Rendering Courtesies

Military courtesies are the small, repeatable actions that signal professionalism — saluting an officer, standing at attention for the National Anthem, addressing seniors properly, answering the phone the right way. None of them are complicated on their own, but together they're the first impression you make on every person you encounter in uniform.

This section covers how to identify officers (headgear and insignias), how to salute (people and staff vehicles), the courtesies for the flag, bugle calls, music, and service songs, and a list of general courtesies that apply at all times. This section isn't comprehensive — for anything not covered here, reference AFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel.

Overview

Objective: Without reference, formally report to an individual in an office, with no more than two instructor assists.

Learning Outcomes

• Recall basic facts about how to identify officers.
• Identify procedures for saluting officers based on environment.
• Demonstrate the steps to salute a staff vehicle.
• Understand the courtesies for the U.S. flag, bugle calls, music, and service songs.
• Identify general courtesies that maintain professionalism.

Foundational Competencies

• Information Seeking — Curiosity; eager, aggressive learner.
• Decision Making — Makes well-informed, timely decisions; uses sound judgment to weigh constraints, risks, and rewards.
• Precision — A concern for order, quality, and accuracy.

Summary

• Identifying Officers
• Saluting Officers
• Saluting Staff Vehicles
• Courtesies to U.S. Flag, Bugle Calls, Music, and Service Songs
• General Courtesies

Identifying Officers

Headgear

Men's Service Cap

• Visor-type cap banded with dark blue 1¾-inch braid, with a black chin strap.
• An optional version uses an open-mesh braid and an optional black leather strap.
• Clouds and darts (when applicable, depending on rank) are located on the top of the visor.

Women's Service Cap

• Rounded design; the sides form a front brim.
• Clouds and darts (when applicable) are located on the front of the cap, on each side of the cap insignia.
• Women are also authorized to wear the men's service cap.

Commissioned officers wear a service cap with appropriate clouds and darts based on rank, and an eagle insignia without a circle around it. The officer insignia is larger than the enlisted insignia.

There are three classifications of commissioned officer service caps:

1. Company Grade Officer cap — worn by 2d Lt through Capt; no markings.
2. Field Grade Officer cap — worn by Maj through Col; two clouds and silver darts on each side.
3. General Officer cap — three clouds and silver darts on each side.

Flight Caps

• General officer flight caps — silver braid along the overlapping edge.
• Company and field officer flight caps — silver and blue braid along the overlapping edge.
• Officers wear a metal rank insignia displayed on the wearer's left side, toward the front.

Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) Caps

Officer OCP patrol caps have the rank insignia centered vertically on the front of the cap and horizontal with the ground. Insignias may be subdued metal or cloth.

Uniform Tops

• OCP uniform — rank insignia worn centered on the velcro tab.
• Service or service dress uniform — rank insignia worn on the epaulets of the long- and short-sleeve shirt or blouse, and on the service coat.

Outer Garments

The rank insignia (depending on the garment) can be worn on the epaulets, on a rank tab, or as a subdued cloth velcro rank worn above the name tape.

Saluting Officers

The hand salute is exchanged as a courteous greeting when outdoors, or to report to an officer indoors. Possible origins include knights raising their helmet visors when approaching superiors, and the practice of raising the right hand (without a weapon) as a sign of friendship.

The salute is exchanged upon recognition between officers and enlisted members, and between junior and senior officers of the armed forces, when in uniform.

Proper Saluting Procedures

• The junior member salutes first and starts in time to allow the senior officer to return it before they pass. There's no exact distance — let common sense and experience be your guide.
• You must be standing or marching at the position of attention.
• You don't have to stop to salute if you're walking past an officer — unless they initiate a conversation.
• Turn your head and eyes toward the officer.
• Raise the right hand smartly in the most direct path:
  • Extend and join the fingers; keep the palm flat and facing the body.
  • Place the thumb along the forefingers, palm flat, forming a straight line between fingertips and elbow.
  • Tilt the palm slightly toward the face.
  • Hold the upper arm horizontal, slightly forward of the body, and parallel to the ground.
  • The tip of the middle finger touches the right, front corner of the headdress — or, if you're wearing a non-billed hat, the outside corner of the right eyebrow or the front corner of your glasses.
• Extend a verbal greeting ("Good morning, Sir," "Good afternoon, Ma'am") and hold the salute until it's returned.
• Bring the right arm smoothly and smartly downward, retracing the path you used to raise it. Cup the hand as it passes the waist and return to the position of attention.
• If you were walking before saluting, resume your natural walk after the officer passes.

Saluting Requirements

• Required in covered sidewalks, entryways, reviewing stands, and bus stops.
• Rules apply on and off military installations.
• Keep things in your left hand when possible so you can salute.
• If an officer is carrying articles in both hands, the officer doesn't have to return the salute but should nod or render a verbal greeting. The junior member still comes to attention, salutes, extends a verbal greeting, and drops the salute as the officer passes.
• If the junior member is carrying articles in both hands, exchange a verbal greeting only — no salute required.

Saluting Tips

• Saluting considerations are dictated by the situation.
• Only salute an officer when approaching from the opposite direction. Don't salute when walking the same direction.
• If you're part of a formal group (e.g., in formation), the person in charge calls the group to attention and salutes for everyone.
• If you're part of an informal group outdoors with no one in charge, the first person to see the officer calls the group to attention, and all members salute.
• If you're part of a detail, the person in charge comes to attention and salutes for all members while they continue working.
• If an officer addresses you personally while you're working on a detail, come to attention and salute at both the beginning and end of the conversation.
• Salute and verbally greet all commissioned officers of the U.S. armed forces and officers of friendly foreign nations using the same procedures.
• Saluting indoors is only required when formally reporting to an officer, or during certain ceremonies (receiving an award at a ceremony, receiving a decoration at Commander's Call).
• No salute at public gatherings — sporting events, meetings, or any setting where a salute would be inappropriate or impractical.
• Local commanders may designate "no salute" areas — common in deployed environments to prevent the adversary from identifying officers. The Combat Skills Training site at BMT is a "no salute" area.

