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
Officers
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 35
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Salutes are required of juniors regardless of the capacity of the senior to return the salute.
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SSG Ike Phelan
I do not know if this rule changes for the diffrent branches of service but I know in the Army if an officer or enlisted can not return a salute then you are not suppose to salute. Not returning a salute is just as disrespectful as not rendering one. You salute the rank not the person that is why enlisted have to salute the generals car or license plate when it drives by. The rules maybe diffrent in the Navy I do not know.
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Short and sweet, you salute no matter what, if the officer can’t return it continue on, you did what you were suppose to do!!!!
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A salute is the standard greeting between military people and comes from ancient times. If other member approaching has full loaded hands does not stop the other from rendering the proper greeting. The hands fool person simply renders verbal greeting. No problem at all
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YES...YOU SHOULD SALUTE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. Senior officers are supposed to be setting the example for junior officers, etc... Just because someone else’s hands are full doesn’t give you a “GET OUT OF SALUTING” pass.
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Still show the proper respect and salute. Officers are never required to return a salute to the beat of my understating. I was taught to hold the salute until it was returned, acknowledged, or the officer or you completely passed by. But that was in the 1980’s.
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CPT William Jones
The senior should always return the salute unless they fall under one of the red that say no salute. Sitting at a desk working and not returning salute when made is improper. It should just stand there and wait the Sr idiot out they , the Jr , entitled to have their salute returned.
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You are required to salute an Officer doesn't matter if their hands are full. A salute to an officer also requires a return salute the the greeter. That's the way it was when I was in the Marine Corps in the early 90's.
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SSG Ike Phelan
I think there are different answers for the different branches of service. I think that if you answer a question like this you should include the regulation that states what you are saying that way there is not question weather you are right or not. Also it helps to educate our service members. Some of the lower enlisted might not even know where to look to get the right answer.
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