The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-04-30
MILITARY COURTESY

you TO 90, Cley IHdICH yOu ulC'
your barracks and give you a lee
ture on military courtesy.
Now this doesn't mean tina
courtesy to ones superiors is no
stressed. Rather, it means tina
should one unassuming private
forget to salute high-rankine
official, his company-sometimes
even, his entire regiment-maJ
expect lecture on military
courtesy every other day for the
next fortnight.
Shortly after I and my fellow
selectees had been assigned tt
Company c of the 10th infantry
regiment at Camp Forrest, Tenn.
one of the non-commissioned Of
ficers in charge of the barracks
gave us a lecture on the salute
and when it should be rendered
The first thing an army recruit
wants to know is why he should
be required to salute an officer
Am I not as good as that guy?''
is the way he puts it.
It's The Uniform
Maybe so, but the army has a
clever way of answering that lit
tie question. cts not the guy
you're saluting," my first SER
geant said, "but the uniform he's
wearing. what that uniform re-
presents" Never try to argue
with a first sergeant.
Sometimes it makes a 35-year-
old, former business executive,
pretty sore when he is given KIP
duty for failing to salute o.
year-old second lieutenant who
was in all probability bust in
civilian life and received his
commission through R. O. T. G.
training.
But sooner or later the ex-bus-
mess man comes to realize that he
is not saluting the officer as
person. He is paying respects to
the position the latter holds and
the responsibilities he bears. He
has been appointed by the Presi-
dent of the United States to his
rank. The assumption is that he
is good enough for it.
Moreover, soldier comes to
realize that there is no caste sys-
tenn in the American. army, as
there is in many foreign armies.
Rank does not come from social
position, family tradition, or great
civilian prominence. Any man in
the U. S. army can become an
officer, if he has the right quail
ties, works hard, and seizes every
opportunity for advancement.
Officers And Non-cOms
There are two general classical
tons Of men wearing the army
uniform X officers and enlisted
men. Enlisted men are divided
into two classes non-commiS-
stoned officers and privates. Non
coms-sergeants and corporalS-
are appointed by the President,
ON recommendation of the captain
of the company.
While they are officers in the
sense that they have responsible
ties above those Of privates, they
have not received commissions
from the President. You do not
salute them. There is also an
in-between group, known as war
rant officers, who are neither in
one class nor the other. Band
leaders are warrant officers, and
you may salute them if you feel
like it. It isn't compulsory, we
were told.
One of our more scholarly non
CONS explained that the salute is
a heritage of the olden days OF
knighthood. When one knight met
another, he raised the visor of his
armor. From that gesture comes
today's salute. It's a gesture from
gentleman to gentleman-a kind
of privilege. A prisoner, for ex-
ample, is not allowed this precious
privilege.
They Salute, Too
It comforts most men, who feel
inferior about saluting, to know
that an officer is required to re-
turn the salute each time. It re-
quires as much effort of him as
it does of you, and he is held as
strictly accountable if he fails in
courtesy.
Almost invariably you will find
officers cheerful and courteous in
returning the salute. Occasionally
an officer may not see you and
thus fail to salute you. After ]
had perfected a snappy salute, ]
went around camp hunting Off
GERS, just hoping would meet
one so I could demonstrate my
technique. One afternoon I saluted
lieutenant colonel. Boy! I talked
y r