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
Col Retired From Active Duty
1
1
0
Edited >1 y ago
Yes, but as a captain (O-3) I saluted the E-2 on purpose.

I was at a training base and made a stop at the post office. I was walking toward the post office door and I watched as the airman was coming out of the building, heads down, engrossed in a letter he was reading. I instantly knew he was going to miss the salute. Not a big deal to me, because he was so into the letter he was reading while walking.

While it wasn't a big deal to me, it was a big deal to all the other enlisted folks who were there at the post office, too. As I saw the situation unfolding, I scanned the area and saw many people who also saw this unfolding. I'd never seen so many wide-eyed folks wondering what the captain was going to do when this airman screwed up and didn't salute the officer. I didn't want to be a jerk about it, but I needed to do the right thing.

At that moment, I figured out the "right thing". As the airman moved within saluting range, I snapped to attention with my back to the post office wall, popped my sharpest salute, and in a command voice projected, "Good afternoon, SIR!" (After all, if he was not saluting me, he must outrank me.)

He looked up, looking a bit confused, and returned my salute. He kept on walking but still a bit unaware of what happened.

At that point I scanned the crowd and saw many smiles and a few thumbs up from the primarily enlisted audience.

While others will disagree with what I did that day, I've thought back to it many times during my career. I think about empathy. I think about kindness. Yeah, these are not two words often associated with the military. But, I was in the Air Force.

Could I have stopped the airman and corrected him? Yes.
Would it have made any difference to him? Probably not, other than the embarrassment.
Did I win goodwill with the rest of the audience that day? Absolutely.
Would I do it again the same way? Yes.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
1px xxx
Suspended Profile
Guilty as charged Marine Cpl 1984 Pearl Harbor. Dang Master Chief with all that shinning stuff on his collar.
MSG Intelligence Analyst
1
1
0
I saluted the correct rank, but they chose to not return it. I think they were not used to getting salutes from US Army soldiers
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CDR Tom Davy
1
1
0
There are worse things than saluting a Chief. When I was an E-6 Corpsman on an Army Post, people sometimes thought I was an officer as I had a caduceus on my left collar.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SSG Gregg Mourizen
1
1
0
When I was an E-4, my Sham-Shield caught a lot of salutes from LT's and Catains, who thought it was a black oakleaf.'

Damned Petty Officers, always caught me. I would see that bird, way before I saw the stripes.

The worst time was after returning from Japan, where all the soldiers salute everybody.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SPC Military Intelligence Systems Maintainer/Integrator
1
1
0
i know foreign officers get a little annoyed when they don't get saluted.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
LCDR Alan Darr
1
1
0
Was at a special ops effort in Hawaii, the Australians uniforms are so ornate--easy to misunderstand the saluting correctly. For U.S. junior enlisted---taught at boot camp to salute everything that walks--not taught before they go to next assignment appropriate saluting.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
LT Search & Rescue Coordination
1
1
0
Not a salute, but as a young fresh-faced 21-year-old Cadet at the Coast Guard Academy, I had a port call in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The collar devices for First Class Cadets are a blue shield (which somewhat matches the blue of the Operational Dress Uniform), upon which there is a fouled anchor with a star at the top of it. Walking out of the Exchange, two petty officers walk out, look at me oddly, then say "Have a good morning, Senior Chief". I laughed it off; but given that most Senior Chiefs have been in the service longer than I had been alive at that point, I hoped it would be pretty obvious from my baby face that I wasn't an E-8; even if their insignia is also a (much larger) fouled anchor with a star.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
LTC Force Development
1
1
0
As a private just out of basic training, I once saluted an NCO in class Bs thinking his unit crest was officer rank. To his credit, he laughed it off.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
TSgt George Austin
1
1
0
Joint bases are easy. Try NATO when the French bring a ship in. Looks like a ballet troupe.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small

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

How are you connected to the military?
  • Active Duty
  • Active Reserve / National Guard
  • Pre-Commission
  • Veteran / Retired
  • Civilian Supporter