Posted on Oct 11, 2020
How do new officers avoid giving their first salute to a random passing by serviceman?
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When new officers are commissioned, I've heard it's a tradition to give their first salute (and a silver dollar coin) to a special someone of choice. How do they avoid having to render this salute when walking past other enlisted serviceman? The 'ole duck and dodge? (/s)
Or is "first salute" just metaphorical, and not the actual first salute rendered as an officer?
Or is "first salute" just metaphorical, and not the actual first salute rendered as an officer?
Officers
Commission
2d Lt
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 23
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Haven't the faintest idea. When I got commissioned, The SGM was there and made it a point to salute all 6 of us. So I had to be prepared. I also gave silver dollars to the 2 admin ladies and 2 supply workers. The admin ladies for doing all the paperwork for my commission and the supply employees because they let me keep my uniforms from the ROTC unit, that saved me several hundred bucks!! I found out that I was the only one that did that. They really appreciated the gesture. I've never saw anyone do the duck and dodge.
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If you're seriously worried about WHO you give that salute to, then you're just an asshole.
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I read a story down below about a guy who planned it out for his sister, even got a really expensive coin for her to pass on to her brother. But then a “random shriveled up enlisted soldier” ran up to the sister and stole the show.
Obviously there’s nothing “wrong” with this situation, but they had planned for it to go much differently. Needless to say, they weren’t “happy,” but it is what it is. I don’t think it’s being an asshole to make that first salute memorable. Not to mention the fact it’s literally just a tradition as well.
Obviously there’s nothing “wrong” with this situation, but they had planned for it to go much differently. Needless to say, they weren’t “happy,” but it is what it is. I don’t think it’s being an asshole to make that first salute memorable. Not to mention the fact it’s literally just a tradition as well.
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For the Marine Corps it is pre-arranged, to go to the place of your choosing after graduating OCS to be pinned and render the first salute. Common places are the Marine Corps Museum outside Quantico, or Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington.
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