Look around any common military area, such as the Navy Exchange parking lot and you will likely witness one of the oldest customs, the salute. A military custom which renders respect and trust to the U.S. President, National flag, officers and personnel wearing the Medal of Honor. The salute is a customary gesture that identifies a member of the military forces and a tradition of most services around the globe. In fact, Senior Enlisted Leaders enforce standards to connect Junior and Senior Sailors to the past. Uniquely, different militaries forcers around the world have their own way of rendering a salute, but most of them are similar to the U.S. military salute. Lastly, this paper covers the origin of the salute and heritage …show more content…
Furthermore, the salute is a courteous exchange of greeting and respect. Service members also render a salute to Washington’s Tomb at Mount Vernon, the President, United States Flag, USS Arizona, USNS quarterdecks, Taps, morning & evening Colors, etc. “When a person acts with courtesy toward another, the courtesy is likely to be returned. We are courteous to our seniors because we are aware of their greater responsibilities and authority” (Rackley, 1997). In the same way, the military personnel salutes the United States President, he is the Command-in-Chief of the American military. For this reason, the Navy ships’ pay tribute to the memory of the first president of the United States when passing the George Washington’s tomb at Mount Vernon, this is one of the Navy’s oldest ceremonies. Another well-known saluting tradition is the Sailors entering or departing the U.S. commissioned ships’ quarterdeck. First, the Sailors boarding the ship salute the ensign then the Officer-of-the-Deck (OOD) and request permission to enter the ship. Likewise, on leaving the ship the Sailors repeat the salute in the opposite order. Second, the Enlisted service members salute Officers and Warrant Officers, Warrant Officers salute all Officers and senior Warrant Officers, and