Paying Compliments (Saluting, Verbal Address)

[Furniture]

To make it stop, your friend could use a little trick I've used before: Start calling the sergeants and above PO or Chief only, and then tell them you'll stop calling them that when they get your rank right.

I ended up doing the opposite back when I first got the ships. My boss kept calling me "Sarge", so I started calling them "LT". Got the point across rather quickly.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Jack wears this rank in all forms of 'combat' dress', including when serving with RM Cdo units.

I didn't want to say anything because I've been out for awhile (before arid existed) and when I looked it up in the current dress regulations, I did not find it anymore, but it certainly used to be the case here too. When (very, very rare occasions) we were issued army combats, we always wore our "Navy" slip-ons - black with gold thread - on them.

But in the present case, even with the general purpose subdued slip-ons, it should be easy to figure the person is from the Navy: We are dealing with an officer. He is wearing standard subdued slip-ons showing bars. They are not pale blue so he is not Air Force, neither do they show pips and crowns so he is not Army. That sorts of limit the choices left over, doesn't it  [.

 

[jollyjacktar]

And if the viewer is still confused about which of the three elements the wearer belongs with, they can have a gander at the nametape and look for the anchor, eagle or swords.  It's not Rocket Science.

At least I would hope they (viewer) would have an IQ above room temperature readings, especially if an Officer and could suss it out.

 

[George Wallace]

And if the viewer is still confused about which of the three elements the wearer belongs with, they can have a gander at the nametape and look for the anchor, eagle or swords.  It's not Rocket Science.

At least I would hope they (viewer) would have an IQ above room temperature readings, especially if an Officer and could suss it out.

It all depends.  Capt Obvious is not always around to correct.

 

[The Bread Guy]

At least I would hope they (viewer) would have an IQ above room temperature readings, especially if an Officer and could suss it out.

Fahrenheit or Celsius?  >

 

[George Wallace]

Some of this is just  :rofl:

OK.....Then you have this:

CDS drops by (via UKR MoD info-machine)...

Chief of Defence Staff of Canada Colonel General Jonathan Vance arrived to Ukraine ......

[

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

George: Colonel-General is the actual UKR Army rank for an officer just above Lieutenant-General, but below General of Army (which in most countries would be called a Field-Marshall). So, it certainly conveys Vance's status properly.

 

[dimsum]

But in the present case, even with the general purpose subdued slip-ons, it should be easy to figure the person is from the Navy: We are dealing with an officer. He is wearing standard subdued slip-ons showing bars. They are not pale blue so he is not Air Force, neither do they show pips and crowns so he is not Army. That sorts of limit the choices left over, doesn't it  [.

That works in the green CADPAT since the bars are blue (on olive drab background) for the RCAF, black (with Exec Curl) on olive drab for the RCN, and Pips/Crowns on CADPAT for the CA.  On Arid, the bars for RCAF and RCN are exactly the same - tan on CADPAT arid.

But yes, you can look to see if that person has an anchor or an eagle on their nametape. 

 

[Jarnhamar]

Honest question is it rude to address a left-tenant as LT?

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I don't know if it is rude or not, it is just not done. 24 years in the Navy, I just have never heard a two ringer addressed as anything else than lieutenant. Just like I've never heard "light" used for addressing a Lieutenant-commander.

I think those are Army ways of addressing people, and American Army at that.

Actually, Jarnhamar, there is another aspect here: In the Navy, we tend to refer to officers by their job. So it is not very common to address a lieutenant by his/her rank since at that level, they all have defined "jobs".

You are more likely to hear "Get this to the Navo/deckO/ORO/LogO", etc. rather than "get this to Lieutenant Bloggins".

 

[George Wallace]

George: Colonel-General is the actual UKR Army rank for an officer just above Lieutenant-General, but below General of Army (which in most countries would be called a Field-Marshall). So, it certainly conveys Vance's status properly.

I assumed that it was a UKR publication, using their terminology; but can still be applied to this whole discussion.  Different nations will see a rank and associate it to what they "know" and use that/their term.  Much the same can be said when referring to the different Services within that nation.  This whole kerfuffle is great for descussion over beers, but not as serious as some make it out to be.

 

[Journeyman]

Honest question is it rude to address a left-tenant as LT?

If the Lt is offended and doesn't speak up, there are other leadership issues to worry about.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Honest question is it rude to address a left-tenant as LT?

