Anyone saluted the wrong rank working on a Joint Base?

SSG, I may a bit old fashioned, but I defer to the history of the salute, stopping before the Middle Ages. A salute is when a member, regardless of rank, renders a salute to another member as a sign of recognition and courtesy. A Private will salute a Seaman, or a CPO might salute a Corporal. The salute is only required when an EM/NCO meets an officer, or a Junior grade officer in meeting his/her senior. Without a doubt, Coast Guard/Navy types go crazy retuning salutes to junior EM/NCOs. We can blame all this confusion on the Uniform Boards who never take things like this into consideration when they issue New and Improved uniforms. There is nothing wrong with being courteous to another member.

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.

When I wore fatigues in the 80s. (Army) I would get saluted on Air Force bases. Our unit crest was worn on our head gear. It was nice and shiney.

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.

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

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)

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.

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.

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

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.