How to Salute Properly
A salute is a basic military greeting and show of courtesy. When two or more military personnel interact, the exchange usually involves a salute as a greeting and a salute as a farewell. Military personnel must master a proper hand salute to be able to deliver it with confidence and mutual respect; a halfhearted or improperly executed salute may be worse than none at all. If one person has a junior position, this person should be the one to initiate a salute to the more senior officer.
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Instructions
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Keeping the upper arm horizontal and bending the elbow at a 45-degree angle, raise the right hand confidently so the tip of the first finger lightly touches either the forehead (just to the right of the right eye and above it) or a portion of the hat (on the right side just above the forehead). Keep the entire hand (fingers and thumb) tightly together and straight.
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Turn your head toward the person you are saluting as you salute.
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Complete the salute by dropping your arm down to your side quickly. Turn your eyes and head to face the front.
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Say a greeting in conjunction with the salute if it is appropriate, addressing a senior officer by his or her rank and last name.
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Tips & Warnings
A salute that you deliver without confidence and finesse may be worse than no salute at all.
Military personnel do not generally offer salutes to each other when they are out of uniform. If one person is in uniform and the other is not, the person who is not in uniform does not usually return a salute.
Junior military personnel must stay aware of other military personnel around them and should always offer salutes, especially to senior officers. Not offering a salute is a flagrant indication of contempt and disrespect and meets with stern disapproval in most military branches.
