Posted on Jun 27, 2023

Should retired officers, who are not in uniform, return a salute?

23.5K

534

153

Should retired officers, who are not in uniform, return a salute?

I see soldiers at the gate salute me when I come through, even though I present my retired ID card -- and sometimes when I show my contractor CAC. I get that it's respect to my retired rank, but only GOs retain their rank when they retire. And, since I now have a beard and am never in uniform, it feels weird returning a salute. What say you?

Posted in these groups: Female officer saluting

Saluting

Retirement Respect logo

Respect

Advice

Posted 5 mo ago

Follow this discussion

Responses: 98

104

COL Dan Ruder

Posted 5 mo ago

"Salutes are not required to be rendered by or to personnel who are driving or riding in privately-owned vehicles, except by gate guards (military personnel only) who will (AR 600–25) render salutes to recognized officers in ALL (emphasis added) vehicles unless duties are of such a nature as to make the salute impractical." Also, "salutes are not required to be rendered or returned when the senior or subordinate or both are in civilian attire."
If a military gate guard salutes you it is a courtesy, even if you are retired, and even though it's not required. Personally, I return the courtesy, just as I did when I was in uniform, and since I am at a complete stop it doesn't interfere with my ability as the driver of the car. Salutes are not "required" by either party, but they are also not prohibited. It would feel very wrong to me to be saluted at the gate and then drive off without having acknowledged the trooper's courtesy.

(104)

Comment

(0)

show previous comments

SFC Michael Lindenbusch

2 mo

Also worth remembering that different services have different standards. The Air Force, for example, mandates salutes by enlisted to retired officers once properly identified. And I would agree that returning a salute rendered is both proper and a matter of courtesy.

(5)

(0)

LCDR Jerry Maurer

2 mo

I stopped and asked, and was told I wasn't required to salute. I asked what the gate guard would prefer. He told me that he was going to salute me either way in honor of my service. I said in that case I should return his salute and he said he would be honored to receive it. Since then I always return a salute, simple courtesy and, quite frankly, as a lowly 0-4, it makes my day.

(5)

(0)

MSgt Bobby Gene

2 mo

Returning a salute is just a classy way to show appreciation to the courtesy rendered.

(4)

(0)

MAJ Joe L

1 mo

Well said.

(2)

(0)

MAJ Ronnie Reams

Posted 5 mo ago

If you did not resign your commission, you still have it. Remember that pay you get every month is retainer pay.

(36)

Comment

(0)

show previous comments

CPT (Join to see)

2 mo

A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney or do it illegally where they don't think that they will be held accountable for it because their lawyers will intimidate and threaten anyone that takes it to court (which is what the US Army lawyers tried to do to my atorney), or buy off the judge to keep the person from filing pauperis.

(0)

A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney

2 mo

CPT (Join to see) - The Way The Schools Got Rid Of Teachers, WAS Legal, Just An "Under-Handed" Way Of Getting It Done, When Other Ways Which ARE Illegal, But Also More Complicated And Expensive.
So The District Just Found A Way Around Them..... And It's NOT Difficult To Do.
Sit In Any Court Room And You Can Watch It Done All Day Long....
Due To The Nature Of My Former Businesses, I Had Friends In The Legal & Medical Fields... Mark Light, A Lawyer In Michigan, Stated This: "We Have Laws And We Have Justice. And Do Not Confuse Them... They're 2 Completely Different Things, And Seldom Ever Seen Together In Our Courts of Laws"...."We've All Heard The Term 'Justice Courts'? But Even They Only Function Within The Limits Of The Legal System...

(1)

(0)