How do you personally greet a superior officer outside?

2017-05-15T17:10:42-04:00

We have had some interesting discussions here about saluting. How do YOU (not by regulation, but you individually) greet a superior officer outside?

I have seen all types. I have seen individuals salute with greeting of the day or unit specific greeting, no greeting but a salute, or a drill sgt who just put his head down and walked past me.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2017 5:18 PM

2017-05-15T17:18:54-04:00

In uniform, I salute and verbally greet/acknowledge them.
Outside of uniform, I verbally greet/acknowledge them.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2017 5:50 PM

2017-05-15T17:50:04-04:00

I SUPERIOR officer, I always greet w/ the respect & dignity of their position.

Now you, LTC Private RallyPoint Member, I typically give the Spaceballs salute to...

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2017 7:00 PM

2017-05-15T19:00:33-04:00

You don't have "notice the officer may be heading your way and cross the street or turn away and pretend you are busy and did not notice the officer" in your choices!

"Superior" or "Senior"? ;)

To be honest, LTC Private RallyPoint Member , it depends on my relationship with the Officer. If I don't know (or don't care for) the person wearing the rank, then I simply salute with AM/PM greeting of the day.

If I know the person then I extend the greeting as appropriate: "Good morning ma'am. See you at senior staff (or some other add on).

When I was at school (Leonard Wood), there was a 1/2 mile path between the DFAC and the schoolhouse. Certain times of the day (typically around meals) there was a lot of officer traffic. I noticed every thing from calling a gaggle of classmates waiting for accountabilty being called to attention with the caller saluting with greeting of day, to similar gaggles moving away from the side of the main path to avoid dozens of salutes.

Almost every post has specific greetings and responses that are supposed to be followed by both parties, but I rarely see it followed. 90% of the times it is "good (time of day) sir/ma'am", or often just "sir/ma'am"

Response by SPC Kevin Ford made May 15 at 2017 7:14 PM

2017-05-15T19:14:29-04:00

I was always 'Morning Sir / Ma'am or 'Morning Maj. Snuffy (well whatever their real last name was, I didn't call them Snuffy :) ).

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2017 7:26 PM

2017-05-15T19:26:47-04:00

A salute and Good morning (and the rank of the person)

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made May 15 at 2017 8:02 PM

2017-05-15T20:02:25-04:00

First off, what the F is up with that photo...?!?!? ;o)
Two, if in uniform, I look them square in the eye, salute and say "Good morning (afternoon), Sir/Ma'am" If I am in a unit that has a special greeting, like when I was in 3ACR, I will give that instead. If out of uniform, and I recognize them as my commander, I'll salute and give the greeting as well.

Response by LCpl Emanuel W. made May 15 at 2017 8:32 PM

2017-05-15T20:32:27-04:00

Me in uniform, officer not- salute and greet.
Me not in uniform, officer in uniform- greet
Both not in uniform- greet
I was in the service before fist bumps were even thought of as a greeting. And I don't think you fist bump an officer- unless that officer is extremely cool with it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2017 8:43 PM

2017-05-15T20:43:57-04:00

When I was in the 82nd, I stuck with the simple ATW Sir/Ma'am. Outside of the 82nd, for officers I don't know, I just simply say "Sir/Ma'am!" in an acknowledging manner, while saluting. I'm usually walking around with my head in the sand, so I don't like to fumble around with the greeting time of the day (accidentally saying Good Morning, but its 1300).

For a superior NCO, since there is no salute involved, I'll go with the rhetorical question greeting of, "How are you doing 'insert rank here'". If its my CSM, they get the full greeting of the day.

Response by LTJG Richard Bruce made May 16 at 2017 12:26 AM

2017-05-16T00:26:32-04:00

Never used the term "Superior", but "Senior" to denote higher rank or higher precedence order. Sailors have different saluting customs than soldiers and while aboard ship or ashore. Shipboard CO's are saluted even by those senior in rank. It's possible for a Captain (O-6) to salute an E-8 if that Senior Chief was commanding officer of a patrol boat..

Response by SGT David T. made May 16 at 2017 7:53 AM

2017-05-16T07:53:53-04:00

I don't usually unless I know them. Then again I am the same way with the general public. Since I am not in the military anymore, an officer is just another person to me.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2017 10:58 AM

2017-05-16T10:58:50-04:00

In response to the picture.. WTF? The least inappropriate term I can think of to use for that is soup sandwich with can of 8up.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2017 12:02 PM

2017-05-16T12:02:05-04:00

Yo, General, waaaaasssssuuuuuuuuuuuuuuppp??

