Mustache Sally Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 Found this on JQP's Facebook page: https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20140618/NEWS/306180074/Newly-commissioned-Marine-officer-visits-sick-grandpa-first-salute Something uplifting that reminded me how special the military (and the bonds that it can create) is, despite the widespread negativity we currently deal with. It reminds me of my first salute--it was with my grandfather, a WWII vet. While he was not as ill as the gentleman in the article, he was unable to make the trek from Pennsylvania to Maxwell for my commissioning. I flew home the same day and we did the salute in my parents' driveway. Does anyone else have a good first salute story? Now if you'll excuse me, I need a tissue... 3
Marlboro BLACK Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 Much respect! Always nice to see / hear about these. Enjoy seeing wings & LT bars passed down through multiple generations as well. Great stories all around.
Tank Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 My first salute was my best friend from high school who enlisted in the Army and eventually made the rank of SSG and a QRF Team Lead. We were best men in each other's wedding and pretty much inseparable. He was shot and killed trying to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter just east of Bagram in 2011.... https://projects.militarytimes.com/valor/army-staff-sgt-james-a-justice/6321584 1
Mustache Sally Posted June 22, 2014 Author Posted June 22, 2014 Tank, I'm sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing.
Buddy Spike Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 My first salute was from my dad, a retired Army CW3. He said it was one of the proudest moments of his life. He carried that silver dollar in his wallet until the day he died. He died in November, and I gave the eulogy. At the end, I returned the honor, giving him his final salute. One of the hardest days of my life. 10
Hydrostream Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 My first salute was my best friend from high school who enlisted in the Army and eventually made the rank of SSG and a QRF Team Lead. We were best men in each other's wedding and pretty much inseparable. He was shot and killed trying to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter just east of Bagram in 2011....https://projects.militarytimes.com/valor/army-staff-sgt-james-a-justice/6321584 Sorry for your loss. I work with the guy he worked to save. Really good dude.
zach braff Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 My story isn't nearly as cool as most of those already posted, but I'm proud of it nonetheless. My enlisted recruiter did mine. When I first tried to join the USAF, they didn't want me - I'd been in too much trouble. My recruiter had no trouble meeting her monthly recruit quotas and could have easily discarded me and got back to working with the more eligible kids who could easily ship off to Lackland. However, she fought her flight chief and even commander in pushing for all the waivers and additional paperwork to get me in. It took her 9 months but eventually she convinced the Air Force to give me shot. I did okay and got picked up for AFROTC two years later. When commissioning time rolled around she was the obvious choice as none of it would have been possible without her help. She flew out for the event and said she enjoyed tracking down her old flight chief to let him know that the lost-cause kid just became an officer. zb 1
discus Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 (edited) I had a good friend of mine, who was also a T.I. do mine... For obvious reasons. Edit: rules must be followed... Edited June 23, 2014 by discus
sky_king Posted June 24, 2014 Posted June 24, 2014 Mine was the gate guard at Moody AFB after looking at my military ID with the rank of 'cadet' and not knowing what the hell it meant. Pretty special memory... 8
guineapigfury Posted June 24, 2014 Posted June 24, 2014 Mine was the gate guard at Moody AFB after looking at my military ID with the rank of 'cadet' and not knowing what the hell it meant. Pretty special memory... Mine was at OTS at their simulated deployed location while I was still an officer trainee. For whatever reason, there were a couple of Army Warrant Officers hanging out. One was literally leaning against a sign that said "No Hat - No Salute Zone", saw me, came to the position of attention and saluted. I of course returned the salute and carried on.
MCO Posted June 25, 2014 Posted June 25, 2014 Mine was a random Senior Airman near the BX at Maxwell while I was at ASBC. I wanted my first salute to be a real one and he was the first one I came across. He saluted and I returned and I told him to wait up. He kinda freaked out and thought I was about to chief him and I told him he was my first salute and shook his hand and gave him the silver dollar. He looked like he thought it was pretty cool, saluted again and then walked into the BX. Talked to my grandpa about it and apparently his first salute happened exactly the same way because he wanted it to be a real first salute. That was after he finished cadets/pilot training and earned his gold bar and wings on the same day in 1947. He liked that I had unintentionally done the same thing.
Insubordinate & Churlish Posted June 26, 2014 Posted June 26, 2014 (edited) My basic training MTI was actually a Guard guy pulling an MTI tour. Fast forward to AMS 6 years later, turns out one of the guys in my flight is good friend's with my TI back at their Guard unit. So I got my first salute from my TI, which was cool. I can still remember getting chewed out for messing up the fire monitor procedures in week 2 of basic... Edited June 26, 2014 by Port Dog
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