Do you call "At ease " or "Attention" if your alone?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 06:43:10 -0400

If a CSM or 1sgt walks in and your alone do you still call at ease ?

Response by CSM Chuck Stafford made Apr 19 at 2018 7:02 AM

CSM Chuck Stafford — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 07:02:28 -0400

If you knew you were alone and came to parade rest and gave the greeting of the day -- you'd be ok by me -- otherwise a loud and thunderous "AT EASE" can never be wrong

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2018 7:24 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 07:24:20 -0400

Yes, you are to still call at ease/attention out of proper respect towards the individual. You never know whose around or whose behind them.

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Apr 19 at 2018 7:44 AM

SGT Matthew S. — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 07:44:09 -0400

Call it out. You'll feel goofy as can be (trust me), but better safe than sorry. As far as I know, customs & courtesies doesn't specify how many people have to be in the room, and you never know who is coming in the door behind them or is out in the hallway.

Response by SGT Tom Middleton made Apr 19 at 2018 9:25 AM

SGT Tom Middleton — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 09:25:47 -0400

That's exactly what happened to me in basic training. It was 2am, and I was on fire watch in the barracks with the entire platoon asleep nearby.

I jumped to parade rest, and I said "parade rest", but I spoke the words just loud enough for the senior NCOs to hear... not so loud that I woke anyone up.

They were Ok with it, but still... the point of basic training is to test your limits, kick the civilian out of you and forge you into a soldier in a very short time frame. At this point in your military career, it's never wrong to follow the letter of the law. When you get older, common sense might slowly be "re-authorized" into your life:)

May the Good Lord keep you safe as you protect our nation.

Doc Middleton

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 19 at 2018 9:29 AM

SGM Bill Frazer — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 09:29:40 -0400

Yes, just to be safe- tho jumping to Parade Rest and a loud- "Airborne SGM" works for me.

Response by SPC Mike Davis made Apr 19 at 2018 9:47 AM

SPC Mike Davis — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 09:47:47 -0400

Thankfully in the 60's never had to do such a thing. It was bad enough to give some formal notice to an officer let alone a sgt of any rank. Sgt were given respect because they were Sgt and earned it. My last 1st Sgt ran the company and you damn well knew it. Never met the C. O. (except when I reported in.) Do not remember him at all. But I sure do remember 1st Sgt Shackleford. When you are a leader everyone knows who and what you are without having to go through some silly formal public announcement!

Response by SGT Robert Wager made Apr 19 at 2018 10:46 AM

SGT Robert Wager — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 10:46:55 -0400

Depends on the circumstance. If you are alone in your barracks room then probably not. He has already been "announced" by the CQ and you didn't hear it. Pretty silly to "announce" to a room that only you occupy that he has entered. If you are the CQ or SDNCO and it is their first arrival of the day then yes, you are to announce their arrival for the day.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2018 10:47 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 10:47:18 -0400

Yes

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2018 11:50 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 11:50:36 -0400

If your alone you don't call anything. If you see a 1sg or sgm walk in the room you just assume the at ease position until he tells you to carry on. Same with an officer. Except you come to attention until he says carry on or at ease. No sense calling it out of there is no one to call it out to

Response by SSG Kenneth Boyer made Apr 19 at 2018 1:39 PM

SSG Kenneth Boyer — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 13:39:12 -0400

If I was alone, I would just snap to the appropriate postition and politely greet whoever it was that entered the area. It never went over wrong in any way. If anything, they would want to see what it was I was working on or what kind of progress I was making because it usually an important task I was executing for my unit.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Apr 19 at 2018 1:56 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 13:56:01 -0400

Neither... If you're by yourself, assume the correct position and be done with it.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Apr 19 at 2018 2:05 PM

SGT Dave Tracy — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 14:05:02 -0400

I certainly have.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2018 2:23 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 14:23:56 -0400

No stand up go to parade rest and address the NCO

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Apr 19 at 2018 3:05 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 15:05:03 -0400

I would call my Soldiers to attention.

