Civilian Gate Guards

[Clayton Bigsby]

Salute back.

Seriously, is this a difficult concept?!?

[Danger41]

Salute back indeed. I never understood where the major confusion comes with this. Not calling you out or anything, but I have heard of several people being confused about it.

The one thing I find confusing is that at some bases I have been at the civ gate guards salute, and at others they don't. Who decides that?

[XL0901]

Yes obviously salute back.

Sorry if I came across as the "refuses to return the salute of a civilian that is protecting my home/work" guy.

The one thing I find confusing is that at some bases I have been at the civ gate guards salute, and at others they don't. Who decides that?

You asked the exact thing I was eluding to. Maybe this is not new but since I just PCS'd from a "non-saluting civilain" base I thought I would ask the question.

[ChkHandleDn]

Wow, XL I thought you were smarter than that.

Edited April 26, 2009 by lagguer

[FlyinGrunt]

awkward, yes, however I find that "always return a salute. ALWAYS." is good guidance. Not that I'm particularly experienced, but it's never done me wrong.

[stract]

the Japanese gate guards salute us, so I salute back. FlyinGrunt is spot on.

[08Dawg]

Aside from the awkwardness, I'd think it would be common courtesy. If the gate guard, ex-military or not, is courteous enough to render a salute, I would be courteous enough to return it. We have civi gate guards here are Randolph, and while they don't salute, they present a professional image. I'd be alot of them are retired military anyway.

[M2]

I think we've clearly established that if anyone ever salutes you, it is proper to return that salute. Even if it is 6-yr-old kid at an air show, some aging WWII veteran at the commissary parking lot, or the civilian Belgian gate guards at a NATO base entrance...you always salute back!

[nsplayr]

I think XL's question wasn't necessarily about saluting back so much but about who makes the decision whether or not civ gate guards pop the salute. I've been to 3 bases recently and none of the civs have saluted so I honestly don't know...

[outbreak]

I've never been saluted by a civvie gate guard. Only the uniformed SF guys do that. My current base is the only one I've been to where SF actually guards the gate on a regular basis. What really confused me the first time was when I rolled through in civvies, just goin to the class 6, and the SF guy saluted me.

[HiFlyer]

The old guy at the Wendy's near my house salutes me when he takes my money...I return it proudly. It is a sign of courtesy and respect, and it doesn't violate any military courtesy to return it, even if it not an "official" salute.

[Guest Alarm Red]

I've never been saluted by a civvie gate guard. Only the uniformed SF guys do that. My current base is the only one I've been to where SF actually guards the gate on a regular basis. What really confused me the first time was when I rolled through in civvies, just goin to the class 6, and the SF guy saluted me.

You have special forces guarding your gate?

[HiFlyer]

Security Forces, no doubt.

[Guest Alarm Red]

Security Forces, no doubt.

I hope MPF starts calling their people "PJ"s for "Personnel Journeymen" next.

[Butters]

I hope MPF starts calling their people "PJ"s for "Personnel Journeymen" next.

They don't?

On a side note, seems our hired help is not worth a damn anyway! Well, in Iraq at least.

Security Problems Uncovered at U.S. Bases in Iraq

[jango220]

Had a civ gate guard salute me at NAS Pensacola while I was in civvies. Returned it, and then realized the oddity of it as I was driving away. The Navy guards (actual, not contracted) rarely salute anyone in civvies at the gates, which was more or less confirmed by the guards at Willow Grove when I happened to ask one day. I guess the double-negative turned into a positive? In the end, no harm, no foul, and we all lived to salute another day.

[OverTQ]

On a PCS move from NC, we stopped over at Ft Knox. My wife’s car was 14 days past registration and I told the gate Nazi's situation. When she pulled in the search lane, they acted as if I told them nothing. Began to give her a rash. I tried to come over and help and was told that I better get back to my vehicle. Have you ever seen one of those bad cop movies where you say "that stuff never happens"? That is the way the whole thing was going down. Those guys were more than willing to pull their piece on me in front of my kids. I backed off and they finally let her through. I called the PM and talked to some friends, turns out we were lucky. I had one friend from the base that has had to go pick up soldiers in cuffs for not having their INS card or vehicle registration. Unbelievable. Nothing like a GS5 with a gun.

[Techsan]

Yeah, Travis is the only base I've been to where the rent-a-cops @ the gate salute O's. I first found it weird, but now after driving through the gate every weekday, its business as usual. I actually find myself almost saluting the guys at other bases out of habit.

[Steve Davies]

Apology for the thread creep, but can someone explain what the salute acknowledges? Rank? the commission? the CinC?

Brit military salutes are delivered in acknowledgement of the Queen's Commission. They are only rendered to someone wearing official headgear carrying the unit or service motif, and the return salute is given on behalf of the Queen.

Just interested to know what the Colonials do.

[Marjackson82]

When I used to work at the local FBO, management would make us salute the pilots after we marshalled them off. They'd salute back. It was weird.

[Toro]

Apology for the thread creep, but can someone explain what the salute acknowledges? Rank? the commission? the CinC?

Rank.

Enlisted of any rank salute an officer (CMSgt with 20+ years in service will salute a newly commissioned Lt) and officers salute an officer of rank above them.

Ongoing discussion here.

[Guest Form 8]

Rank.

Enlisted of any rank salute an officer (CMSgt with 20+ years in service will salute a newly commissioned Lt) and officers salute an officer of rank above them.

Ongoing discussion here.

Except Enlisted personnel who are Medal of Honor recipients who are saluted by both Enlisted and Officers.

[Breckey]

I got saluted at Bolling by the rent-a-cop. Freaked me out.

[08Dawg]

Randolph guys don't, but when we were cross-country to San Diego, the guys working at the Navy bases did.

[YC]

Never been saluted by a civilian guard here, Nellis, or PCola.

At Sheppard, the civilian gate guards ALWAYS saluted. Saturday morning not in uniform? salutes all around. I had a couple act put out that I wasn't initially returning the salute in my civilian clothes and baseball cap. Whatever, here's your salute back then...