Posted on Oct 13, 2014
When is it correct to salute with your left hand?
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There are a gazillion discussions on saluting on RP...let's see how many know this one.
NO PEEKING at regs or other people's replies until you've answered!
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*Note: Photo added by RP Staff, noted that these salutes are with the right hand!
NO PEEKING at regs or other people's replies until you've answered!
--
*Note: Photo added by RP Staff, noted that these salutes are with the right hand!
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Saluting
Saluting
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 338
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CSM Clifford Fargason
LTC Brian Croteau - It goes both ways, a group of us practiced for a bit doing the left hand salute, then when walking as a group we all saluted with the left hand while passing an officer. He had the same reaction that your enlisted folks did. Boredom brews mischief.
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ONLY if you are in Air Force ABU's wearing a Trident and a SF tab at a Clinton or Sanders rally.
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LCpl Donald Faucett
With a Martini in your right hand with one finger pointing up gesturing up about chin level, with a smile of course. Warning, the Marine will grab your finger and sling you thru the window
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I thought it was ok..if you had your cell phone in the right hand and you were talking to your wife..lol. I saw a specialist salute his company commander with his left hand while he was being yelled by his wife in his right. 1SG was not amused.
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SGT Rick Donovan
I wonder if the 1SG gave him the "Army didn't issue you that wife" speech. It's always a crowd pleaser!
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As stated previously if your right hand is injured a left handed salute is authorized, as is if you have lost your right hand/arm. The most often left handed salute in the Navy is when the Bosin is piping a dignitary or VIP aboard or ashore. They pipe with their right hand and salute with the left.
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CPT (Join to see)
MAJ (Join to see) - While I was enlisted I was the Commander's driver and by proxy the guidon bearer. As such, I made it my prerogative to learn my craft regardless of how trivial.
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PFC (Join to see)
SGT Jason Keefer - no.... You would render unslung arms and go from there, or you'd release with your right to solut and grasp with your left.
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MSG (Join to see)
CW4 Angel C. - basic training "class of 1986" myself :-) man I really need to retire.
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SPC David S.
True but according to escorting guidelines - females should never be closest to the curb of a roadway or waterline. Picture a street running north and south, walking north on the right side of the street. This would lead to curb -> male escort -> and female. The right arm is being used by the female. There is as well the overall protocol for entertainment as well. This is way more complicated than one would expect.
http://www.apd.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/p600_60.pdf
http://www.apd.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/p600_60.pdf
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When you are absolutely determined to tick off your CSM? j/k
I've actually seen a soldier salute two officers with both hands. He was a recruit at basic and didn't know better but still quite funny.
I've actually seen a soldier salute two officers with both hands. He was a recruit at basic and didn't know better but still quite funny.
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SGT Richard H.
lol...yeah I'm pretty sure that would rock the CSM right off his blood pressure medicine!
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SFC (Join to see)
That would have come in handy (pun intended) walking down Disney Drive at Bagram. Just start whipping salutes at all the officers, alternating hands each time. ^_^
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SPC (Join to see)
At the end of basic I was escorting a fallout (literally couldn't do one push-up) and she saluted 2 officers with her left hand. When asked about it, she started crying and said she "just wasn't used to saluting with my right hand".
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MSG (Join to see)
SSG(P) (Join to see) - SSG where I come from your actions would be considered childish. Just give a correction to the PFC and move on about your business. People make mistakes and you attempting to humiliate the PFC just demonstrates how petty you were being. For your own personal education a SSG and a SSG(P) are the exact same thing until you pin on E7 you are an E6. Maybe you should learn something about how to treat your subordinates before you pin on the next rank. Another piece of information for your toolbox once you pin on that additional rocker be aware that your title does not change and that PFC will be correct when he calls you SGT. From Sergeant through Master Sergeant you are properly addressed as Sergeant. In order to get a different title you must be either a 1st Sergeant or a Sergeant Major/Command Sergeant Major. Less pride in self and more pride in service will make you a much better leader.
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PFC (Join to see)
TOG is completely different from anywhere else in the military though. The facing movements, marching, poa, salute, it's all different. And it varies within the different specialty platoons, so I could believe that the drum major had a special rule for that.
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SGT Jason Trevino
You can salute with a guidon and with a weapon that's what present arms is for!!!!
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SFC (Join to see)
SGT Jason Trevino - Negative; you salute with the left hand when marching alone with the guidon. You only render "present arms" with the guidon when in formation.
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SPC John Parmenter
Notice the guidon bearer in this photo is saluting with his left hand. He was unable to render a proper guidon "present arms" because it was on a narrow street (Clayallee) on which the POTUS (Kennedy) was traveling, 26 June 1963, West Berlin, Germany.
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SGT Hanner, I once wrote a Military Trivia column for Stars and Stripes...will see if I can find some copies. Modern post WWII rules are very different from pre-Civil War..the Old Guard tradition is an example (it's a tradition). People tend to get confused between customs and traditions, legends, and actual regulations. For example, there are many erroneous beliefs perpetuated by unofficial "Handbooks" study guides and so on. If you want examples, can do. One was the "left handed salute". Really fun ones involve saluting a MOH recipient, flags at "half mast" and my personal favs, "the "Truck" and the related "Suicide" myth....
D
D
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SGM (Join to see)
SGT Hanner, will see what I have handy (have an apartment in Raleigh and home elsewhere). Send an email to [login to see] with a snail mail and will copy some clips.
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CPT Steven Harder
You are correct! Through tradition, the Drum Major of the Drum and Fife Corps and the Commander of the "Commanders Guard" are the only 2 members of the US Army authorized to salute with the left hand, while in uniform.
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