What’s the proper way to correct someone when not saluting an officer?

As a retired USAF First Sergeant I probably would have been more aggressive than the SPC. It doesn't matter which service you are in or the officers are in - YOU SALUTE. I would have been looking for his supervisor to provide remedial training.

Hmm, bit passive aggressive for me. Thank you for the corrective action.

Hey boot, didn’t you learn how to salute in boot camp?

I was always taught "Praise in public, correct in private", so it would be best to call aside and correct her in private, face to face.

But you were spot on! Get in their butt, it won't happen again.

They just need a couple of days of extra duty practicing.

At the same time, though, if I have one aggravation about saluting it's this: The 'Officer Head Dip Salute.' A proper salute is rendered with the upper arm parallel to the ground and the fingertips meeting the eyebrow and the cap visor. It bothers me even today in my retired, enlisted state when I see an officer raise his hand part way to a proper salute and dip his brow to reach his fingertips. Sir or Ma'am, it's a two way street. If I render a salute, please return with a proper, buy-the-book, military salute!

as an NCO in the Marine Corps, i was taught to pull the junior grade to the side, instruct them on proper saluting of officers etiquette and send them on their way. i do not see any problem in in the SPC asking the PFC the question, the PFC made a mistake . how is the aggressive?

On the spot corrected BY standing that SM at attention holding their solute while you verbally corret them for an extended period before returning said solute. If the SM is indifferent to the correction, recommend to the command that their place of duty for the next week be in Class A opening the door and saluting all officers entering and exiting the Post HQ.

Excuse yourself from the presence of the officers and address the PFC as to why they did not render the proper customs and courtesies. No need to be overbearing about it, it is a simple question that requires nothing more than a simple reminder. Now if the PFC is a jerk about it then you can step up your game.

Grow a pair... the both of you. The PFC was in the wrong. You corrected the PFC. It could be said a million different ways. WTF!
V/R,
SBCM [SWCC/SW/PJ]

Respect should be shown. As long as the officer was not being a jerk in demanding the proper respect then speaking with the PFC, then all is good.

Just pull said service member aside and say "hey, did you notice those officers you passed without saluting? ..make sure you're paying attention when passing other service members!" That simple. Being stopped on the spot and called out is embarassment enough for most. I've stopped fellow service members plenty of times and the soldier/sailor/airman immediately felt wrong and offered to correct themselves. Most were visibly disturbed and personally alarmed upon being put on notice. While "juniors" are taught to salute, often times they feel disrespectful staring down everyone they pass. We all have to get used to doing that! Just point it out so they "get it", being disrespectful or overly harsh does NOTHING to address the root cause - unless of course you are CERTAIN it was an intentional slight! (Doubtful). I was accused of not saluting an officer shortly after leaving basic training and was dressed down for it. I appreciated the reminder, however I NEVER even saw the officers in question. Whomever was angered by it swore I looked them dead in the eye? Moral of the story is that you don't need to force a jagged pill down the throats of subordinates..give the medicine, but no need to be destructive when "teaching".

In the situation you outlined according to AR600-25 saluting is required and expected not just ok if the sm “remembers to”, or is paying enough attention etc. Military customs and courtesy’s , standards and required conduct exists to drive the point home that respect and compliance is REQUIRED not suggested or at the free will of the individual sm. Just as it is required to follow orders given , as they are ORDERS not suggestions. Team work , cooperation , immediate compliance are all absolutely required for mission success and completion . The military regardless of branch or rank is about the business of protecting our nation and its interests against all enemies foreign or domestic up to and including the death of these enemies as needed. This does not get done without absolute adherence to every detail, every button unbuttoned , every failure to respect the rank , every salute ducked because the sm thinks they are smart enough to secretly dodge the required respect and blow off saluting because of some personal defect or attitude out of whack , every order shortchanged or disregarded , every higher ranking soldier or officer treated in a disrespectful manner all plays to a weakened disrespectful service that when those moments that demand the highest level of response arise we have systematically set the sm up for failure by not requiring the absolute maximum in respect and compliance at all times. Any thing less is weak and potentially damaging to the service as a whole.

I would talk to him once

Keep in mind that medical, chaplin and JAG corps are not line officers. The problem here is the Army Major didn't think much about it. Good military discipline is imperative and the PFC should have been corrected. The Major should have waited to "countermand" what you did in private. Non line officers tend to be what are called "90 day wonders". In three months they learn how to march, salute and all the military courtesies of what used to be FM 100-45 and AFM 30-30. I know these have been superceeded, but there is a current equivolent. There is a happy medium between "MAJ Frank Burns" and "CPT Hawkeye Pierce".

Oh, wait, I didn't notice that you're a low ranking enlisted, SPC! My previous advice still stands, but, SHAME ON THOSE OFFICERS who just wanted to blow it off! You need to have a chat with your Supervisor, and have him/her talk to this Major, and point out the error of "Not Aggressive enough"...

You should have locked her up, and gotten the names of her CC and 1st Shirt! This kind of inappropriate behavior is easy to get out of hand, unless you FIX IT, RIGHT NOW! Sure, she'll cry about how mean you are to her troopies, but, one thing for sure, SHE will never miss another salute! just one SNCO's opinion...

What you said is completely within your right, however, what tone did you use...were you assertive or did you yell at her?? But the wording was perfect.

You did the exact correct thing...unless you came off like a Marine DI to a recruit.