Should a 2LT salute a 1LT?

So what is the problem? You respect those who out rank you. Glad EM 's do not have that problem. R.H.I.P.

Regulations are pretty clear on saluting, who to salute and how to salute.

salute all officers with higher rank.

Don't know about the Army. In the Marines, you salute anyone of a higher rank, that includes officers to each other. The Plt. Commanders in a Marine Rifle Company know each other well, but ya never know who's watching. Plus you're showing respect to a higher rank. That's as it should be I'd think. Then again I've been out for 35 years.

There is an old story in the British army of a Regimental Sergeant Major and a group of recent Subalterns fresh out of Sandhurst about to go to their positions in the regiment. He said something like this. "Gentlemen, should we meet, I will salute you and say 'sir,' and you will salute and say 'sergeant major' but you will mean it."

I was once told that rank among Lietenants was like virtue among (ladies of the evening). In other words, Lietenants don't salute Lietenants.

A comment I heard from one Lieutenant to another in the 82nd Airborne;

"Rank between lieutenants is like virtue among whores."

Why is there any question to this? The Reg says to salute, so salute. If an Officer/WO rates a salute, respect him/her and give it. It's not like you have to give up a dollar everytime you do it. Respect the rank and follow the regs.

Now, I've seen/heard comments about how some NCO here or there who may think that with all their experience the 2LT an hour after being commissioned should salute you, but thats not how it works.

If you're a good NCO, you'll take your new LT under your wing and train him/her right before some shitty NCO messes them up (which has been done AND made that LT never trust another NCO again) and yes, I've into a few of those Officers in the past. It's really hard to retrain them. But it can be done. Officers may make the orders, but we NCO's run the show. So, give the salute, 2LT to 1LT; etc.

i do not know why this salute thing has gotten so heated. It is just a time honored tradition of saying hello. I saluted everything that walked it seems back in 1970's. Became a Branch officer in 1982 ( 2LT) and still saluted everything. Was re-branched as a WO2 in 1988 and still saluted everything. When I made W-5, it was always fun to see what young officers did when they say a W-5. They did not know what to do upon seeing a dinosaur. I always saluted first. I did have one stop me and tell me he did not know what to do as he had never seen a live W-5!

Prior to WW2, it was the standard in the USMC for 2nd Lt's to salute 1st Lt's.