Commissioned Officer spouse/dependent expecting a salute?!
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  1. #1

    Angry Commissioned Officer spouse/dependent expecting a salute?!

    So i'm a proud MP (gate guard), and as most of you have realized, we have complied to the 100% ID check as of late. Well i've gotten my ass chewed by a superior (who is a civilian) for not saluting spouses or dependents of officers who are driving the vehicle.. Keep in mind, the commissioned officer/warrant officer is NOT in the vehicle.. Do they still rate a salute after checking their ID, just because of a blue sticker their sponsor rates?? I need an ORDER for reference pleas​e.


  2. #2
    Welcome aboard, Marine!

    To my non-MP knowledge you are saluting the blue sticker, and not so much the occupant. That being said, it's sad that some civilian is saying that.

    Was that civilian superior a Marine?

    Glad I'm not in your shoes.

    Take the high road, Marine -- salute the sticker, but maybe some half-assed pathetic salute in that case.


  3. #3
    Phantom Blooper
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    You salute the sticker...not the occupant.

    It can be tough at times.....when a bunch of teenagers come through the gate....

    But you never know if the female occupant is a Marine officer and not a dependant spouse.

    Salute the sticker.

    Salute the sticker not the occupant.....but even during a 100% check and you find it is a dependant....you still salute the sticker as a courtesy.


  4. #4
    I admit that it was hard at time to salute an officer's vehicle when you know everyone inside was a scuzzy dependent but that is part of the game. You salute the blue sticker and ignore the kids that are pointing and laughing.

    Follow the rules and ignore the idiots.


  5. #5
    You are saluting the vehicle not the occupants.

    Ther's an old addage "If It Moves, Salute It". By doing that you will should never get an azz chewing.


  6. #6
    Marine Free Member Apache's Avatar
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    Unfortunately - Salute the sticker-
    Downright shame but


  7. #7
    So when an enlisted marine is driving an officers car on base (for whatever reason) he rates a salute as well, just because of a sticker? I usually salute all blue stickers, but this has gotten on my nerves lately.. Just hoping I could get some published documentation besides my general suggestions. I mean general orders


  8. #8
    Marine Platinum Member Zulu 36's Avatar
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    This is nothing new. As an MP at gates when I was in, we were also expected to salute all unaccompanied female drivers regardless of decal color. You know a lot of enlisted WMs got saluted, but oh well.

    We had an MP who refused to salute the long-haired hippy son of an officer, who then stopped and demanded a salute. The MP went to the front bumper, saluted the blue decal, said, "Good Morning, Decal," and waved the punk through.

    In a nutshell: Deal with it.


  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by SaltDogg View Post
    So when an enlisted marine is driving an officers car on base (for whatever reason) he rates a salute as well, just because of a sticker? I usually salute all blue stickers, but this has gotten on my nerves lately.. Just hoping I could get some published documentation besides my general suggestions. I mean general orders
    Short answer when an enlisted person driving an officer vehicle is, yes, salute. I used to drive a major's vehicle periodically, and I did not feel right as I drove by receiving salutes, so I didn't salute back. Bottom line is that torqued the Marines off who were rendering salutes. So if I drove an O vehicle, was saluted, I saluted back.

    This is minor. Don't let it get on your nerves any longer. Just do it. Otherwise you will do something stuipid, and it is you who will get burned and nobody else. And welcome! This is the Marine Corps. Every single one of us had to do things that irritated us. It goes with the territory.

    As far as documentation, not sure anyone here can provide one other than plenty of documentation on customs, history and tradition, but the bottom line is if you are ordered by your superior to do this, that is all the "order" you need, and if you refuse, that is a violation of a lawful order. You don't want to go there.

    And yes, if the civilian over you is your superior, has the billet as such, he is your superior.

    Think of it like this: If you end up getting out of the Marine Corps, it's good training for all the stupid civilians you will disagree with and yet have to comply.

    Here is an interesting thread you might like for entertainment value only:
    http://forums.military.com/eve/forum.../6850066412001

    Good luck, Marine!

    Semper fi.

    Last edited by MOS4429; 03-26-12 at 11:37 AM. Reason: fix

  10. #10
    I think the Marine Corps is the only branch where you salute the sticker on the vehicle coming through the gate. Most bases across the Military have eliminated the vehicle decals. You only need your Military ID now to get on base, and it gets scanned.

    From what I've seen, no other branch of the Service requires dependents to be saluted. The only one you salute normally is the actual Commissioned Officer who is driving the vehicle, not some little brat 16 year old kid driving his daddy the Colonel's car. I personally think it's stupid as Hell that the Marine Corps requires the stickers to be saluted, regardless of who is driving the vehicle through the gate.

    Semper Fi,
    Blake.


  11. #11
    Marine Free Member Apache's Avatar
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    Agreed on the sense of the order ---
    However it is an order to be followed.

    For documentation
    Is there a post SOP ?
    Look at military courtesy regs and orders
    Look at Marine handbook

    I tried on military dot com ( did not find what I wanted)


  12. #12
    Just salute the vehicle and go on with your business. I saluted so many Navy Chiefs during my active duty days that it got to be funny. That gold Navy anchor they wear shines real bright in the sunlight. Navy Chiefs are so used to having Marines salute them that most of them return your salute and everyone is happy.

    Are you also one of those Marines who goes through the hatch and morning or evening colors is sounded and you duck back inside so you do not have to salute the colors?


  13. #13
    Marine Free Member 2nd0321's Avatar
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    I would salute the vehicle but if some snot nosed teenaged punk said where is my salute i would tell him to join the Corps after college and get his shinny pice of metal and get his salute. But having said my smart a** remark salute the sticker and go on with your post. Im just glad i wasnt a MP.


  14. #14
    Yep, you gotta salute the sticker no matter who is in the car.


  15. #15
    An old Army Ranger instilled in me, back when, that if you get the mind set, that you are saluting the rank, not the person wearing them, you would be much better off.
    Same goes for the sticker, and the Army used to do it, in the 60's and early 70's on most bases.
    If you are worried about your right arm getting out of balance with all those salutes, just do more left arm curls.
    And, Brother, if this is the worst that has your skivvies in a knot, you are leading the good life.

    Stay safe, salute the sticker, like the old sages here are telling you,
    and
    Semper Fi

    Sempidr


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