Saluting Staff Vehicles

All military members salute officers in appropriately marked and occupied staff vehicles. Staff vehicles are government vehicles used for official business — cars, vans, or buses. A staff vehicle may have an officer's rank displayed on the front bumper plate or on a flag on the right front bumper.

You're saluting the officer inside, not the vehicle itself. So don't salute an unoccupied staff vehicle.

When you see a staff vehicle approaching:

1. Come to the position of attention (whether marching or halted).
2. Render a salute when you recognize the vehicle.
3. Hold the salute until the officer returns it or the vehicle passes you.

Courtesies to U.S. Flag, Bugle Calls, Music, and Service Songs

Flags on stationary flagstaffs are saluted only during the National Anthem or "To the Colors" when part of reveille, retreat, or special ceremonies (covered below).

During special outdoor ceremonies (e.g., a parade), if you're in uniform and not in formation, render a salute as a sign of respect when the flag is carried past you:

• Salute when the flag is approximately 6 paces away from you.
• Hold until the flag is approximately 6 paces past you.

If wearing civilian attire during a special outdoor military ceremony when the flag is carried past, stand at the position of attention and place your right hand over your heart. If you're wearing a hat, remove it and hold it over your left shoulder so your right hand is over your heart. Members of the armed forces and veterans may render a military salute instead. Females do not have to remove their hats.

Reveille and Retreat

If reveille or retreat is played as a bugle call to signal the beginning or end of the duty day — and is not followed by the National Anthem or "To the Colors," and the flag is not lowered or raised — no courtesies are required.

If reveille or retreat is played as a prelude to the National Anthem or "To the Colors," or if the flag is being raised or lowered, courtesies do apply:

• In uniform and outdoors but not in formation: come to attention upon hearing the music. If "Sound Retreat" precedes the lowering of the flag, immediately assume parade rest.
• If the flag is raised or lowered without the National Anthem or "To the Colors," stand at attention and salute when the flag is first raised or lowered. If not in uniform, place your right hand over your heart.
• If the National Anthem or "To the Colors" plays after reveille or retreat, render the appropriate honors on the first note of that music.

If you're on base in a vehicle during retreat, pull to the side of the road and stop. All occupants sit quietly until the last note of the music is played.

The National Anthem and "To the Colors"

The Pledge of Allegiance

Don't recite the Pledge of Allegiance at military formations and ceremonies.

"Taps"

"Taps" is the customary bugle call signaling the end of the day and lights out. No actions are required when it's played at the end of the day.

"Taps" is also played at military funerals. If attending a military funeral in uniform, custom is to salute when honors are rendered (such as "Ruffles and Flourishes" or "Hail to the Chief"), when the body is removed from the hearse, chapel, or caisson, when the volleys are fired, and when "Taps" is sounded.

"Ruffles and Flourishes"

Played for general officers. Upon the first note of "Ruffles and Flourishes" (or when directed):

1. Stand at the position of attention.
2. Face the person being honored.
3. Render the hand salute.
4. Hold the salute until the last note of the music is played.

Military Service Songs

It's customary to render appropriate courtesies when hearing the Air Force Song or any sister service song.

• Do not salute during the Air Force Song.
• Outdoors, in uniform or civilian clothes: stand at the position of attention (or march if in uniform and in formation) from the first to the last note of the music.
• Indoors, in uniform or civilian clothes: stand at the position of attention and sing the Air Force Song.

General Courtesies

These apply at all times. Extend them to everyone — enlisted, officer, or civilian:

• Render a verbal greeting to all permanent party personnel when passing them: "Good morning, Sir / Ma'am" or "Good afternoon, Sir / Ma'am."
• Say "please" and "thank you" when practical.
• Be on time. If you're going to be late, call ahead. Don't keep people waiting.
• Use appropriate titles like "Mr." or "Ms." when addressing civilians.
• Don't gossip. Unit morale suffers from the conflicts and bad feelings that gossip creates.
• Be professional in your work center. Don't lean or sit on your desk, don't lean back in your chair, and don't put your feet up on your desk.
• Always give the senior person the position of honor when walking, riding, or sitting with them. When accompanying a senior, take the position to the senior person's left.
• Vehicles: military personnel enter automobiles in reverse order of rank. Junior personnel enter first and take the appropriate seat on the senior person's left. The senior person is the last to enter and the first to leave.
• Unless told otherwise, rise and stand at the position of attention when a senior officer enters a room:
  • If multiple people are present, the first person to see the officer calls the group to attention.
  • Don't call the room to attention if an officer of equal or higher rank is already in the room.
  • When the officer departs, call the room to attention — unless an officer of equal or higher rank remains.
  • If you're alone, don't call the room to attention, but you must stand at attention yourself.

Telephone Etiquette

• Speak clearly and use proper military courtesies.
• Tell the caller your rank, name, and unit, then ask "May I help you?"
• If the requested person isn't available, offer to take a written message — include the recipient's name, the caller's name, number, organization, and message; the time and date of the call; and your rank and name.
• Don't be afraid to ask the caller to repeat the message if you need them to.

Summary

As an Air Force member, you're expected to be professional and render proper courtesies to all, regardless of branch of service. Courtesies are the foundation of the armed forces — they establish respect and discipline. Show respect at the proper time, place, and situation.