Should you salute someone who is wearing OCS rank as enlisted?

2023-06-29T02:58:25-04:00

I've heard both ways saying you should or you shouldn't.

Response by COL Randall C. made Jun 29 at 2023 7:46 AM

2023-06-29T07:46:29-04:00

Short answer: If you're asking if a military regulation requires you to treat an officer candidate (Academy, OCS, or ROTC) as an officer (commissioned or warrant), the answer is no.

As you are likely aware, a salute is a gesture of respect and sign of comradeship among military service personnel or to show respect to the nation's colors. It is not a sign of 'subservience', but it does have protocols and traditions that are followed. For personnel, one protocol is that it is exchanged between enlisted/officers and those officers of superior rank.

Officer cadets are ranked higher in order of precedence than Warrant Officer Candidates and enlisted members of the military, but an officer candidate is just that - a candidate. They are not a commissioned officer or an officer by warrant - they are an 'officer in training'.

HOWEVER, if you are talking about policies about OCS candidates saluting within the OCS program, that's a different story and is going to be driving by local policies/regulations. I'm not sure what the programs are like now, but there were "cadet officers" a few dozen years ago when I went through ROTC and cadets saluted senior ranking cadet officers (and of course all commissioned/warrant officers). However, that is just within the program and driven by those policies.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Jun 29 at 2023 9:37 AM

2023-06-29T09:37:53-04:00

I never saw an Officer Candidate wear rank. They wore OCS collar brass and white ascots with OCS patch. As far as rank, I do believe, they were SP5s. So no, you do not salute a Speedy 5.
I get the idea that all branches have closed their OCS, except the Infantry at the Benning School for Boys. LOL, So you are not liable to run into many.
One thing I remember from being at Benning with the 199th, is that, even though the Infantry had changed tactics, so Os were behind the advancing troops to better control the situation, the post had not changed their motto from Follow Me to After You. The FM crest had a silver outline that in the Sun looked like a bar. Saluted a lot of those! LOL

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Jun 29 at 2023 12:28 PM

2023-06-29T12:28:21-04:00

Yes you should, it is not about the regulation it is about military bearing and respect. The Cadet will learn from the experience as well.

Usually units inform Csdets that they may be saluted out of courtesy and not to get upset if notsaluted.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2023 12:55 PM

2023-06-29T12:55:53-04:00

Absolutely. Salute them. Why wouldn't you? That person is training to be an officer. Treat them like it and throw up a salute. Then, make sure they salute you back.

If there is any thought in the back of someone's head similar to "they're not an actual officer yet, I don't have to salute them," then I would probably tell that person to get over themselves. The Army isn't about you, and what you have to do is serve. In the ideal Army, all of us doing our jobs so we can win the war and come home together. Our discipline to that end is what accomplishes this. And saluting is one of the simplest ways we discipline ourselves in order to solidify that commitment.

When you take over a formation, who initiates the salute? The person who was just leading that formation; they are handing the responsibility over. You then receive it with a salute. That principle is in every salute.

It may be a little poetic but I see in each salute the enlisted service member knowing full well that the officer is in charge of the battle when the time comes. The service member stares the officer straight in the eye and initiates a greeting, knowing full well that the officer is expected to do their job when the time comes. So, the officer returns the salute, recognizing the responsibility of their leadership role. Saluting isn't about who is better or who is owed what, it's about accepting our roles in the fight.

Look that OCS soldier in the eye and salute them. They want the rank? They better return salutes.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2023 12:56 PM

2023-06-29T12:56:19-04:00

This was posted in 2014 and had similar responses. https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/are-enlisted-soldiers-required-to-salute-an-officer-cadet

But no you don't need to salute a cadet since they are not a commissioned or warrant officer.

Are enlisted Soldiers required to salute an Officer cadet? | RallyPoint

AR 600-25, 1-5 states who is entitled to a salute. No where in this does it say cadet (who has not received his commission).

Response by SSgt David M. made Jun 29 at 2023 3:06 PM

2023-06-29T15:06:11-04:00

Hi All My Fellow Veterans
When I was stationed in Ludwigsburg, West Germany in 1973-1976 we had a group of West Point Cadets visit our unit (34th Signal BN.) to see how a Tactical Signal Unit operated. We were ordered to treat all the Cadets as '3rd' Lieutenants'. On their collars they wore three round balls, thus the term '3rd Lieutenants'. We saluted and referred to them as 'Sir', as all of them were males. We never asked if we should or should not salute them. It was our way of showing our respect of them and I guess at the time our hopes that some of these Cadets would consider requesting their first duty station with our or another Signal Corps unit. We did not ask if we should salute we just did! I Salute all My Fellow Veterans!!! GOD Bless America!!!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2023 7:30 PM

2023-06-29T19:30:11-04:00

I see this whenever the West Point Cadets come down for their summer mentorship program. You will see them walk around and just about everyone is confused with their ranks. They usually get saluted. When I was enlisted I never saluted them.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2023 10:45 PM

2023-06-29T22:45:41-04:00

AR 600-25, "Salutes, Honors, and Courtesy," it states in Chapter 2, Section 2-1b:
"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 of the Armed Forces of the United States (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service."

The key phrase in this line is Commissioned and Warrant. Therefore, since Officer Candidates are NOT commissioned yet, they are not, per regulation, required to be saluted.

Can you salute them? Sure, why not? Are you required? Not by the regs.

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Jun 30 at 2023 12:42 PM

2023-06-30T12:42:38-04:00

Well.... Depends Upon How You're Feeling.
Ya Don't Have To, But If You're Feeling Generous,
Flip Him The Best Salute Ya Got... It'll Help Him Feel Important,
And Superior To We Enlistees......HOWEVER, If You're Feeling LOUSY,
WHAT-EVER You Do ,~ Do NOT Flip Him "The Bird".. They Hate That !!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 30 at 2023 7:43 PM

2023-06-30T19:43:03-04:00

This is totally irrelevant. I miss the guard saluting my truck when I drive on post! lol

Response by SSG Bill McCoy made Jul 1 at 2023 11:35 AM

2023-07-01T11:35:46-04:00

Reading through the posts, triggered a memory from my days as a buck sergeant. As most know, personnel on a work party do not necessarily have to stop and salute passing officer; unless someone calls them to attention, or the officer speaks to you. One day, I definitely "stretched" that.
So, one day on duty as an MP, I was walking thorugh the PX complex on patrol, and passed a 2LT that I honestly did not notice bcause I was watching for things like drug deals. We all know how to have fun with 2LT's. Anyhow, the 2LT calls to me, "Hey, sergeant!"
I turn and look at him and before I could render a salute, he continued in a VERY haughty way. "Do you not salute OFFICERS?!"
I said, "Lieutenant ... I'm working and when we're working, we don't stop to salute."
He said, "Really?" with a look of utter confusion. Of course he expected a salute and an apology; but with my reply, he was just kind of dumbfounded and continued, "Oh, well oiay. I never heard of that before," and turned too walk away.
I said, "Lieutenant," and when he turned back around, I gave him a snappy salute and said, "Sir, ton't listen to the kind of bull I just handed you, I should have saluted but didn't really notice you," as I held the salute. He grinned and said, "Okay, thanks!" I continued to hold the salute and he said, "Oh, yeah ... right," and returned the salute.

Response by PO1 Wayne Merritt made Sep 20 at 2023 9:01 AM

2023-09-20T09:01:17-04:00

Are they an COMMISSIONED Officer in the Military? then YES , otherwise NO.