Posted on Jun 29, 2023
Should you salute someone who is wearing OCS rank as enlisted?
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I've heard both ways saying you should or you shouldn't.
Posted in these groups: 
Regulation
Army RegulationsOCS
Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army)
Officer
Regulation Army RegulationsOCS Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army) Officer
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 12
Short answer: If you're asking if a military regulation requires you to treat an officer candidate (Academy, OCS, or ROTC) as an officer (commissioned or warrant), the answer is no.
As you are likely aware, a salute is a gesture of respect and sign of comradeship among military service personnel or to show respect to the nation's colors. It is not a sign of 'subservience', but it does have protocols and traditions that are followed. For personnel, one protocol is that it is exchanged between enlisted/officers and those officers of superior rank.
Officer cadets are ranked higher in order of precedence than Warrant Officer Candidates and enlisted members of the military, but an officer candidate is just that - a candidate. They are not a commissioned officer or an officer by warrant - they are an 'officer in training'.
HOWEVER, if you are talking about policies about OCS candidates saluting within the OCS program, that's a different story and is going to be driving by local policies/regulations. I'm not sure what the programs are like now, but there were "cadet officers" a few dozen years ago when I went through ROTC and cadets saluted senior ranking cadet officers (and of course all commissioned/warrant officers). However, that is just within the program and driven by those policies.
As you are likely aware, a salute is a gesture of respect and sign of comradeship among military service personnel or to show respect to the nation's colors. It is not a sign of 'subservience', but it does have protocols and traditions that are followed. For personnel, one protocol is that it is exchanged between enlisted/officers and those officers of superior rank.
Officer cadets are ranked higher in order of precedence than Warrant Officer Candidates and enlisted members of the military, but an officer candidate is just that - a candidate. They are not a commissioned officer or an officer by warrant - they are an 'officer in training'.
HOWEVER, if you are talking about policies about OCS candidates saluting within the OCS program, that's a different story and is going to be driving by local policies/regulations. I'm not sure what the programs are like now, but there were "cadet officers" a few dozen years ago when I went through ROTC and cadets saluted senior ranking cadet officers (and of course all commissioned/warrant officers). However, that is just within the program and driven by those policies.
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COL Randall C.
CPT (Join to see) - You're in the right ballpark, but you're sitting in the wrong section.
It's written into law* that if there is a newly minted Army 2LT from another Service academy (rare, but can happen), their DOR will be adjusted to the graduation date from the USMA, regardless of when it happened during the year.
Furthermore, the DOR of Army officers that receive their commission through ROTC in May or June will be the same as that of USMA*. If they are commissioned during any of the other 10 months of the year, then the DOR will be that day.
For OCS - the day you finish OCS and are commissioned is the DOR you have. No adjustments.
I'm scratching my head about your comment, "Among them Academy Cadets of all years out rank ROTC cadets, and ROTC cadets of all years out rank OCS candidates." - There is not an "USMA outranks ROTC which outranks OCS" rule/law that I'm aware of.
ROTC DORs are adjust to USMA DORs if they graduate in May or June, otherwise they and OCS 2LTs are senior or junior depending if they are commissioned before or after the USMA graduation date.
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* https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/541
* May/June ROTC DOR adjusted to USMA graduation date - https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/2106
It's written into law* that if there is a newly minted Army 2LT from another Service academy (rare, but can happen), their DOR will be adjusted to the graduation date from the USMA, regardless of when it happened during the year.
Furthermore, the DOR of Army officers that receive their commission through ROTC in May or June will be the same as that of USMA*. If they are commissioned during any of the other 10 months of the year, then the DOR will be that day.
For OCS - the day you finish OCS and are commissioned is the DOR you have. No adjustments.
I'm scratching my head about your comment, "Among them Academy Cadets of all years out rank ROTC cadets, and ROTC cadets of all years out rank OCS candidates." - There is not an "USMA outranks ROTC which outranks OCS" rule/law that I'm aware of.
ROTC DORs are adjust to USMA DORs if they graduate in May or June, otherwise they and OCS 2LTs are senior or junior depending if they are commissioned before or after the USMA graduation date.
------------------------------------------
* https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/541
* May/June ROTC DOR adjusted to USMA graduation date - https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/2106
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CPT (Join to see)
COL Randall C. - I'll make it my mission to find that reg or documentation regarding the pecking order of cadet/candidate ranks. I swear I read that (but being direct commission didn't care enough to hang onto it for posterity)
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SSG Bill McCoy
We had ROTC kids go on an FTX with out unit. I saluted them each day upon encountering them; but only once per day. Just a sign of respct.
I also saluted the Police OFFICERS (LT bars and above) who I encountered. Again, a sign of respect though most of them looked at me with a puzzled expression. My guess is they were never in the military though. LOL
I also saluted the Police OFFICERS (LT bars and above) who I encountered. Again, a sign of respect though most of them looked at me with a puzzled expression. My guess is they were never in the military though. LOL
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MAJ Tex Hall
When Academy Cadets are platoon leaders during CTLT missions, salutes should be given since they are in the role of Platoon Leader. That's up to the Platoon Sergeant to enforce (in my opinion). By regulation though: If there's an absence of leadership, then the Academy Cadet takes command of a unit before the NCO would do so. Trial by fire can be a good thing ;).
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I see this whenever the West Point Cadets come down for their summer mentorship program. You will see them walk around and just about everyone is confused with their ranks. They usually get saluted. When I was enlisted I never saluted them.
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AR 600-25, "Salutes, Honors, and Courtesy," it states in Chapter 2, Section 2-1b:
"All Army personnel in uniform are required to salute when they meet and recognize persons entitled to the salute. Salutes will be exchanged between officers (commissioned and warrant) and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service."
The key phrase in this line is Commissioned and Warrant. Therefore, since Officer Candidates are NOT commissioned yet, they are not, per regulation, required to be saluted.
Can you salute them? Sure, why not? Are you required? Not by the regs.
"All Army personnel in uniform are required to salute when they meet and recognize persons entitled to the salute. Salutes will be exchanged between officers (commissioned and warrant) and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service."
The key phrase in this line is Commissioned and Warrant. Therefore, since Officer Candidates are NOT commissioned yet, they are not, per regulation, required to be saluted.
Can you salute them? Sure, why not? Are you required? Not by the regs.
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SPC James Neidig
I Don’t Know If It’s In Regs But When I Worked For Military Sealift Command As A Civil Service Mariner We Wore Navy Uniforms With Appropriate Rank The Only Difference Between Us And Navy Ranks Was All Petty Officers And Chiefs Had Anchors Above The Stripes And Officers Had An Anchor On Their Shoulder Boards Instead Of A Star And Officers Were Saluted , Both Navy And Merchant Marine Since We Worked Closely With Navy Personnel.
During Desert Shield/ Storm We Were Transporting Army And Marine Over To The Gulf We Saluted Their Officers.
Most Of My Shipmates Were Prior Service Navy And Marines.
During Desert Shield/ Storm We Were Transporting Army And Marine Over To The Gulf We Saluted Their Officers.
Most Of My Shipmates Were Prior Service Navy And Marines.
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