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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Salute it if it Shines, comes to Mind what's left...
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CW5 Jack Gaudet
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When I was a WO1, I was in an exercise in Japan. We had multi service involved and one foggy dark morning, and individual and I came around the same corner almost running directly into each other. Both of quickly looked up and saw a silver bar in the dark. We saluted each other really quick giving the morning greeting and moved out. A few days later we ran into each other and recognized each other and talked about it. We laughed almost to crying. Not sure if that counts but……
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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I'm sure I probably have but I don't remember. Having a Senior Moment. Bet the chief was more than happy to let you know that it wasn't necessary since his "Parents were Married" LOL! Ah Fond Memories of my Time as Master at Arms Commander Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Washington, DC. My Office was at the Navy Yard but I spent a great deal of time over at Anacostia and was in Air Force Housing at Bolling.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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Easy mistake to make and if you just go by the amount of Gold on the Sleeve you get a Chief with many years of good conduct that is a lot of gold on those dress blues.
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1SG John Millan
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Soldiers are bad to salute anything gold, so navy chiefs in Khakus with golden anchors on their collars often took mistaken salutes. Marines occasionally saluted Army enlisted in class A’s because the shoulder DUIC would fling in sunlight!
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PO3 Jamie Crosier
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OMG! All the time. The air force guys would come to the shop I worked at and saluted me all the time and called me ma'am and officer. I was only a e-4. But the crow on my collar looked like officer birds. One gold one black. But the air force guys saw a bird on the collar and would salute. Some times I loved it, but it was weird when officers where doing it and though I was either ranked with them or higher. I educated the enlisted guys so they wouldn't look like fools anymore, but I never knew what to do for the officers. LOL Maybe I should have spoken up but there was something funny about officers saluting a enlisted first
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PO2 Jimmie Brickhouse
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So, I was Navy and I was sent TAD to an AFSOC school at Hurlburt Field in Florida. At the time, I was a 22 year old E-5. Our rank insignia is a crow perched above two chevrons, which clearly many unsuspecting Air Force members took for being the youngest full bird colonel in history. Doors held open, salutes, the whole nine yards. I would just say “I’m enlisted too, carry on.” and keep it moving.

In their defense, Naval Special Warfare was utilizing different uniforms than the regular navy at the time and our rank set dead center in the middle of our chest and was difficult to see. They saw the bird and just immediately whipped the salute out. It was an interesting 3 weeks, especially at the chow hall.
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SFC Retired
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Edited 2 y ago
Not really the question, but in my 2nd to last week of BT my squad buddy and I thought it would be funny to impersonate officers to some of the newbees (newer than us, at least) by wearing black 1st LT & Capt. ranks respectively (on our OD greens w/ softcaps), when just as we had "pulled rank" on a couple of groups of approaching newbees as they went by us, we saw an approaching MP Jeep, and barely managed to get all the bars off before they were close enough to bust our asses. The joke we played on the new people really did crack us up, but almost getting caught sobered us up immediately as well, and we never tried anything like that again...whew!
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SGT Michael Merritt
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I have no clue how many specialists i saluted during my 8 years! Looks like at LT Col subdued! But their confusion was evident on their faces and was kind of funny!
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SSG Kevin S.
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As a SPC I was saluted by a 1sg. Granted it was dark an all he could see was the subdued insignia, so it was likely a "when in doubt" situation. I just returned the salute.
He saw me later in the light, grumbled and carried on.
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SGT Ruben Lozada
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It can be confusing at times. E-1 to E-6 are known as Petty Officers. E-7 is Chief Petty Officer. E-8, One star on fouled anchor collar device is called Senior Chief P.O. or Senior for short. E-9, Master Chief P.O., or a Command Master Chief P.O. (CMDCM), He or She would also have a star inside their rocker on their dress uniform. Now at this E-9 rank You also have a Fleet/Force Master Chiif P.O. They can be distinguished by the gold Fleet or Force pin on the left pocket of thier worn khakis. Highest enlisted rank would be an E-10 or a Master Chief P.O. of the Navy. They have three stars over their fouled anchor and one star within their rocker on their dress uniform. They are only seen at certain times. Then You have the Warrant Officers (WO1 to WO4). Then You have the O-1 Ensign, O-2 Lieutenant Junior Grade, O-3 Lieutenant, O-4 Lieutenant Commander. All four grades are considered junior officers. Usually an O-4 is an Executive Officer on a small ship. Or can be a Commanding Officer of a shore command unit. O-5 Commander, O-6 Captain (Usually called Skipper by some. 0-7 Rear Admiral Lower Half, O-8 Rear Admiral Upper Half, 0-9 Vice Admiral, O-10 Admiral. Fleet Admirals are no longer used. One Fleet Admiral would be Admiral Chester Nimitz. A carrier was named in His honor as well, USS Nimitz (CVN-68). I hope all this helps out in any eay possible, because I just this all by memory as well.
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