Posted on Jul 9, 2014
SFC Steven Borders
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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.
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SSG Don Maggart
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I Salute te Person not the Uniform...
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SSgt Christopher Stogdill
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In the early 90's I was a junior enlisted Airman working in a TACP on Ft Lewis. With the Ranger BN there and the fact we both had black berets I did get saluted at night if the lighting wasn't enough to distinguish that I wore a different flash & crest. Was especially bad when the powers that be decided we didn't need pewter(ish) crests and supplied us with bright & shiny chrome ones.....
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SSG(P) Brian Kliesen
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As a very old Specialist (40+), I used to get saluted a lot. From a distance the Army E4 rank Insignia looks similar to that of a LTC, just a black blob. So I got saluted a lot when out and about garrison and in the field. To save time and the explanation, I would just salute back and keep moving. When the mistake was discovered, almost everyone was very cool about it and would laugh it off, always ending the conversation with 'and how old are you?'. Very rarely someone would make a big deal about it and I would have to listen to them for a while before getting back to work.
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SSG Raul Alaniz
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Edited >1 y ago
Funny you should mention it SSG Borders, I was a SP5 (In case people don't know that's a Specialist 5/ E-5 in the Army back then) stationed in Hawaii in the mid 80's, where all U.S. Military Branches are there, I was at the Pink Palace, Tripler Army Medical Center, I'm a Medic/O.R. Tech, I must have Saluted quite a few Navy and Air Force people when I first got there, mostly Navy, some just laughed and smiled and told me they were enlisted but Saluted right back, heck some Marines were saluting me cuz they thought I was and officer, I'd smiled and Saluted right back, you know SP5 rank, but I learned as time went by. I chuckle about it every now and then when I think about now, like you, I whipped out my best snappy Salute, just in case. Thanks for the memories.
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SSG Raul Alaniz
SSG Raul Alaniz
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Thank You 1SG Dan Capri.
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TSgt Mike Sharp
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As a very young airman (USAF) I had to go to Pensacola NAS for training. The eagle on a Navy uniform had me saluting everyone.
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SPC Greg Abarr
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Not on a joint base but after returning from Nam in 70 I had to go into the MCRD marine base in San Diego.
I was in class A's that day and when I went on base the gate gaurds saluted me and of course I returned it.
I was an e-5 but I think they saw the flash on my beret and that is why the saluted.
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Sgt James Baker
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Many many times that same thing happened to me when I was stationed at MCRDPI. And many, many times I kicked myself in the ass for doing it. But I was there to do it right or wrong and during that time in history, just being there had a lot to say.
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MSgt Brian Williams
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Always the Navy ranks. When I was an A1C I was assigned to NSA. We worked in a red seal door, which meant you needed to have a key to open the door (replaced by cypher locks now) or you had to knock. Knock at the door. I go to see who it is and it turns out it was a Naval officer. I told the guy he was looking for some Navy Captain is at the door for you. He jumps up and runs to the door shouting you left him in the hallway? He gets to the door and I hear him say LT was there a Captain with you? The LT says no just me. I said well shit he has on Captain's bars...

I did salute a Navy Chief once. Couldn't see the insignia so I followed the WIDWIO rule too. He laughed and said nah, that ain't me.
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COL Charles Walts
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Back in 1962, as a private at Ft. MacArthur, California, a fellow private and I mistook the base Fire Marshall for a Navy admiral and rendered an outstanding salute.
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As a young Marine private, I saluted a Marine L/Cpl. His rank was worn and shiny. I made his day!

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