Posted on Dec 14, 2020
Do I need to render a salute to an officer when my hands are occupied?
211K
3.33K
1.12K
338
336
2
This is the second time I’ve gotten reprimanded for this situation. I was walking with a binder in my hands, and a mug in the other hand. I walked past a CSM and a CPT, greeted both as I was unable to salute. CSM stopped me and demanded that I drop everything to salute the CPT. AR 600-25 states that I am not required to render a salute if I am carrying articles with both hands. What is the right answer?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 634
Sounds to me like SOMEBODDY is looking for a way to avoid saluting.
"But, but, but I had a coffee cup in my hand."
Two reprimands ? Son, are you dense or what ? Stop trying to avoid saluting. Your life will be much easier.
"But, but, but I had a coffee cup in my hand."
Two reprimands ? Son, are you dense or what ? Stop trying to avoid saluting. Your life will be much easier.
(0)
(0)
You have two ways to look at this:
-The Intent of the AR.
-The EXACT words of the AR.
Blindly following rules and regulations and NEVER understand the intent Will allow us to be replaced by drones who follow the rules way better run any human.
So you had a binder and a Mug in your hands. The letter of the law says no you don’t have to put things down and salute.
The INTENT of the law was written for people carrying large heavy items with both hands. How about a copy machine in the rain walking through puddles? If you put the copier down it would get ruined, wouldn’t it?
What’s the difference between your mug and binder versus a copier? Could you have put the mug in your left hand and binder under your arm? Shouldn’t you have done that KNOWING you might have to render a salute.
I am a CW5. I was either being saluted or rendering a salute everywhere I went. As a good Warrant Officer I always had a coffee cup. It was ALWAYS in my left hand even though I’m right handed.
What you didn’t ponder was the art of thinking ahead. Good soldiers think through their actions and think ahead to how those actions affect themselves, their teammates and the mission. A small lack of thinking ahead with your mug and binder told me you weren’t a think ahead kinda person. THAT is what the CSM jumped you for.
Peace.
-The Intent of the AR.
-The EXACT words of the AR.
Blindly following rules and regulations and NEVER understand the intent Will allow us to be replaced by drones who follow the rules way better run any human.
So you had a binder and a Mug in your hands. The letter of the law says no you don’t have to put things down and salute.
The INTENT of the law was written for people carrying large heavy items with both hands. How about a copy machine in the rain walking through puddles? If you put the copier down it would get ruined, wouldn’t it?
What’s the difference between your mug and binder versus a copier? Could you have put the mug in your left hand and binder under your arm? Shouldn’t you have done that KNOWING you might have to render a salute.
I am a CW5. I was either being saluted or rendering a salute everywhere I went. As a good Warrant Officer I always had a coffee cup. It was ALWAYS in my left hand even though I’m right handed.
What you didn’t ponder was the art of thinking ahead. Good soldiers think through their actions and think ahead to how those actions affect themselves, their teammates and the mission. A small lack of thinking ahead with your mug and binder told me you weren’t a think ahead kinda person. THAT is what the CSM jumped you for.
Peace.
(0)
(0)
The AR 600–25. Chapter 2-1 paragraph 3 is clear on this. Carrying articles in both hands so occupied as to make saluting impractical. You are NOT required to render a salute. That SGM is wrong. If i would have seen that, id have had his ass. You ARE required to render the courtesy/Greeting of the day. If the sergeant Maj. gives you crap about this I would politely memorize that chapter and point him to it and say are we not following these anymore? Mind you you’ll get on his radar for it, but stand up for yourself.
(0)
(0)
You know the regs but not the spirit of the regs.
The regs are meant for situations where you are carrying something that requires both hands to carry. Rule of thumb is anything over 20 pounds. Heavy boxes, weapons, and equipment but I am sorry I do not think a binder is going to be that heavy.
So stop clear your right hand and salute. If asked why you stopped to render the salute tell them you didn’t want to get burned by your hot coffee. After the return salute place your mug in your right hand and continue on your way. So unless your binder is so heavy you can not carry it under your arm and not in your hand and it is so large it would require two hands to carry or your mug weighs in excess of 20 pounds salute.
The regs are meant for situations where you are carrying something that requires both hands to carry. Rule of thumb is anything over 20 pounds. Heavy boxes, weapons, and equipment but I am sorry I do not think a binder is going to be that heavy.
So stop clear your right hand and salute. If asked why you stopped to render the salute tell them you didn’t want to get burned by your hot coffee. After the return salute place your mug in your right hand and continue on your way. So unless your binder is so heavy you can not carry it under your arm and not in your hand and it is so large it would require two hands to carry or your mug weighs in excess of 20 pounds salute.
(0)
(0)
MAJ (Join to see)
The reg is clear. It doesnt state a pound limit. Though i agree, if it can be shifted to one hand do so. However, shame on that officer of not saying something. Fishing for salutes show the state of the military,
(0)
(0)
SGT Keith Smith
MAJ (Join to see) Not so certain that the officer said anything. Reading the post I get the feeling it was the CSM. Also correct the regs do nor specify a weight that said we want to discourage people carrying two light items just so they do not have to salute.
(0)
(0)
The poster here has been failed by their Drills, never... ever...carry anything in your right hand.
(0)
(0)
Personally, if both of my hands are full and I can not free one hand, they just don't get a salute. I am also an NCO who would rather not salute if I don't have to.
(0)
(0)
A mug and a binder does not insinuate 'both hands' being occupied. The binder can easily be put under your arm so you can salute. Now if you were carrying something heavy and needed both hands, that won't get you in trouble. But c'mon! What you're describing is putting something in both hands to avoid saluting. That will get you in trouble EVERY time.
(0)
(0)
CSM trying to impress the CPT? Depending on how large/small combersome the brief...upon visual recognition, put the brief under your arm holding the coffee in hand, salute. Unless you favor uncomfortable encounters as necessary, save your energies for more interesting endeavors.
(0)
(0)
I remember a Captain telling me at FT Lewis in 1973 that, " I don't want to salute you and you don't want to salute me", so there was not saluting that time. Some officers I guess don't put being saluted high on their priority list. We did not know each other and had no connection other than being in the army. We were just walking by each other in front of an office building. I don't think either one of us had occupied hands.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next