Avoiding Saluting an LT; What do you do when you see this?

When you are saluting an officer no matter what rank you salute his or hers rank as a sign of respect. you are not saluting the individual. In my day in the Marine corp. Not saluting or avoiding an officer earned you a 1st. class a--chewing. If the 1sgt. found out about it their would be his discipline. I can't imagine and NCO. not saluting. The Army had different rules for saluting you saluted indoors without a cover on your head. In the Marine Corp you only saluted indoors when you had a duty belt on and had your cover on your head. If a Marine approached a Marine officer without the officer,s cover on the officer would not salute back. Thats the way it was back in the early 60,s. Semper Fi.

Maybe for the simple fact that you have to cry out on social media about such things is not the reason why he avoided you. Hummmmmm

Going out of the way to not salute is childish, just like jumping thru a door so you don't have to stand and salute for colors.

I used to do the exact opposite. I was like a heat-seaking missile, snaking my way through every parking, trying to salute as many officers as possible. Sometimes, I'd try to power walk in loops, to salute the same person 3 or 4 times before they could reach the door.

And I have witnessed a 1st Lieutenant fill his arms with unnecessary items when we left the office on Bagram to.avoid saluting anyone on Disney.

It actually took more discipline to do what this NCO did then to simply salute the officer. It is very childish behavior and personnel going through this much trouble to avoid a salute should re evaluate why they are even in the military. The salute is a sign of respect for both officers and enlisted personnel. We should render a salute with pride, in reflection of who we are as professionals.

It's arrogance on the NCO's part to think new O-1's should not be publically afforded a proper salute. Not all O-1's are fresh or 90 day wonders. Junior officers come from all ways of life and some have more years in uniform than most NCO's. Also, it presents a poor example of junior enlisted on reinforcing traditions taught in recruit training.

Sounds personal, from both angles.

Not cool

Don’t be butt hurt if they don’t, respect is earned. I’ve saluted almost 100 enlisted personnel as an officer that help shaped the what the Great US Army is today.

Maybe the NCO just wanted to get his steps in for his fit bit and decided to take the longer route to his car. You never know. Don’t take it personal. I’ve had officers tell me NOT to salute because they were tired of saluting. LOL so keep in mind you may have days you will be tired of saluting us too.

laugh.

I think the reason eludes you because most NCO's have spent more time on the toilet than you have in the military, their morning bowel movement deserves more respect than any LT . . .1st or 2nd. Sadly we live in a world where people think that if one endures five years of college and binge drinking for that coveted PE/Liberal Arts/General Studies degree it somehow makes them more qualified to lead, assume greater responsibilities and command . . . hate to be the truth teller here, not even close. Over my 20 year career I watched officers commit most of the most bizarre and irresponsible offenses, everything from theft using their government credit cards, sleeping with enlisted wives (both married and unmarried officers) and even when given a no contact order, the Major still got caught again, the female Airman mowing his lawn in a bikini on base housing !! I saw mishandling and loss of classified, desk drawer LOR's for 6 or more weight management failuresand so much more - commanders/group commanders and wing commanders perfectly happy to attempt to bury it all as the boys club . . . just being boys and all under the delusion an officers career is worth more than an enlisted person. Meanwhile, enlisted career were being ended for the most minor offenses . . . and treated like they were a federal offense. I take great joy in telling you I reported and filed complaints against these officers each and every time I could. Bottom line, 3 years in the 1st Sergeants seat and you really get to see the hypocrisy and behind the curtain to see the clowns who are merely leading people all because of a piece of paper, absent any proven skills, after all, a pulse and a lack of a federal conviction and you are assured a promotion to Major . . .we test every single NCO promotion. I was in a staff meeting and had a LT think he was going to correct me, I was a MSgt at the time, by the time I got finished dressing him down as the nerdy no-nothing idiot he really was but failed to grasp the reality of it you could hear a pin drop . . . . not one officer/commander/CMSgt said a word to me about it. LT's are NOT respected, only tolerated as the necessary evil of spawning off some worthless major. What made me realize it was time for me to retire, saw a Major sleeping with an enlisted mans wife, when it was elevated up the chain, they ended up taking action against the enlisted troop, rightfully outraged that this officer thought his actions appropriate as well as his O-club wingmen. All that said, next time you see a NCO walk an extra half a mile to avoid paying respect to someone who doesn't deserve it, I will leave you with what I once heard a Production Super tell a LT in a maintenance meeting, the LT make the sad mistake of telling the SMSgt that rank has its privilege . . ., the SMSgt look him right in the eye and said "when you get some rank, then you'll get some privilege" !! While many will feed you some eye wash that the NCO is a poor example, understand that as a SSgt I supervised more people, was responsible for more in assets than any LT I ever met over my entire 20 plus year career . . . it should be YOU who salutes the NCO . . . they have actually earned it . . . . you haven't.

