Posted on Mar 19, 2014
Saluting: Have you ever encountered an officer that did not salute you back, although he/she recognized your salute?
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Saluting
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I recall a story from when I was a private of an overbearing 2LT that was seen standing in front of a soldier making him salute like 100 times because he had failed to salute him within the customary number of paces.
Apparently a BDE commander was watching from his office and decided to confront the LT . I don't think the LT was happy when although he was commended for correcting the soldier, he was advised that an officer always returns the salute.
I sure it looked pretty funny to see these two standing on the street saluting each other for 30 minutes.
Moral of the story, praise in public, counsel in private.
Apparently a BDE commander was watching from his office and decided to confront the LT . I don't think the LT was happy when although he was commended for correcting the soldier, he was advised that an officer always returns the salute.
I sure it looked pretty funny to see these two standing on the street saluting each other for 30 minutes.
Moral of the story, praise in public, counsel in private.
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Well... I was very angry at the time (walking to chow in Iraq) having a heated discussion with one of my peers who was trying to calm me down. As we were coming around the T-Wall, we passed two captains also in a discussion. I reflexively brought it up and gave the greeting of the day. They ignored me. In my now stoked rage, I spun on my heels, still holding my salute, exclaiming, "Excuse me, sir?!" They spun around and one apologized and returned my salute. I could have used a bit more tact in the way I corrected them.
It made me a degree more angry as enlisted are just as entitled to the salute as officers. They just get it first because of their rank. It is equally disrespectful for an officer to not salute an enlistedman as for an enlistedman to not salute an officer.
It made me a degree more angry as enlisted are just as entitled to the salute as officers. They just get it first because of their rank. It is equally disrespectful for an officer to not salute an enlistedman as for an enlistedman to not salute an officer.
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SGT (Join to see)
Not only disrespectful, but if I'm not mistaken, just as mandatory under AR 600-25, paragraph 1-5.
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Please don't thumbs down me but even though it rarely happens to me, I will just keep on walking. If that officer does not have even have enough self worth to salute back, that officer is not worth my time to correct.
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SSG (Join to see)
well its about costoms and cursties its not about if they are worth your time to corect them battle it about doing what is right and what you should do i corect them just to make them mad and also so they know that i know what right is
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SGT (Join to see)
My PSG is always telling us every time we allow a deficiency to slide, we are creating a new standard.
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The only time I have run into this is when the Officer is carrying stuff and is unable to salute. I did notice a little bit of panic in his eyes because it kind of caught him off guard, but other than that, I have never seen an Officer refuse to return a salute.
If I did see this happening, it would be a simple on the spot correction. I wouldn't expect much push back unless the correction was handled in an unprofessional manner or without tact.
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SSG (Join to see)
SFC, I thought if the officer (to include yourself) had your hands full/occupied, then rendering a salute wasn't necessary?
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SSG Kevin McCulley
SPC, you should still render a verbal salute. In example: I was walking into the brigade hqs at Ft. Bliss with my arms full of crap. A Major was coming out. I nodded and gave the greeting of the day. He returned my verbal salute with a physical one and gave the counter greeting. That is how it is supposed to work.
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CPT William Jones
If sm has hands full all that is required is render the appropriate greeting if you are loaded down and your jr you greet first he saluted and renders greeting.
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Honestly I love the history and respect of a returned salute. The part that really gets to me is the sloppy and/or improper "knife hand to the forehead"... I've been in for longer than most Company Commanders; but, I ensure that I give their position/rank the respect it deserves. You salute the rank, not the man! Eventually, those reluctant to return in kind, learn the honor and respect established within a snappy hand salute, some need a little more coaching/teaching than others.
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Well as a Security Forces and working gate guard all the time, i get this all the time. Ive learned to just ignore it but somedays are more annoying then others. If i really want a salute i can just hold the ID till they render one back, so thats fun!
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Unfortunately there are those unprofessional, usually junior officers, that forget the structure of the military. These arrogant individuals will eventually catch karma in regards of shitty work details or leading a command that in return do not respect them.
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I ran across this quite a bit while I was in. I figure it was because I was the debt . manager in the finance office and I somehow manged to get on their bad side. I just let it go and go on with my day, a disrespectful officer was not going to stop me from doing the job I was told to do by my commanding officer.
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An officer should know better. It shouldn't take a SSG with more than 15 years of service to inform the officer on the correct standard. Call me undisciplined or arrogant but they are not worth my time to inform them on the correct procedure. They get paid entirely too much not to salute back.
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SSG (Join to see)
Won't call you undisciplined, but I will make sure that if I salute someone, my rank AND his/her's will be respected. The salute is about the rank and the history behind it, not the individual; it's always worth my time, and I get paid what I get paid to inform new second lieutenants and above on correct procedures if our traditions are being broken/disrepected. I respect your thoughts on the subject though. Thanks for the reply.
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I have seen it several times. In armor units we just didn't by an unspoken agreement you only saluted and presented the greeting of the day as a way to alert the unit that there was an intruder (the dangerous kind).
That being said the officer is just as obligated to return the salute as the enlisted is to render it. (Chiefs just get a 'Good morning chief' because pissing off a CWO is hust not worth it)
It happens more often than I would like to admit. Enlisted get corrected officers get 'the conversation'. My XO is a great guy, and will engage in 'the Conversation' where the offending officer will hear.
It goes something like this: Officers have the legal authority to order us to die. 'Sergeant move out and draw fire' is a perfectly legal order to which the correct response is "Yes, Sir" and the selection of two privates who don't owe you money. We invest these 22 year old college graduates with a position where their errors will be paid for with our lives. An officer who is unwilling to return the demonstration of respect that is a salute is a pretty sad thing. The conversation is long and flexible but we have fun with it.
That being said the officer is just as obligated to return the salute as the enlisted is to render it. (Chiefs just get a 'Good morning chief' because pissing off a CWO is hust not worth it)
It happens more often than I would like to admit. Enlisted get corrected officers get 'the conversation'. My XO is a great guy, and will engage in 'the Conversation' where the offending officer will hear.
It goes something like this: Officers have the legal authority to order us to die. 'Sergeant move out and draw fire' is a perfectly legal order to which the correct response is "Yes, Sir" and the selection of two privates who don't owe you money. We invest these 22 year old college graduates with a position where their errors will be paid for with our lives. An officer who is unwilling to return the demonstration of respect that is a salute is a pretty sad thing. The conversation is long and flexible but we have fun with it.
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