Taking an online class on joint ops. One of the modules has a pic of an Army 4-star general, apparently just getting on a ship. He's walking through what looks like a gauntlet of seamen who are rendering hand salutes, most with the right hand....

...except this one guy with the whistle. He's throwing up a left-handed salute while piping him aboard (I assume).

What's up with that??? LOL

"If there is a reason not to salute with the right hand, due for example to performing an activity that should not be interrupted, or injury, an equivalent left-hand salute is sometimes performed. A right-handed boatswain's mate piping an officer aboard may salute with their left hand."


The Drum Major of the US Army Fife and Drum Corps is also authorized to salute with his left hand too, when his right hand is occupied with the espontoon.

Something I vaguely remember from eons ago was that it was permissible for Navy personnel to salute with their left hands when holding onto a handrail with their right on a moving ship.

I once got my ass chewed by a butter-bar for saluting him left handed, while I was holding the personnel office door open for my wife. That little incident almost spiraled out of control, he would not have won the day.

Boatswains Mate saluting left handed while holding piping whistle in right, totally normal.

My guess is his right arm might have been disabled in some way.

This flies in the face of everything I have ever been taught.

Also at Annapolis midshipmen offer a left-handed salute in tribute to the statue of Tecumseh, and they toss pennies his way for good luck in exams and athletic contests.

You can salute left handed if injured or the right hand is tied up doing something, like hanging onto a ladder rail..

Like if you are caught while on a ladder and the Captain ( not necessarily his actual rank) also comes onto the ladder. It would be appropriate for you to stop, come to attention and salute him, wether indoors or out, all while keeping one hand on the rail for safety. While aboard ship officers are not normally saluted, but addressed. While the Captain is always saluted, wherever he is encountered- unless he gives a general order not to salute during particular situations.

I got injured in bootcamp and had my right arm in a sling for six weeks..I can render a very sharp left hand salute as well as a right handed one...I guess I’m amphibious!!

Also, as others have pointed out, the Bos’n piping aboard the General was correct in saluting left handed.

It's correct when the situation dictates.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
You can salute left handed if injured or the right hand is tied up doing something, like hanging onto a ladder rail..

Like if you are caught while on a ladder and the Captain ( not necessarily his actual rank) also comes onto the ladder. It would be appropriate for you to stop, come to attention and salute him, wether indoors or out, all while keeping one hand on the rail for safety. While aboard ship officers are not normally saluted, but addressed. While the Captain is always saluted, wherever he is encountered- unless he gives a general order not to salute during particular situations.

I got injured in bootcamp and had my right arm in a sling for six weeks..I can render a very sharp left hand salute as well as a right handed one...I guess I’m amphibious!!

Also, as others have pointed out, the Bos’n piping aboard the General was correct in saluting left handed.

I've been retired from the Navy for nearly a decade but the Navy I retired from didn't salute the captain inside the ship while uncovered. Or any other time uncovered for that matter.

If we were covered we saluted any officer regardless of rank.

To the OP...it is the Bosun piping him aboard and can use his left hand to salute because the right hand is operating the boatswains pipe (Bosun's Whistle).

quote:

I've been retired from the Navy for nearly a decade but the Navy I retired from didn't salute the captain inside the ship while uncovered. Or any other time uncovered for that matter.

I never said while uncovered. But we always wore ball caps (with the ships name) inside the skin of the ship, except on the mess deck, so we saluted.

You only wear a cover on the mess deck if you are under arms. And I’ve caught hell from a chief cook once until he saw my sidearm...and he stopped in his tracks and shut up because he knew he was wrong.

And you are allowed to salute without being covered if not rendering a salute would cause embarrassment or confusion not to.



And we always saluted him, even if he was uncovered or in his skivvies, uniform or civilian clothing, he always got saluted...

And I should clarify my remark about other officers, we saluted an officer upon meeting him for the first time that day and then the salute was not rendered if you ran into him again..I dunno how or why this came about, but I did it on every ship I was aboard and it was service wide. And I’ve never seen it written anywhere.

But the Bluejackets’ Manual is where I and any other sailor get ceremony, along with the USMC Ceremony Manual.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:

I never said while uncovered. But we always wore ball caps (with the ships name) inside the skin of the ship, except on the mess deck, so we saluted.

You only wear a cover on the mess deck if you are under arms. And I’ve caught hell from a chief cook once until he saw my sidearm...and he stopped in his tracks and shut up because he knew he was wrong.

And you are allowed to salute without being covered if not rendering a salute would cause embarrassment or confusion not to.



And we always saluted him, even if he was uncovered or in his skivvies, uniform or civilian clothing, he always got saluted...

That the Blue Jacket Handbook / Manual?

It’s my grandfathers from the USN, I lost my USCG Bluejackets Manual in one of my 20+ moves...I remember having it in 2000 ish but never got a new one.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
It’s my grandfathers from the USN, I lost my USCG Bluejackets Manual in one of my 20+ moves...I remember having it in 2000 ish but never got a new one.

If I can find my father's copy around here somewhere I'll send you his.

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:
I've been retired from the Navy for nearly a decade but the Navy I retired from didn't salute the captain inside the ship while uncovered. Or any other time uncovered for that matter.

I got out 24 years ago and this was my experience as well. In fact, when we left the pier we stowed the ball caps.

JP

quote:

Originally posted by jprebb:

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:
I've been retired from the Navy for nearly a decade but the Navy I retired from didn't salute the captain inside the ship while uncovered. Or any other time uncovered for that matter.

I got out 24 years ago and this was my experience as well. In fact, when we left the pier we stowed the ball caps.

JP

Me too, I never wore a ball cap or any other cover while underway unless I was on a watch that required it. In port we didn't wear covers inside the ship only on the weather deck or hanger bay.

I was only in for 26 years so I may have missed something.

quote:

Originally posted by ChuckFinley:

If I can find my father's copy around here somewhere I'll send you his.

Thank you Chuck, but I could not accept your fathers manual. Me not having my manual is no big deal. You not having your fathers manual would naw at me. Thank you again for the thought.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MikeinNC,