Posted on Mar 28, 2014

Military customs, courtesies, ceremonies, and protocol?

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Subject(s): Military customs, courtesies, culture, protocol (and the historical context and application of all-of-the-above). So, here's the rules: 1) post a challenging question, 2) post-up a hint (or hints) if unanswered after 12 hours, 3) then after 24 hours, post-up the answer... and that's it, we're ready to play, just a quick admin note and additional rule: display respect for members of all service branches, of all ranks, and in all statuses at all times; please remember this rule is most important. Please feel free to share any related background, history, stories, photos, links, audio/video needed to keep things interesting and engaging. Also, please remember to let folks know if your question is 'inter-service' or 'service-specific,' along with any other enlightening facts or "gee-whiz" info you'd like to share; this'll be great fun and I'm sure we'll learn a few interesting facts and a little bit about each other in the process. So, put on your thinking caps, pull-up a keyboard, and let's get this thing started; thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!

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Customs and Courtesies

Edited >1 y ago

Posted >1 y ago

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Responses: 12

MSG Jason Sikes

Posted >1 y ago

When passing a senior officer, the junior officer or Soldier at passing should render a
salute and say?

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LT Jessica Kellogg

>1 y

Follow up question (I've heard different answers, I don't know which is correct)

Enlisted and officer are walking together. They are approached my another enlisted servicemember. The approaching enlisted servicemember salutes and give the greeting of the day. Officer returns the salute. What is the correct response by the enlisted servicemember who is with the officer?

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MSG Jason Sikes

>1 y

if the enlisted servicemember is of the same or lesser rank, nothing. If the approaching enlisted servicemember is higher ranking then the one walking with the officer, they should give the greeting of the day. Goes with the old saying, "when in doubt", well you get what I'm trying to say.

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Maj Mike Sciales

>1 y

I like the fact that we recognize each other. I nod and say hello to people some days just out of habit and some folks don't react, others act flustered, but some also say "hello." "Good Day/Morning/Evening, sir, ma'am, by your leave Unit motto" is just manners and by it we are maintaining a standard that frankly, not everybody is capable of maintaining. We are different. Good for us and every NCO and Officer who came before and insisted on certain standards - and good for the new troops who keep asking to keep things valid. I enlisted during Vietnam and saw how the draft dodgers who joined the USAF and were not interested in being there, did press the test and did move inefficient bureaucracies forward, just by asking questions and challenging routinely. It's a good thing. The military should reflect the population who serve.

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SFC Marcus Belt

>1 y

There is only one correct answer: "All the way, sir!"

(1)

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SFC Aaron Calmes

Posted >1 y ago

When a casualty notification is made, what personnel does the team consist of and what is the rank of the person giving the notification?

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SFC Aaron Calmes

>1 y

On the team, one should be obvious and that is a chaplain. For the rank of the notification officer think about different scenarios, the Army does actually use common sense with this for a change:

What would make sense for a SFC?

What would make sense for a CPT?

What would make sense for a COL?

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SFC Aaron Calmes

>1 y

I don't know if it was that boring of a question or people just don't know. The notification officer will always be at least equal or higher rank than the service member that passed away. So an E-7 (which is the lowest rank that can notify) can perform a notification for E-1 to E-7. The problem is usually when a higher ranking enlisted or officer pass that the pool of available notifies is extremely small

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SFC Toby Reid

Posted >1 y ago

Why does the lower enlisted soldier walk to the left of a senior ranking soldier?

Bonus question: What is meant by the term short tail?

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1SG Frank Rocha

>1 y

perhaps the horses tail is actually trimmed for some reason.

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SFC Toby Reid

>1 y

Exactly, all CAV officers rode horses. The new officer was issued a horse with a shaved tail, so soldiers knew the experience level of their officers. Thus, the term "shaved tailed lewey"

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SGT (Join to see)

>1 y

Good info SSG

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MAJ Jim Woods

>1 y

Thus the term "Shave Tail" as applied to a new 2Lt. Thanks SSG Toby....

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Military customs, courtesies, ceremonies, and protocol?

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