Posted on Jul 9, 2014
Anyone saluted the wrong rank working on a Joint Base?
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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.
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 302
I get it. I grew up in the Navy, and assisted my Marines with Navy ranks back in the early '90s, as they prepped for meritorious promotion boards. I told one Marine, "...a Rear Admiral is not the same thing as a 'butt pirate'...", and as it turned out, they got that question during the board and answered it correctly, all while laughing. Achievement unlocked...
Back in '91 while working aboard Mainside Quantico, I saluted 2ndLts (I was a 1stLt). At the time, there were a lot of 2ndLts working on mainside, either awaiting TBS or waiting to move on to their next school, and they'd drive around the base with the officer sticker on their windshield, but also with a glare on the windshield so you couldn't see inside the vehicle. More than once, I was caught by a 2ndLt driving a Maj or Col's vehicle, as well.
Back in '91 while working aboard Mainside Quantico, I saluted 2ndLts (I was a 1stLt). At the time, there were a lot of 2ndLts working on mainside, either awaiting TBS or waiting to move on to their next school, and they'd drive around the base with the officer sticker on their windshield, but also with a glare on the windshield so you couldn't see inside the vehicle. More than once, I was caught by a 2ndLt driving a Maj or Col's vehicle, as well.
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Navy ranks are confusing. Going to work in the dark during Desert Storm on Patch Barracks in the winter, we all just saluted every approaching muffled figure. However..at OTS, we were cautioned to err on the side of discretion..all while keeping eyes front. This resulted in me one time saluting a German Shepherd sitting up in the passenger seat of a Volkswagen driven by a teenager...but the car had that blue rimmed sticker. I mumbled to my self, probably not for the first time that day, "silly ass military bullshit" and pressed on.
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Buaha! My first duty station was joint. I only made that mistake twice. To two different senior chiefs. I got my mind right after that
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My last duty station In Oklahoma City the Navy came in with the Orion and we Saluted the he'll out of them. Also in the early 80's the Air Force came out with a sweater and the ranks were on the shoulder pad area(Everybody Saluted Everybody)
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Quantico was my first duty station. I was an E1 when I reported. When I first reported I was saluted constantly, and it took me a while to figure out that if people did not see stripes on the arm they just assumed there were bars on the collar.
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LOL. Spent 9 years in the USCG. was deployed to Grenada with Urgent Fury. Worked under the opcon of 101st and 82nd. Our collar devices ( E-4and up) all have gold on them. Drew quick looks and a few salutes until they got used to us.
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No but when I was at Bagram as a third class with the big ass crow above my one chevron I got saluted daily by army and Air Force lol
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There is no such thing as saluting the wrong rank. Only Failing to salute and Officer as Courtesy and custom requires. I had a Lieutenant who insisted on wearing subdued rank, and he complained that us Specialists (E-4) failed to recognize his rank and salute him at the proper distance. We were too slow and to close. So, us Specialists, for the next two months, saluted each other in passing, especially in his presence. We never did receive any grief over this.
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I saluted a Japan Air Self-Defense Force staff sergeant at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
We all laughed.
We all laughed.
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