Back in 74, I was going through Armor AIT (19E) and a buddy and I were carrying this HUGE coffee pot. As we were walking down the sidewalk, the coffee pot was in my right hand and we wer approached by a Major General. My buddy saluted and I stood there with a confused look on my face, The General said, Private Rivas, I dont have the faintest idea of how you would render a salute under coffee pot. I think your buddy here covered it for both of you, Just the thought that you were wondering what to do is sufficient for me. Carry on men. Good guy .

Lt., if I was still in and saw you I would salute no matter what kind a day I had and wouldn't care if you was a BOOTER. But a funny story to this a long time ago when I was stationed at Souda Bay, Crete the Air Force showed up for tanker support for the bombing in Kosovo; well any ways a few us junior enlisted guys were caring long arms(M16, M14, 12 Gauge) and the proper way to salute an officer is to present arms, well a few times we would space out to where you O's would have to hold your salute and there was usually like 6 of us; well after a while you guys caught on and would space out and we would have to hold the present arms for a bit. My advice LT take it with a grain of salt move one you will experience stupid shit and that is one of them. If it bothers you that much confront said NCO and ask him why he avoided you.

There is a fine line between military values and personal values. In many cases these values overlap. However, observe which one a veteran gives up upon discharge. In a way of life (military) that demands you give up so much, it is moot and devicesive to speculate on the soldier's motives. Give him an inch of choice in an otherwise regulated industry. Each of us have a right to dislike another regardless of it's merit. He did not violate a regulation, he merely sidestepped it. A skill we all must learn in order to think outside the box and avoid rigidity in life. Contrastly, I prefer staggering soldiers enough to make an officer salute repeatedly as punishment.

Have a chat with your Shirt. I think you'll find he will be glad you help you out.

I was stationed at Elmendorf AFB back in the early 1980's---a lowly AB when I got there, a lowly A1C when I left. I was walking towards a bus stop one afternoon and was watching some construction work being done in an adjacent field; wasn't paying any attention to anyone else on the sidewalk. I was stopped by a young female 2nd lieutenant, who accused me of deliberately ignoring her so I wouldn't have to salute. I denied this, but she wasn't listening. She reamed my behind for a full ten minutes, warned me that next time, she would take more stringent action, and then left in a huff. From that point forward, if I encountered anybody on the sidewalk and was unsure of their rank or status, I saluted them---sometimes they turned out to be NCO's, a few airmen here and there, and probably at least one civilian, but I'd had enough screaming paroxysms of rage being brought down on my head---I wasn't about to chance another one. I would have saluted dogs, phone poles, and mailboxes to avoid that sort of nonsense, believe me.

As a Warrant I always tried to show the curtsey to our LT's, it also set the example to my NCO's that if I do it, you better as well.

Respect is earned, not given. I have seen men avoid officers when I was in. Not to get out of saluting, but because the officer was a dickhead. I have also seen, and have, hollered across a parade field to get an officers attention and render a salute at 100 yards. Even to some butter bars. So, my opinion, either the NCO is a jack wad, or, with all due respect sir, you need to evaluate just what type of and officer your are. I have served with officers that I would follow to hell and back. And I have served with officers that it's probably good we never went into combat. You don't have to be their friend, but you better be a leader. Sir.