you're an officer"

Me grinning - "I know"

Her - "Now you're just screwing with people. That's so wrong"

Me grinning - "I know"

"When it doubt, whip it out." The worst that could happen is you'll leave somebody laughing all the way to the car ;-)
(29)
Comment
(0)
SSG Raul Alaniz
SSG Raul Alaniz
>1 y
CMC Robert Young, I think you mean SSG Steven Borders (E-6), not SPC (E-4). Carry On.
(2)
Reply
(0)
SSgt Brian King
SSgt Brian King
>1 y
That’s some good shit, right there.. Carry on.
(2)
Reply
(0)
Sgt Ed Allen
Sgt Ed Allen
>1 y
I have a sneaking suspicion that many sailors of the PO/Chief ranks shine their insignia to a high degree of brilliance just to confuse we lowly land creatures and to get a big laugh are our expense.
(0)
Reply
(0)
PV2 Glen Lewis
PV2 Glen Lewis
>1 y
Definitely like your sense of humor. I never made this mistake but I would rather have run into you than some NCO that gave me that old comeback which I heard a few times. "I'm not an officer; I work for a living." Heard that to others a few times.
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
1SG Mike Case
22
22
0
As I was always taught to salute the "shiny" rank, I was saluting every Navy guy I walked past. I was then informed the ones who wear the tan pants get saluted. After getting a few of the laughs, I stopped a SCPO and he squared me away. I mean they all got shiny stuff. After being here for a few months now, I have learned all the ranks and don't find myself saluting the wrong people. I have also learned that at a quick glance, SPC rank can look very similar to LTC rank. I have saluted a few SPC and they give me that WTF look. I just laugh it off and continue on my day.
(22)
Comment
(0)
CPO Cory Cook
CPO Cory Cook
4 y
Good job SCPO! I had this wondrous cloud of confusion on a NATO base. Joint base is easy by comparison.
(2)
Reply
(0)
SPC Robert Patrick
SPC Robert Patrick
4 y
I would have just saluted you back out of respect lol and then laughed about being saluted by a 1SG.
(3)
Reply
(0)
Melissa Didericksen Didericksen
Melissa Didericksen Didericksen
>1 y
They say "I work for a mining!"?
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
22
22
0
Now as far as Good Sea Story involving Rank. In some job fields in the Navy there is very fast advancement, others not so much. I was in Pensacola for my 3rd Technical School. TACINTEL as a very senior E-6 (I wear gold all up and down my sleeve). Come out of the Chow Hall with a toothpick in my mouth thinking nothing of it. Out the corner of my eye catch sight of a Chief E-7 In the distance Barrelling towards me full bore. About to jump my case about something. He was coming up from the rear so he couldn't see my sleeve. When he pulls up in front of my his bravado disappeard very quickly. You see he was in a very quick advancement field. He was a Nuke with barely over 8 yrs, 2 red stripes. He was very polite in correcting my error. "Petty Officer I know you come from the Fleet but this is a School Command and we want to get these youngsters off on the right foot" "Gotcha Chief not a problem".
(22)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
1SG Company First Sergeant
17
17
0
Insignia
Back when we first changed over to berets, I was with 1-4 Cav. Our unit insignia had gold on the sides coming straight down and blue in the middle. From a distance it looked like CPT rank on the beret. I can't tell you how many times I got saluted while wearing that.
(17)
Comment
(0)
MSG(P) Michael Warrick
MSG(P) Michael Warrick
11 y
Yes when I was a PFC I did make that mistake !
(4)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
MAJ Jim Woods
14
14
0
Edited 11 y ago
Only with the Navy/Coast Guard ranks....... Everyone else is NORMAL.......LOL

I mean how can a Lieutenant be a Captain and a Captain be a Colonel? And I have no clue what the difference is between a Rear Admiral or Vice Admiral is. With the Surname of Rear and Vice, I would suppose they are in charge of morale in the Rear/Base areas? Making sure the Burger King is open after 2200?
(14)
Comment
(0)
SSG Bill McCoy
SSG Bill McCoy
>1 y
LCDR (Join to see) - Always bugged me how a LIEUTENANT Gerneral was higher than a MAJOR General. Being prior Navy, and anyone in charge of a boat is referred to as Captain - even Ensigns, LT(jg)'s, LT's, LTCdr's and Commanders, in my early Army days, I once said, "Aye-aye Captain," to an Army LTC. He acted like he didn't hear, but I knwe that he knew that I was prior service.
As an E-6, I'd give an, "Aye-aye, SIR," to our Provost Marshal when he'd intercom me on Military Police Desk Sergeant duty. I found out he got a kick out of it, so I never stopped, even in person.
(3)
Reply
(0)
LCDR Aerospace Engineering Duty, Maintenance (AMDO and AMO)
LCDR (Join to see)
>1 y
SSG Bill McCoy - Add in to that the fact that Major General was initially Sergeant Manor General.
(2)
Reply
(0)
SSG Bill McCoy
SSG Bill McCoy
>1 y
LCDR (Join to see) - Didn't know that at all. Interesting.
(1)
Reply
(0)
SPC Lyle Montgomery
SPC Lyle Montgomery
3 y
SSG Bill McCoy - Being Army and not being around The Navy I never did understand Navy rank I was in for only 2 years and really didnt care.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
CH (LTC) Robert Leroe
12
12
0
I was at a Joint service Chaplain conference in DC and a Navy Chaplain who looked old enough to be my dad started chatting with me. I had no idea of his rank, but I was very respectful. Good thing: turns out he was the Navy Chief of Chaplains, two-stars!
(12)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
1SG Company First Sergeant
11
11
0
Mostly just 2LTs not saluting 1LTs!!! Ain't that right CPT (Join to see) ?
(11)
Comment
(0)
MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
11 y
Damn, him, I can't go to the refrigerator and reload the butter dish with out chuckling!
(5)
Reply
(0)
CPT Senior Instructor
CPT (Join to see)
11 y
You know it.
(4)
Reply
(0)
CMC Robert Young
CMC Robert Young
11 y
Careful sergeant. You're going to set off somebody's PTSD over that 1LT v 2LT thing.....
(3)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.