an NCO of superior rank enters the room, the first soldier to recognize the NCO
calls the room to “At ease.” " The following are just a few courtesies listed in FM 7- 21.13
• When talking to an officer of superior rank, stand at
attention until ordered otherwise.
• When you are dismissed, or when the officer departs, come
to attention and salute.
• When speaking to or being addressed a noncommissioned
officer of superior rank, stand at parade rest until ordered otherwise.
• When an officer of superior rank enters a room, the first
soldier to recognize the officer calls personnel in the room to attention but
does not salute. A salute indoors is rendered only when reporting.
• When an NCO of superior rank enters the room, the first
soldier to recognize the NCO calls the room to “At ease.”
• Walk on the left of an officer or NCO of superior rank.
• When entering or exiting a vehicle, the junior ranking
soldier is the first to enter, and the senior in rank is the first to exit.
• When outdoors and approached by an NCO, you greet the NCO
by saying, “Good morning, Sergeant,” for example.
• The first person who sees an officer enter a dining
facility gives the order “At ease,” unless a more senior officer is already
present. Many units extend this courtesy to senior NCOs, also.
• When you hear the command “At ease” in a dining facility,
remain seated, silent and continue eating unless directed otherwise.
Is it okay to pick and choose due to practicality? I would love to hear from both Enlisted and Officers on this matter.
Customs and Courtesies
Enlisted
Officers
As has been stated in many numerous other posts similar in topic, the military has been operating a dual war focus for over the past decade and most of the junior NCOs and Officers are not used to conducting business in a garrison environment so the basic skills and C&C have been lost in the transition. We have promoted and advanced too many people to leadership positions before they were properly mentored, taught and enforced the reality of standards over the last 10+ years and this is a portion of those lacking capabilities. Many of those young leaders of today are not enforcing it for the two main reasons of not knowing it themselves or not being mentored to enforce it as well.
We have to start from scratch and rebuild the knowledge base and suffer through the rough transition phase of re-enforcing the overlooked standards.
SSG Love, I would say the use of some of these courtesies really depends on the situation. I work in a hospital on a daily basis and aside from the room coming to attention when the Commander comes into the room for the morning Commander's Report (or being called to attention when he first comes in in the morning), or standing and saluting when he leaves, a lot of the "old school" Army courtesies are impractical for the job we are doing and in the setting we are doing it in. I actually find it annoying when I talk to some of the junior medics who are doing MPT in my ER and they snap to attention when I'm trying to teach them something. I feel they are paying more attention to trying to stand at attention then paying attention to what I'm trying to teach them (ironic isn't it?).
That being said, I always try to walk to the left of a senior officer and give the greeting of the day as appropriate.
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