Response by 1SG John Highfill made Apr 19 at 2018 4:54 PM

1SG John Highfill — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 16:54:48 -0400

If there is mo one there but assume the at ease position

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 19 at 2018 9:44 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 21:44:43 -0400

You take up the appropriate position and recognize the entrant by grade and name.

Response by SGT Robert Mcfadden made Apr 20 at 2018 1:17 PM

SGT Robert Mcfadden — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:17:55 -0400

It does feel silly, but I always did kinda depends on the csm personality.

Response by SGT Gregg Pimental made Apr 21 at 2018 10:49 PM

SGT Gregg Pimental — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 22:49:02 -0400

No. But you snap to parade rest.

Response by SGT Joshua Tracy made Apr 23 at 2018 2:05 AM

SGT Joshua Tracy — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 02:05:31 -0400

Attention is for officers (c/o)

Response by SGT Kyle Bickley made May 14 at 2018 10:07 PM

SGT Kyle Bickley — Mon, 14 May 2018 22:07:22 -0400

Highly recommend it! They like it! Shows respect.

Response by PV2 Rugomoka Prince made May 26 at 2018 3:23 AM

PV2 Rugomoka Prince — Sat, 26 May 2018 03:23:01 -0400

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2018 2:49 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 14:49:04 -0400

Always go "by the book" the first time, and then let your chain of command set the climate with you afterwards.

Response by CW2 Michael Bodnar made Oct 25 at 2018 10:29 AM

CW2 Michael Bodnar — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 10:29:49 -0400

Silly question for the group. If I as a CW2 am in the same area where other Soldiers (CPT's & LT's as well) are and a CSM walks in, is it appropriate to call at ease?

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Oct 25 at 2018 11:39 AM

SGT Dave Tracy — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 11:39:00 -0400

I did. A room with 1 person or a room with 100 is still a room with rank walking in. Might they tell ya to knock it off? Maybe, but that doesn't mean you were wrong. Besides, better safe than oh-so sorry.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Oct 25 at 2018 5:51 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 17:51:45 -0400

I believe it is supposed to go like: Sargeant or Sir! Or the person's rank -as you come to attention or parade rest.

Response by SGT Mark Estes made Oct 29 at 2018 12:59 AM

SGT Mark Estes — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 00:59:03 -0400

I’m sure you don’t need to call it out since you’re alone unless you’re in basic training. Parade rest or attention/greeting of the day would be appropriate, all depends on your comfort level in my opinion.

Response by AN Michael Wilder made Oct 30 at 2018 7:37 PM

AN Michael Wilder — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 19:37:43 -0400

Ok, I'm confused. Is it Army custom to yell "attention" for an enlisted person? I realize that Command Seargents Major and First Sargents are high ranking NCO's but in the Navy, we don't yell "attention on deck" for E-7's -E-9's. Also, if you were alone who would have called attention in the first place even if you do call it for an enlisted person? In the Navy, the person for whom attention was called is the one who then says "at ease" or "take your seats" or similar. Is it different in the Army? I'm only talking about when someone enters an indoor space too, btw. That's the way I read the question. I know that for formal formations it's different, it's the same for us in the Navy, but indoors is something else entirely. We don't salute indoors like the Army does either come to think of it.

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made Oct 31 at 2018 1:03 PM

PVT Mark Zehner — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 13:03:33 -0400

It became 2nd nature to just say that!

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2018 1:05 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 13:05:22 -0400

Yes, I do. Heaven forbid, I even do it for, shhhhhh, officers.

Response by SGT Robert Martin made Oct 31 at 2018 7:59 PM

SGT Robert Martin — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 19:59:39 -0400

In my day hell yes!!! Two reasons one keep Top or the CSM happy, but the most important reason was to make sure everyone know they are on the floor.