Do I need to render a salute to an officer when my hands are occupied?

I could see a big box or a child, etc, but a binder and a coffee cup, and you were already reprimanded once before. For 5 seconds you should have put the coffee cup in your left hand and the binder under your left arm and saluted. It is not that hard to do. Do what it takes to avoid trouble.

If you're carrying an M2 50, no need to salute, but a binder and a coffee mug??? Keep your right hand free...

As I read your question and the responses it seems to me that the situation depends - how big is the binder, office or outside the building, did you say "Good Morning Captain," your CO or some random captain? Each of those could affect my answer.

I read a few comments from fellow officers - I think most EMs don't realize that we had to anticipate the very situation you describe. I kept my right hand free so that I could return salutes.

I had a WWII uncle who when home on Christmas leave in 1943 went into downtown Dayton every day to catch hot shot fly boy officers from Wright - Patterson shopping with their wives/girl friends/dame de jour and carrying packages in both arms. He'd deliberately walk up to them and give them his best salute and hold it until they put their packages down and returned his salute. It does work both ways.

This hit me the wrong way so i am going to vent. Pretty sure i posted before as well but what ever. The author of the is question i hope is getting out of the service, your e-4 mafia tactics are unbecoming of a NCO get over yourself your an NCO do what you know is right and quit trying to shuck responsibility. It is of my opinion that with this attitude you should never be in a position to lead Soldiers because what you teach them is not what the Military Needs. Crap where is the Tylenol.

If you are carrying something that requires both hands give the greeting of the day followed by sir and move out. If your entire load can be carried on you left it should be so. Now for the CSM, take the but chewing and share the incident with your PLT SGT and 1SG afterward. Your 1SG will probably ask the CSM “WTF!”

So a coffee mug now supercedes regulations! I have a vapping device in my left hand and a mug in my right and I'm now just too busy to be in uniform. Thank God I'm retired.

The respectful greeting was the IMPORTANT part. You may unsuccessfully debate the carrying of so few items in both hands, when you could have easily stopped, began the obvious item shift to your left hand, while issuing the greeting and allow both of them the option to wave-off the salute before you drop stuff..

Here is a case where discretion is needed. While it might seem reasonable to say that no salute might be required, one needs to ask "How professional do I want to appear?" and "How hard should I try?" Clearly, there will be an edge given to anybody who tries hard to comply with the customs and courtesies, even if it seems to be difficult. The CSM probably would appreciate anybody who tries hard and that is what CSM's are supposed to do. In this case, the CSM did not communicate this desire well (this is on the CSM, but doesn't alleviate the requirement).

The right answer is this: Try hard.

If there would be some way to comply with the courtesy then give it a try. Stuff everything under the left arm and carry as much as you can with the left hand. If nothing else, put down whatever keeps you from using the right hand to salute and snap one off. If the CSM criticizes you for anything related to that, it will likely be very much less severe than not giving it an honest try. Everybody appreciates it when you try hard. Life is not always fair, and sometimes you have to deal with difficult circumstances. Try hard to get it right, even when it's not easy, and you will be rewarded. If nothing else, you will start to build a habit (and, if you're lucky a reputation) for overcoming difficulties.

There is a common sense approach from both sides. If you are carrying objects in both hands that it makes sense to transfer all the items to your left and salute, then that it what should be done. If it doesn’t make sense,... like holding a book in one hand and a mug in the other ( because a spill is likely) then the officer should have enough sense to understand this. Im going to call out the CSM and CPT as wrong in this situation. Sounds like they are hung up on themselves and need to check their egos. The common sense approach only works if both parties have common sense. I will place money that the CSM and CPT would not put everything down to salute a higher ranking officer,.... you need to handle this one carefully though, if the juice worth the squeeze? Just know that there are crappy leaders that play stupid games like this. Most aren’t like this.

The 100% correct answer, is no, just as if an officer had his/her hands full, they would not be required to return a salute.