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From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Army customs...saluting
Message-ID: <1991Mar6.042927.25702@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 6 Mar 91 04:29:27 GMT
References: <1991Mar4.212815.9865@cbnews.att.com>
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From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt)

> From: v078jq2q@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Daniel J Fulmer)

> Here's a question maybe someone out there can clear up for me.
 
> In the U.S. Armed Forces..when does a higher-ranking officer have to salute a 
> lower-ranking officer first.  I know if the l-r officer is a CMH recipient or
> at the cerimony when the l-r officer is receiving an accomadation.  Any other
> reasons you can think of ?

  As a general rule - never.  And saluting a Medal of Honor recipient is an
  urban warfare legend.  The junior always salutes the senior first - and
  holds the salute until returned by the senior.  Sometimes, like with a
  chief warrant officer - you got to be really fast to get your answering
  salute up and down before the warrant's is down.  :-)
  Sorry, after an officer receives a commendation (or something) he salutes
  the senior first. 

  (I'll guess - in the Navy - a senior 'salutes' the OOD when he comes on
  board - but he's really saluting the Captain's direct representative -
  in effect - saluting the Captain - good guess?)

  On parade, the commander-of-troops (senior officer on parade) will present
  the command and salute the Reviewing Officer who could in fact be junior.
  However, Drill & Ceremonies Manuals simply dictate, "The Commander-of-Troops
  will salute the Reviewing Officer"  - so rank is no a factor.
  (That happened to me once - as a major commander-of-troops of my battalion
  on a retreat parade for a retiring Captain.) 

  Trivia:  The junior always walks on the left of the senior.  The origin
  of 'lieutenant' come from 'left attendant'.  In the "old days", once an
  officer drew his sword (usually right-handed) his right was, of course,
  protected by his sword.  However, his left was unprotected - therefore
  a "left attendant" was required to protect his left.

  
  mike schmitt

                 "Your outta step, Major!"
                 "Yes, Sir, no excuse sir."