Do you call at Ease when a SGM walks in the area when the Commander is also in the direct vicinity?

2014-01-08T20:08:48-05:00

As I was reporting for my staff duty shift, the outgoing brought up this question to the CSM and he wasn't 100% on the answer so he asked me to research it.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Jan 8 at 2014 8:10 PM

2014-01-08T20:10:40-05:00

You administer the proper courtesy for the senior ranking member in the area. That would be the Commander not the SGM.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2014 8:11 PM

2014-01-08T20:11:01-05:00

You call "Attention" for the Commander, anyhow. You render different courtesies for each. When I was on shift, "Attention" equated to the senior commissioned officer was in the building, and "At Ease" equated to the senior non-commissioned officer in the building. If someone senior to either one walked in, they usually assumed their first line or a VIP was now in the area.

Response by SPC Christopher Smith made Jan 8 at 2014 8:11 PM

2014-01-08T20:11:57-05:00

From what I recall you call whoever enters first. If the first person was CSM, At Ease. If followed by the BC, call Attention. If the BC enters first call Attention, if followed by the CSM you will not call anything.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2014 8:34 PM

2014-01-08T20:34:36-05:00

I understand that is the "Norm" and that is what I've always been told however, I have not been able to find the answer in any Doctrine. I looked in AR 600-25, FM 22-5, TRADOC PAM 600-4, and FM 3-21.5 with no luck. Does anyone know the correct AR/FM to reference or is this just a genral understanding?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2014 1:23 AM

2014-01-09T01:23:12-05:00

So thanks to SSG Burns I think I have my answer.  "When an NCO of superior rank enters the room, the first soldier to recognize the NCO calls the room to “At ease.”"  FM 7-21.13 para 4-16 When I read that sentence I saw that there is nowhere that states unless there is an officer present. So I'm going to say call at ease.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2014 6:01 AM

2014-01-09T06:01:25-05:00

Simple answer is no.  Complicated answer - if the unit CSM is first entering the unit for the day or departing for the day it is expected for you call "At Ease" just as you call "Attention" for the unit Commander.  Otherwise, the military courtesy goes to the highest ranking individual in the room/area.  If a commissioned officer, even a 2LT, is in the room and a SGM enters, it is inappropriate to call "At Ease".  Hope this helps.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jan 9 at 2014 9:11 AM

2014-01-09T09:11:08-05:00

I've never understood calling At Ease when the intent is to have everyone go to Parade Rest...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2014 9:25 AM

2014-01-09T09:25:16-05:00

Not sure if this will help you or not but take a few minutes and check out TC 3-21.5 States on page
4-3 When describing Parade Rest "Note: Enlisted soldiers assume this postion
when addressing all noncommissioned officers or when noncommissioned officers
address noncommissioned officers of superior rank."

Response by MAJ Samuel Weber made Jan 9 at 2014 10:42 AM

2014-01-09T10:42:27-05:00

BLUF: If it makes the CSM/SGM happy do it, but ensure that it doesn't upset the unit commander. This used to really bug me. When I was a Company XO the BDE S3 SGM or BN CSM came into the orderly while the commander was there the clerk would call "At-Ease". I corrected them sdtating that the commander was present and that if the purpose was to warn the 1SG, then a simple "Can I help you Sergeant Major?" would warn him properly without disrespecting the commander and his position.  Here is my thought process with my comments: If the BN/BDE CSM walks in and Staff Duty doesn't call "at-ease" then this is a cue for the CSM that his boss is already present in the building. If not, then he is prepared to for when the "boss" does arrive. I do agree that the original intent of calling Attention and At-Ease to to warn the local Soldiers that a Senior Soldier was presnet and to demonstarte respect. It's like calling "At-Ease" for a senior officer in the DFAC. No one seems to do that anymore.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2014 12:38 PM

2014-01-09T12:38:17-05:00

Attention should be called when a Senior Officer arrives and At Ease when the Senior Enlisted arrives if they arrive separately. If the Senior Officer and Senior Enlisted are entering at the same time, as a BN CDR & CSM, the Senior Enlisted always yields to the Senior Officer, therefore only Attention is called.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2014 11:06 PM

2014-01-09T23:06:59-05:00

When I was a junior enlisted Soldier I called "at ease" when any NCO walked in my area. As a junior NCO, I did the same for PSGs and higher. As a PSG, I did it for 1SGs and above. As a 1SG, when the SGM/CSM walks in my area I better hear someone say at ease. It is not about making the CSM happy, it is the standard courtesy. If I'm working late and the CSM walks in my office I still stand up.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 10 at 2014 12:44 AM

