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

Yeah, the coffee cup is not the best reason to not salute… if you have to be in those situations and absolutely must have your coffee cup, then get a shoulder bag or something that you can put binders a paperwork in, carry your coffee in your left hand, and always keep your right hand free.

That’s basic training 101.

Make a shelf with the binder in the left hand and place the cup on top with great balance, then render the salute. Some people carry a binder and/or other objects in both hands solely to avoid having to salute. In very few cases, some just feel self-entitled and want to pump their chest.

FWIW (one in a long family list of military service): if easy to do move everything to your left to salute. However, if you’re obviously carrying/moving things, and getting work done, and anyone complains you didn’t salute they are wrong. Look me up in the GAL I’ll happily see them to see if they qualify for intellectual disability and need to be separated…

Sounds to me like you are contriving a way to avoid the salute. Simple solution. Don't load up both hands unless you are carrying duty work. A coffee mug isn't that. If I were placed in that position I'd use the binder like a tray, place the mug on the tray, and salute. There are traditions and courtesies of the military services. Running to the AR to get the answer misses the whole point.

Learn to set your mug on your binder.
Sorry, but for some, it would be better to drop your coffee, than not saluting.

Granted, it is another story when in the field or carrying equipment.
If you can make the effort.
In the field, you are "not supposed to", but sometimes you run into that individual officer.
In the field, the greeting of the day is always "Sniper Check".
You may get chewed a little, but the officer usually gets the point. Usually.
Remind him, that for his safety, it is not a good idea to salute in that environment.

Of course everything changes, when the guys with the stars start walking around. Then common sense does not apply.

I do it all the time. Put the binder under your left arm and hold your coffee in your left hand. Render a salute.
It sounds, and probably appears, that this is the old "I had a thing in both hands" excuse. I suspect you are smart enough to figure this out.

If in their assessment(and you SHOULD know as well), that those items can be carried with reasonable comfort in your left hand, or shifting from your right to your left can be effectively done, you better do it.

There is no right answer to a power play. My suggestion is if you know this person to me rank narcissistic is to always salute with everything down on the ground and a formal salute rendered. That said you can always turn the binder vertical set the mug on top tender you salute retrieve your mug and carry on. Me, i would cross the street make no eye contact so as not to dignify “it” with a salute.
IMHO he knows..! Those who seek a salute know the never earned the respect of it so must demand it. If he earned your respect I’m quite sure you’d cross the street to salute a respected person of rank.
What ever you do don’t piss it off they’re carrier ending bite can be hazardous to promotions.

Your CSM is an utter asshole. If reg's specifically state you're not required to salute, when carrying something in both hands, then refer him to the appropriate regulation. This is the difference between the Army and USMC. In the USMC you not required to salute indoors unless under arms (i.e. on "duty").

Best unoccupy your hand, might not go well

As one said on this post, don't put yourself in that predicament. However, sometimes that situation arises. When I used to work in the G6 of a Division HQ's, that place was full of officers. There were times I had my hands full due to the fact that I had just given a class and am returning and couldn't render a salute. However, I still acknowledged the officer with a greeting and a head nod. Most of those officers knew my hands were full and did not give me grief but a returned gesture. Bottom line, acknowledge the officer regardless.

I feel your pain young man. I was tuned up by an 0-6 when I was an 0-5 outside of the Pentagon for exactly the same reason. I had just in-processed, when my briefcase (that I had purchased when I was a 2LT) came to pieces, so I had to carry it under my arm like a stack of books, the other arm literally carrying an inpro stack of books/ folders. Sometimes the world stacks up against you.

My greeting of the day, was "Good Morning Sir, I beg your pardon...." which for 99% would have been just ducky. Not this guy. Bless his heart. I likely oughtn't mention that he looked like an uber short duffle bag that 3 Joes had filled with their full kit and pogey bait- and his beret looked like a flying saucer. I didn't like it, sure- but I was actually more aggravated that my briefcase had previously S*** the bed and my papers had scattered all over the Pentagon floor. Not my best day in uniform.

What is funny about the saluting thing, is again- 99% of those that rate one, could care less. One of my Exec's before I retired was a Captain, Air Force Special Tactician, who wore different looking OCPs and a more different non army Red Beret, that Joe would stare at, salute, while paying no attention to the old man walking next to him 3 feet away. You should find that funny, because I think its hilarious.

All said, you know as well as I do that this incident is not the Army, that the Captain was embarrassed and even maybe the CSM was aiming to. I would advise that reciting the AR would have made it worse, sometimes that you just have to take your beating, blow the claymores - and break contact.

SGT - after reading the numerous responses to your query, I have a couple questions of my own. 1) Did you actually comply with said CSM's demand and render a hand salute, and 2) you said it was the SECOND time that you've gotten reprimanded for not saluting...were you carrying items in both hands then too ? I ask this because your'e a SGT E5, and have had every opportunity to learn proper military behavior between E1 and now. I'm taking this seemingly "hard-line" as I was a draftee and worked my way up to E5 before finishing OCS, and there was absolutely no question in my mind when and where to salute.

If your hands are full but you can easily shift an item to free your right hand to salute, you should do so but if you are carrying something heavy where both hands are tied up and rendering a proper salute is neither practicable nor feasible, you should then just smartly give the officer the greeting of the day.

When the CSM direct you to do something, you do it. If you have a problem with that, take it up with your command at a later date. End of story.

Had a Captain in Germany who was obsessed with the salute. He was constantly chastising soldiers for not saluting even when they were a distance away. The troops got together one morning and when he was coming down the sidewalk, they spread out at 6 foot intervals and each one rendered a salute. 125 Soldiers and 125 salutes. He got the point and never bothered anyone again. I was at Fort Lee and was going into the Post Exchange when a young private came out with his hands full. He set everything down on the walk and saluted me and I thanked him for his dedication and explained to him that when his hands are full he need not render a salute. Then again I have seen soldiers shift items from their left hand to their saluting hand in order to avoid the salute. I would say if the soldier in questioned rendered a greeting to the officer, then he was well within the Army's doctrine on salutes

Most officers would not make it big deal out of it and would have told the CSM to drop it, but you should make an effort to render honors.

You should halt your forward progress, balance the coffee mug on the binder in your left hand, and promptly render due courtesies.

And in the future, stop carrying stuff in your right hand!

KleenKanteen sells fantastic spill proof drink containers. Even insulated to keep the drink hot or cold all day. If you had one of those, you could tuck it under your left arm and be clear for saluting.

There is only one possible excuse for not saluting where it is called for... Carrying an official object too large to do anything except strongly and pleasantly vocalize, "Good day Sir/Ma'am".

But I have no idea how to address a trans officer. "Good day Them"? Help me out...

...you say a Mug in the other hand? I am guessing that is a coffee or beverage? If that is the case, then you are putting yourself in a situation to be called out. If your on post walking, be prepared to salute.
If you were carrying a large box, that is a different situation. Common sense must prevail from both sides..

I agree with everyone else... Unless absolutely necessary you should keep your right hand free. I'm so used to that I do it out of uniform without thinking about it.

The idea is, say you're carrying a large package. In that case, ideally you would set it down in advance, salute, then carry on. At a minimum you would stop and say something like "Good morning sir, apologies for the salute.". At least that's what I was taught. But a binder and a mug? You can salute still.