Posted on Feb 3, 2014
As an officer, should you salute someone junior whom gives you the greeting of the day, but hands are full and can not render a salute?
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<p>I know the anwer to this question, but I have yet to see it happen.</p><p>The same can be said for just the opposite, "Officer's hands are full (carrying a box, or whatever), and SPC, SGT, SSG Joe fail to salute because they're thinking is that the officer's hands are full so he can't return the salute, so I won't salute!"</p><p>Thoughts!?</p>
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Officers
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 35
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The person who is capable of the salute does so. The person who's hands are full does not. Either way, the courtesy should be extended. Perhaps a respectful nod and verbal greeting would be appropriate if your hands are full?
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MSgt Gilbert Flowers
SFC, I agree with you in practice but doesn’t that officer have the same obligation to keep that hand clear just as enlisted are instructed? (In uniform and not in the field) As an aside, in 16 years I’ve never found myself in uniform, hands full and unable to render a salute as required.
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I am big on customs, it was ingrained in me the first days as a Marine. If your hands are full you render the greeting of the day, the other service member will salute and render the greeting. I think a lot of these customs and traditions have gone out the window in the past ten or so years, I think it is time we get back to it.
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The times I have been Saluted by a Soldier with keys or a smoke in their saluting hand I have refered them to an NCO for corrective action.
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MAJ(P) (Join to see)
What he's saying is that one should not salute someone with a smoke in their saluting hand...completely disrespectful. If it were me, I would switch (keys smoke etc) items to my left hand, so I could salute correctly.
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