Response by PO1 John Miller made May 16 at 2017 4:01 PM

2017-05-16T16:01:18-04:00

The nod & "sup dude?" As a retiree, I can get away with that! ;)

Response by MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P made May 16 at 2017 6:12 PM

2017-05-16T18:12:17-04:00

I have yet to encounter a "Superior" officer. Met several of higher rank than myself however. To those, I usually greeted with a crisp salute and a friendly verbal greeting of some type.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made May 16 at 2017 6:32 PM

2017-05-16T18:32:45-04:00

While it has been a while, much would depend upon how well I knew the officer and their rank. I know many will find this amazing, but I have been know to actually mess with people at various time in my military career? One of my favorite in connection to this question was the young lieutenant who I ran into coming out of those old WWII barracks, that had been converted into warehouses with a steaming cup of coffee in his right hand. I saluted out of reflex and the lieutenant came very close to throwing coffee into his own face, but caught himself just in time, quickly switched hands...spilling hot coffee all over his hand...and returned the salute. When I saw him switch the coffee back to his right hand...after that I just could not help myself. Told the corporal with me, 'Come on!' We sprinted around the building and we were able to get back in front of the good lieutenant just as he was turning to the short end of the building, offered another salute and greeting of the day, giant smile on my face as he sloshed coffee on his left hands again...the poor corporal having no idea what just happened but guilty by association...and I was surprised as well to find that the response to the greeting had been changed to variation of the F-bomb? My favorite part to this day is the confused look on the corporal's face and him realizing he had been messing with our new LT but not sure how he had been dragged into it.

Response by MSgt John Taylor made May 16 at 2017 6:54 PM

2017-05-16T18:54:12-04:00

We in the AF render a verbal greeting

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made May 16 at 2017 9:31 PM

2017-05-16T21:31:22-04:00

I went with MSG Private RallyPoint Member choice when I was active duty. Now I will acknowledge anybody in uniform with a greeting.

Response by SGT Matthew S. made May 16 at 2017 10:10 PM

2017-05-16T22:10:41-04:00

I typically just gave a "Good morning/afternoon/evening, Sir/Ma'am. Occasionally, though, there were certain Platoon Leader LT's that I served under over the years that I'd greet with a hearty, "Sniper check, Sir!" (or some derivative thereof) - just to watch them roll their eyes or scoff at me & shake their head.

Response by COL Charles Williams made May 17 at 2017 12:47 AM

2017-05-17T00:47:06-04:00

Greeting of the day and a smile

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2017 2:40 AM

2017-05-17T02:40:38-04:00

I'm used to seeing Colonels and Sergeants Major frequently enough, outside of my own office. Salute, then greeting, salute is returned, carry on.

Though I did see one Major shout, "Don't salute me" to a group of Enlisted and Officers his junior returning from lunch in pairs. He was standing near the entrance, having a conversation with an SFC and I can only imagine that he had been getting a lot of salutes given where he was standing. So I informed him of a nearby bench where he wouldn't be bothered. Don't know if he took my suggestion, kind of his own fault really.

Response by SPC(P) Cody Patterson made May 17 at 2017 5:34 AM

2017-05-17T05:34:54-04:00

I'd usually salute and greet them. Near the end of my service our new CSM changed our daily greeting to a more unit specific mandatory one. I think it was salute and "First regiment sir or mam", if I'm remembering correctly.

Response by SGT James Colwell made May 30 at 2017 1:51 PM

2017-05-30T13:51:21-04:00

Why is this an interesting discussion? Has the military forgotten about military courtesy? When meeting a superior officer outside and in uniform, I greet him/her with a hand salute and the unit greeting. If outside my unit area it would be the standard time of day greeting and a salute. Out of uniform, I would render the appropriate greeting.

Response by SGT James Colwell made May 30 at 2017 2:08 PM

2017-05-30T14:08:33-04:00

Seems to be some confusion regarding the use of the word superior. As an NON-commissioned officer, ALL Commissioned officers were of superior rank. The use of senior here would be inappropriate, as that indicates officers of a rank higher than captain or major, or colonel. The use of the word superior is accurate, but does not indicate whether or not the superior is commissioned or non-commissioned. That would determine the appropriate greeting, as noncoms are not normally saluted except in certain circumstances, such as turning over control of a formation of soldiers. I assume the question is referring to commissioned officers. In either case, the superior is given the appropriate greeting and for officers, a hand salute is rendered until returned. If I am sitting outside and a person of superior rank approaches me, all the above applies and I would stand at attention for officers, and at parade rest for NCO's, until told to do otherwise.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 4:40 PM

2017-06-14T16:40:44-04:00

I make it a point to make eye contact, perform a good salute and give the unit greeting. If it's someone I know pretty well I may salute and offer up a "shoot 'em in the face, sir". Or something along those lines.

Response by SSgt Kevin Mileski made Jun 21 at 2017 2:31 AM

2017-06-21T02:31:44-04:00

from the front good morning, after noon, good evening, end with sir. from the rear, By your leave Sir

Response by LTJG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 7 at 2017 8:37 AM

2017-12-07T08:37:23-05:00

If I know the person, I will typically return a salute and salute and greet them by rank and name. If i Do not know them, I will greet them with their rank.

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Dec 7 at 2017 9:06 AM

2017-12-07T09:06:30-05:00

Salute with barely audible unit greeting of the day.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Dec 7 at 2017 9:27 AM

2017-12-07T09:27:24-05:00

I'm old school- higher ups, Good morning or unit motto (Rank), equals- Good morning, subordinates good morning .