2014-01-10T00:44:09-05:00

So why at the dining facility does headcount holler "At ease" for a CSM when there are officers already sitting in the defac?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 10 at 2014 9:31 PM

2014-01-10T21:31:12-05:00

My answer is the same as most have already stated. If there is someone senior to the rank in question you do not disrespect the senior already present. I will add that you would still acknowledge the CSM with proper the greeting.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2014 12:01 PM

2014-01-23T12:01:18-05:00

I've always practiced calling "At Ease" when the 1SG walks into the Company for the first time, when the CSM walks into the Battalion for the first time and when either leaves their area for the day. Also, when the CSM walks into the Company. Also, I'm not entirely sure what the Commander being in the vicinity has to do with this question. You don't render this courtesy to Officers. If the top enlisted or officer (or higher) walks into their building then you would call "At Ease"/"Attention" respectively. I'm trying to find it in the regulations. To be continued....

Response by SFC Rich Carey made Jan 23 at 2014 12:17 PM

2014-01-23T12:17:06-05:00

We called Attention for the commander when he arrived for
the day and anyone with a higher rank came in we called attention for them.
One, it recognizes the senior officer Two, it alerted the commander if someone
senior entered. (And when they exit, for the day)

We did the same thing for the highest ranking enlisted. 1SG
walks in At Ease, someone senior to him or her At Ease, as above it recognized
the senior enlisted and alerted the 1SG if someone senior to him is in the
area. (same as above, exit and the day)

If the BN/BDE/Division CDR walked in with the CSM respectively
Attention was called.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Feb 8 at 2014 10:24 AM

2014-02-08T10:24:43-05:00

Bear in mind that local policy will also affect this. Here at CASCOM, we have more Generals, Colonels, Lt Cols, CSM's, SGM's etc.. than you can shake a stick at. So by necessity,of course we don't do this

This is one of those crazy duties where you can say " Him? Oh, he's just a Colonel/SGM" =)

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2014 1:59 PM

2014-02-08T13:59:08-05:00

Depends, like some of the responses below, on the situation.

Response by SSgt Lonnie Montgomery made Feb 9 at 2014 2:51 PM

2014-02-09T14:51:54-05:00

<div>Military customs and courtesies…..  stop trying to complicate the situation:  it is really simple.  Call “attention” for the highest ranking commissioned officer. Call “at ease” for the highest ranking non-commissioned officer entering an area.  Commissioned officers always outrank non-commissioned officers regardless of duty position, e.g. CSM, 1SG.  And yes in the hierarchy of things a 2LT outranks the CSM every time.  Which does not mean you can disrespect the NCO.  Perhaps a “can I help you CSM” will do the job to call the attention to the fact that a senior NCO has entered but is not the ranking person.  As I said simple that is unless you are referring to Navy customs and courtesies which take on a whole new meaning.</div><div> </div>

Response by MCPO George Steed made Feb 11 at 2014 9:30 AM

2014-02-11T09:30:52-05:00

Is this an Army thing? 20 yrs in the Navy and I've never heard of it. You don't say anything for enlisted other than "Good Morning Master Chief".

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2014 7:03 PM

2014-03-11T19:03:43-04:00

These are my two rule of thumb. I haven't had a complaint or correction on them in 12+ years of service:

I will call At Ease for an NCO when an Officer is present... IF the NCO is in a command position of a higher echelon than the Officer. For example, if a CPT is present and the BN/BDE/TRADOC CSM enters the room, I call At Ease.

ALSO, I will always call a Company to Attention for the CO, and always call a Company to At Ease for the 1SG, no matter who was there first. Same goes
for BN CDR and BN CSM, etc.

Response by SGT Jay Ehrenfeld made Aug 27 at 2014 3:46 PM

2014-08-27T15:46:55-04:00

according to the regulation if the CSM walk in the room with you call at ease even those the Commander then calledd attention when the commander walk in

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2019 8:33 PM

2019-07-09T20:33:30-04:00

I believe that TC 7-21.13 supercedes FM 7-21.13, and I haven't seen any mention of calling "At Ease" in the newish (2015) TC 7-21.13. That said, I still follow the old FM and call at ease because that is what's expected by the Senior NCOs who earned their rank prior to the new regulation. I could be wrong, but I prefer to err on the safe side.

Response by CSM Carl Cunningham made Jul 10 at 2019 10:18 PM

2019-07-10T22:18:35-04:00

The answer is no. I used to get upset as a 1SG when this happened too. I had a company full of fight warrants, and Soldiers tried calling at ease for me when I first took over. I stopped that quickly. If there was an officer in the building as I entered fro the day, they were to NOT call at ease for me as I felt it is disrespectful to the officer.