Should a 2LT salute a 1LT?

this is a trick question, right?..

The 2LT are required by regulations to render a salute to all those who out rank him/her.

You are saluting the rank not the man. Even if a person does not like the other it is his obligation and requirement of regulation to render a salute or return a salute. I use to tell my Men that yes sometimes you don’t want to but look at it this way. You are getting the opportunity to make an officer return that salute even if he doesn’t want to. If his arms are full and he has his keys in hand trying to open his vehicle he is required to return a salute to you. Make him smile and realize you got him. It’s a time honored recognition dating back to the Roman days of warriors.

There are several responses here with which I agree, and having faced the question myself while a 2LT, this one strikes home. The regulation requires that the junior render honors to (salute) the senior; however, tradition holds that salutes between lieutenants are rendered based on position of authority. For example, if the 1LT occupies a command position, such as Company CDR, he is due the salute. The same might hold true if the 1LT is serving as Paymaster or similar appointed authority. Otherwise, lieutenants generally do not exchange salutes. This was the practice throughout my time as a lieutenant, and I observed the tradition continuing as I moved up the ladder.

However there was that one time... In this particular situation, I was the Brigade Duty Officer for the night (Duty Daddy). My rank - 2LT (quite senior 2LT, but still a butter bar). During rounds, I visited each battalion, where most of the Duty Officers also were 2LT. However, one of the Battalion Duty Officers was a 1LT. Although our meeting and conversation had been cordial and informal, as I departed, he demanded that I render a salute. In my duty capacity, I "outranked" him, but his demand was unalterable. I saluted, but only cursory. He filed a formal complaint with the Bde CDR and my Company Cdr, both of whom dismissed the complaint. I had not met him previously, and had never encountered such a requirement anywhere on post, but guidance from both commanders was that by regulation he was technically correct. I also learned from them that he had a reputation for being "by the book," but that he applied "the book" when he wanted to pull a power play. Consequently, he was not looked upon favorably by any officer or NCO in his battalion or within the brigade. My CO informed me several weeks late that the LT had finally gone too far, and the Bde CDR himself had given an adverse OER, effectively ending his career. He finally got a real taste of "by the book."

My experience here may not directly address the question, but I think it does speak to the intent - render a salute when the situation clearly requires it, or when in doubt. Otherwise, an LT is an LT.

I remember a time I was walking onto the flight line, I was an E-2, (We were told not to salute officers on the flight-line) a staff car was driving by. We were on the flight line, so, we didn't salute. This Col. had a line number for general, stopped, got out of his car and proceed to chew us out. We explained that we were told not to salute officers on the flight-line. He said "I'm in my staff car with the flag flying, you salute! "We popped him a salute, said were sorry and went on our way. He was displaying a star on his vehicles flag, not a bird. Was he wrong?

Rank does have it's privileges and yes the junior ranked officer should always salute the senior officer, regardless of rank !

in tyhe Corps when I was in, you had better believe that an officer with a butter DID salute first, the officer with one silver bar. or ALL Hell would break loose. I persoonally saw, with my own eyes 2 maybe three occasions when that didn't happen. in on such event, the 'junior' LT, [butter bar] had The Medal. the 1st Lt saluted that 2ndLt first and sustained it until the 2nd Lt brought his hand down first.

2nd event was a former enlisted, was made into a WO then after awhile into an officer. he had lots of personal decorations, both Korea and Vietnam. yet was only a 2nd LT. an USMC Cpt did salute him first and again, held it until the 2Lt brought his hand down to his side first.

can't remember if there was a number three or not. right now, in real time, I simply cannot recall with any degree of certainty.

Salutes are a sign of mutual respect. When I was in the navy, I was standing next to the captain. He looked over the bridge rail and saw an ensign on the quarterdeck make a sailor who had his arms full, put down his load and salute the officer fifty times. The ensign never returned any of the salutes. The captain, an O-6, had me go down and get both the ensign and the sailor. When the got to the bridge, the captain ordered the ensign to properly return the sailor's salute. After the sailor saluted the ensign fifty times more, and the ensign returned all fifty, the captain dismissed the sailor and took the ensign aside and counseled him on the importance of salutes as a form of mutual respect, military tradition, etc. Ensign learned a lesson, but the poor sailor wound up with a sore arm.

I served in the United States Army for 20 years. The junior ranking soldier always saluted the senior ranking officer. That’s the way it was and that’s the way it should always be.

Seriously? Why ask such an inane question? It’s right there in the regulations of every Service branch.
It’s respect for the rank worn, not the individual. You might despise him or her personally but you are saluting that Rank
Not them as an individual.