Posted on Nov 3, 2013
CPT Senior Instructor
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I have been dealing with this a lot. I have seen both ways. As per AR 600–25 the junior person should salute. I see a 1LT senior to a 2LT and I salute them. I have seen many instances where this does not happen. Most see a LT as a LT regardless of being a 1st or 2nd. How do you all feel about this?

"B. All Army personnel in uniform are required to salute when they meet and recognize persons entitled to the salute. Salutes will be exchanged between officers (commissioned and warrant) and enlisted personnel, and with personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States..."
Edited 11 y ago
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SSgt John Vanderhoff
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Edited >1 y ago
Bottom line is that if one outranks the other, then salute. Would a Lt.Col not Salute a Col.? They are both Col's.....both field grade. It goes to good order and discipline, and setting the example. While I only see a "first termer" when I look at a Lt., the bottom line is that they served their time as a "butter bar" and just the same as getting promoted from Corporal to Sgt...etc....they take pride in their advancement as well. It's only a salute, and as a service member, by not doing it your just being lazy. You hear the same conversations about CWO's Saluting Lt's. When I was on active duty, I worked with MANY CWO's, and the ones that took pride in the uniform and set the example ALWAYS saluted LT's. I asked one why they did due to the fact that I heard this topic even while on active duty and his response was " Have you ever seen a 1st or 2nd Lt reporting to a CWO as his Commanding Officer?" In short....NO. However, I have seen a 1st Lt serve as a Company Commander over CWO's. Why? Because they are SENIOR in RANK. Understand what a salute means, practice customs and courtesies, and have respect for your fellow service members regardless of which rank structured path they chose to go down. Each step whether Officer or Enlisted is an accomplishment and should be respected for that persons achievement. Just my opinion.

John V.
USMC
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MIDN 2/C Student
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I may be a Political Science major, and math isn't my forte but I have created a very detailed formula to explain this.
2ndLt = O1
1stLt = O2

O2 > O1 = O1 saluting O2
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CPT Senior Instructor
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It sounds so simple.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
Sweet, and simplistic in terms of military tradition.
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Capt Retired
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CPT (Join to see) - It is so simple.
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LCpl Mark Lefler
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why wouldn't they? one holds a higher commissioned rank.
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LCpl Mark Lefler
LCpl Mark Lefler
>1 y
and a lot of them do.
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LCpl Mark Lefler
LCpl Mark Lefler
>1 y
I just kind of thought a lower rank even if only one rank lower still has to salute a higher rank, isn't that how its always been, is there some exception for LTs?
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LTC Student
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LCpl Mark Lefler Does a PVT stand at parade rest for a PFC or a PFC for a LCpl?
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LCpl Mark Lefler
LCpl Mark Lefler
10 y
LTC (Join to see) - but enlisted do not sulate enlisted to begin with, officers do salute higher ranking officers.
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SFC John Birks
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Of course they should, out of respect..
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CPT Senior Instructor
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This is the question that we all think is that simple. To those that are enlisted it is that simple. I was prior enlisted and thought the same way.
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LTC Bink Romanick
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My dad was a very early (Early 1960s) promoted CW4. On the day that I was commissioned, he saluted me and I handed him a silver dollar. He said " Don't get used to it, that's the last time ever son"
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LTC Bink Romanick
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rank among LTs is like chastity among .....
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CPT Critical Care Nurse
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I am a 2LT and always salute 1LT's.
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CPT Senior Instructor
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Where have you been this whole time. You are literally about the only other LT that does that. I was a 2LT when I asked this question so long ago. I would proudly salute you back.
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CPT Critical Care Nurse
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I don't use Rally Point much haha. But thank you! I feel that rank is rank and no matter how it is earned by an actual board or time in grade should be adhered to by regulation/respect.
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1LT A. Uribe
1LT A. Uribe
>1 y
I salute 1LTs as a 2LT it is customs and curtesies. If you expect your NCOs to go to parade rest for each why wouldn't we as officers do the same.
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CPT Senior Instructor
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1LT A. Uribe Now I am getting all the support.
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Lt Col Jim Coe
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Interesting to see the Army point of view decades after I served in the USAF, which is much criticized here for lack of discipline. My Air Force experience in the aviation world is different. When I entered pilot training as a 2d Lt, the instructors were all 1st Lts and Capts. The student pilots saluted any instructor or other more senior officer we encountered. The promotion cycles at the time were such that you were promoted to 1st Lt at 18 months commissioned service. Pilot training was a year long and your aircraft-specific training took several months. Add in survival training, travel time, and leave time and many new pilots arrived at their first flying squadron as 1st Lts. The atmosphere was much more relaxed than the school houses, but those of us who arrived at our first squadron as a 2d Lt still saluted 1st Lts.
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CPT Senior Instructor
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Wow. You can see the difference in eras. Thanks for the info. I would have done the same.
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CPT J2 X
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Although I agree with what you all are saying, I was told that we, 2LTs, don't salute 1LT because of some "gentlemen agreement" thing. This was done after I saluted a few of them and address them appropriately. I have no problem saluting those who are senior to me and it does make me feel awkwardly good when senior NCOs and CWO render the proper courtesy to us young officers.
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CPT Senior Instructor
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That was the situation I find myself in. As being prior enlisted I didn't understand why a CSM had to salute a 1LT and I didn't at a 2LT.
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MSgt RF Transmission Systems
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When one graduates from crayons to markers, the crayon users better smack their foreheads. (kidding, of course)

In seriousness, junior always salutes senior. It's not just heritage and tradition, it's regulation for at least the AF and Army.

Back to joking - I'm sure the Coast Guard accepts high-fives as substitute. :P
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