It depends on the subaltern (or the lieutenant if he is in the navy - it's irrelevant in the air force due to their casual nature  [).  The required form of address would be "Sir", if you are talking to him directly ("Ma'am" if a she) and you are of a lower rank.  However, what is the personal relationship?  What does he/she permit or expect?  I've been called a lot of things by subordinates and happily acknowledged the spirit by which they so addressed me (I am also sure that some of the things I've been called behind my back were less than flattering and not meant to portray respect or affection).

edited to add

My favourite anecdote about an OR making rude and obscene comments to an officer comes from David Niven in his autobiography "The Moon's a Balloon".  He relates meeting an RSM shortly after he rejoined the army.

Volunteers of all ranks came from every conceivable outfit and were a tough adventurous group prepared for any hardship. Mixed with us, for a while, were the semi-mutinous remains of the independent companies, defeated in Norway and now awaiting either absorption into the Commandos or disbandment. The Regimental Sergeant Major of this rugged conglomeration was a huge man, brought by Brian Mayfield and Bill Stirling from their parent regiment, the Scots Guards. The first morning I was at Lochailort, this splendid creature passed me, ramrod straight and moustache bristling. He let fly a tremendous salute which I acknowledged. He replied to this with an unmistakable and very loud Bronx cheer or common raspberry.

I spun round as if shot and shouted after him,
‘Sergeant Major!’

‘SAH!’

‘Come back here!’

‘SAH!’

He came back, halted and snapped off another salute.

‘Did you make that rude noise?’

‘YESSIR!’

‘Why, may I ask?’

‘Because you look such a c*nt in a Rifle Brigade hat – SAH!’

Only then did I catch on – it was John Royal of Green Beer fame!

While I gaped at him he said,
‘I heard you were coming … I have a room in a crofter’s cottage, name of Lachlan, just behind the kirk in the village – see you there this evening … SAH!’

Another Scots Guards salute and he was gone.

John’s cottage was a godsend. Every evening, I repaired there and tried to forget my aching, bruised body and my ‘fleabag bed’ on the hard wooden floor of a loft, shared with forty or fifty others.

John, after his problems in India, had found it impossible to obtain a commission so he had joined the Scots Guards as a guardsman and within a few months had risen to his present dizzy height. Later he became a parachutist and at last got back his commission as a glider pilot. He was killed at Arnhem.

 

[Pusser]

No w I want to know more about "John Royal of Green Beer fame?"

 

[jollyjacktar]

No w I want to know more about "John Royal of Green Beer fame?"

Read the book.  Niven's time at Sandhurst and the Regiment afterwards is delightfully funny. 

 

[Blackadder1916]

No w I want to know more about "John Royal of Green Beer fame?"

Though Niven misspells his name in his book (it is actually Royle), the "green beer" story is from when both served together as subalterns in the Highland Light Infantry.  An inkling of (later) Major Royle's activities during the war can be found here http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/john_royle.htm .

 

[Rifleman62]

Great book which I read years ago. Will have to find it again. Another funny anecdote was Mess Dinner in Malta in the 30's. The dinners, old rules, were held late at night due to the heat and would last for hours. The subalterns would pass wine (empty) bottles around to relieve themselves under the table.

Spike Milligan, Irish comic anecdote along the same lines.  Sleeping in tents one of the gun crew got an cycle inter tube to wrap around so he did not have to get up in the night to piss. Spike tied a knot in it with the resulting hilarity .

During the Second World War, Milligan served as a signaller in the 56th Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery, D Battery (later 19 Battery), as Gunner Milligan, 954024. The unit was equipped with the obsolete First World War era BL 9.2-inch howitzer and based in Bexhill on the south coast of England. Milligan describes training with these guns in part two of Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall, claiming that, during training, gun crews resorted to shouting "bang" in unison as they had no shells with which to practise.

Good books.

 

[Sub_Guy]

Figured this would be the best place to post this.

I need to know if I am missing something here.  Currently in a training establishment and we have been instructed to call room when the instructors enter the room.  Which is isn’t a big deal, however, my issue is that I have a classmate who is the same rank as the instructors at the school.  Maybe I’m missing something, but I always associated calling a room to attention with saluting (same rank = no salute).

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Actually, I've always associated calling "room" with a sign of deference to authority, so to speak.

In the Navy, we call room for the entrance of the XO or the CO (for example) , yet, in many instances, these people are of lower rank that some other officers in the room. Similarly, we call it for instructors at HMCS VENTURE even if some students (particularly in command courses) may be senior officers to such instructors, but just not specialists in the instructor's field.

Just saying that  I never really associated such action with a "salute".

 

[Sub_Guy]

Thanks, exactly what I was looking for!  I guess the comparison to saluting was a bad example.  I had always associated it with someone of a higher rank (or executive position) entering the room.