Posted on Dec 14, 2018
What’s the proper way to correct someone when not saluting an officer?
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I was walking with a Navy LT and an Army Maj. (My hospital has both services) from the USO across the street to the hospital and a PFC passed and didn’t salute. I stopped and asked her, “Do enlisted soldiers not salute officers anymore?” The Maj. with me said I didn’t have to be so aggressive about it. What’s a better way of addressing it without coming off as aggressive?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 388
Well done, Specialist. You saw an infraction and enforced the standard. Carry on.
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What I do know is that in the Navy any correction would have started with, "Hey, Shipmate......"
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I think you were fine. The Maj in my eyes was wrong in a way. That PFC didn't adhere to the regulations and you as a higher ranking individual corrected that. As an E4 at that most E4’s congratulate that PFC. Good on you!
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I would have addressed the pfc with tact that officer understand. But as well I would have the pfc go back and give the proper respect the pfc is trained to do in basic and by regulations
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Good question, and you show humility in asking.
Here's the answer from my perspective. You were right on the money. You're clearly, already conducting yourself as an NCO. When there’s an on-the-spot correction that needs to be made, that should be made, and that can be made, light them up. NCO’s A R E the military. The rest of us are just here to fall in on your example.
Here's the answer from my perspective. You were right on the money. You're clearly, already conducting yourself as an NCO. When there’s an on-the-spot correction that needs to be made, that should be made, and that can be made, light them up. NCO’s A R E the military. The rest of us are just here to fall in on your example.
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Coming off aggressive? I don't know about the medical corps but as a former infantry platoon sergeant I'd say that was just about the right respnse
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You were definitely correct to address that young man. I have noticed that the Army in general seems a little bit more lax on these courtesies and customs than what I recall in the Marine Corps. I would have pulled the guy aside and reiterated (he should already be familiar) courtesies and customs and explain to him that the next officer may not be as lenient and if a high ranking officer he's unfamiliar with happens to be in his chain of command, it could have ramifications. He needs to remain cognizant of his surroundings particularly while in uniform. Just remember that as a leader it important to practice tact; you want to correct soldiers, not necessarily embarrass them in a harsh way. Depending upon the circumstance, this can be difficult to avoid but the goal is to make junior soldiers better.
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This should be addressed aggressively. ",Soldier: stand at attention. You have passed an officer and have failed to salute. Execute a proper salute on my command: execute. Do you understand the importance of this? Outstanding. You are dismissed."
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I can't imagine a private would be so careless. Especially since it hasn't been all that long since they were in basic. Nor can I recall ever missing a salute. It just wasn't done. But then I'm old school. As for tone of correction, if it's same sex personnel then out of ear shot is fine if it's opposite I'd more likely remain within sight and hearing of any group so there are zero misunderstandings. No need to be all hostile when correcting any rank of a glaring infraction. Sometimes its "walk quietly carry a big stick"! It can be a carrot or an actual stick
(EMI) actions as warranted by attitude of one committing infraction.
Easy.
(EMI) actions as warranted by attitude of one committing infraction.
Easy.
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I have personally heard stories from a World War II Veteran about this same issue. He failed to salute an officer so the officer gave him a spech about how it is not the person in the Uniform but the Uniform you will salute. Then you put a officer's uniform on a tree and had him salute that uniform on the tree all day.
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On the spot correction. Who needs to ask? You handled it! Aggressive is "on the spot correction."
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it depends on the AO SOPs check with your first line leader for details ...
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You didn't do anything wrong by what you stated. You made an on-the-spot correction, which the Major shouldn't have corrected you on, but sometimes you have to roll with it because every officer reacts to such situations differently.
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Dont sweat the Maj, he was more than likely a direct commission medical officer. You did good. I like to start my corrections with a "Hey you!" It gets there attention and they usually realize they messed up before I start talking about it.
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Nothing wrong with your approach at all. Not saluting is a sign of disrespect and a violation of a regulation. Had you waked by and not corrected the Soldier you would have become part of the problem. Thank you for your service.
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Most of it has been stated. There’s a way to be more tactfully aggressive. However, a good warning/piece of advice moving forward is that, if you ask Privates ridiculous questions, you have to be prepared for ridiculous answers.
By that, I mean, the idea of your question wasn’t ridiculous. Of course, enlisted still salute officers. However, what if she pulled the dumb Private card out and pretended to ‘me no speak Army’, and answered along the lines of, “well actually Specialist, no. No we don’t salute anymore.” (If you don’t think that’s possible, go ahead, keep asking random Privates ‘yes/no’ questions). Your head would have almost exploded, some sort of argument would have drawn out, and if hypothetical Private Knucklehead wanted to do so, she could have driven you crazy for at least a few minutes. Your officer pals would either have to leave you behind, or wait for you, either making their jobs a little more difficult when they got to where they were going without their enlisted bulldog, or simply wasting a bit of their time.
Of course, the above scenario is a bit hyperbolic, but go ahead, keep asking Privates crazy questions. You’re going to start getting crazy answers.
(If I were you, I’d probably have excused myself, addressed the Private, and caught back up).
Best of luck.
By that, I mean, the idea of your question wasn’t ridiculous. Of course, enlisted still salute officers. However, what if she pulled the dumb Private card out and pretended to ‘me no speak Army’, and answered along the lines of, “well actually Specialist, no. No we don’t salute anymore.” (If you don’t think that’s possible, go ahead, keep asking random Privates ‘yes/no’ questions). Your head would have almost exploded, some sort of argument would have drawn out, and if hypothetical Private Knucklehead wanted to do so, she could have driven you crazy for at least a few minutes. Your officer pals would either have to leave you behind, or wait for you, either making their jobs a little more difficult when they got to where they were going without their enlisted bulldog, or simply wasting a bit of their time.
Of course, the above scenario is a bit hyperbolic, but go ahead, keep asking Privates crazy questions. You’re going to start getting crazy answers.
(If I were you, I’d probably have excused myself, addressed the Private, and caught back up).
Best of luck.
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I've been in a situation where I made that error. I was a sgt. My private was being a problem and ran full speed away from the company area where we were working. In the process of chasing the private I did not identify two full bird colonels that I ran within 6 steps saluting did not happen. I also wasn't questioned about it.
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