Posted on 11/16/2007 7:16:21 AM PST by Clive
MASUM GHAR, Afghanistan - There's nothing quite like a snappy military salute, but here in Afghanistan you don't see it very often.
In fact, a sign on the boardwalk at Kandahar Air Field proclaims that the base that is home to most Canadian troops in Afghanistan is a "no hat-no salute area."
With the notable exception of U.S. forces, the traditional military greeting is pretty much a non-starter in Afghanistan.
The salute has always been a sign of respect. It's origin is unclear but it is believed by some to go back to the Middle Ages when a knight would raise the visor on his helmet and expose his face to the view of another.
This was always done with the right hand and was a significant gesture of friendship and confidence since it exposed the features and also removed the right hand from the vicinity of a weapon.
The virtual abolishment of the salute in the Afghan theatre has more to do with security.
In previous eras, marksmen would target opposing officers, often easily identified by the different uniforms they wore. Killing one of the leaders was an easy way to demoralize and confuse enemy troops.
The fact is, out in the field, the uniforms for all ranks are pretty much identical these days. Gen. Rick Hillier, chief of defence staff, was clad in full battle gear during a late October visit to troops in the field and was indistinguishable from his subordinates.
That's the reason the salute was removed as well: to prevent the identification of those in charge since non-commissioned soldiers traditionally salute superior officers.
"That's a policy that we've been putting up throughout," said Master Warrant Officer Michel Carriere.
"It's always been a sign of respect, so if a general would show up in a room, in a confined area there's no reason we wouldn't do that (salute)," Carriere said. "But as a safety precaution we wouldn't do that in the theatre."
The same rule applies for most of the other coalition forces, including the Dutch and the British.
"There are so many different countries here it would be too confusing for soldiers to recognize the various uniforms of the officers," said one British officer. "And there is the matter of safety. We don't want the officers identified when we are out beyond the wire."
"It's security for sure. That's the general idea," added Canadian Warrant Officer Gary White. "If I was an officer I wouldn't want anybody saluting me."
There are exceptions of course. It is still permissible indoors and at the recent Remembrance Day ceremony in Kandahar the assembled soldiers saluted the 71 Canadian soldiers killed in the line of duty since the mission began five years ago.
"On the camp or out in the field we don't salute each other. We don't salute other nations," explained Lt.-Cmdr. Pierre Babinsky. "Normally in the field you won't salute in order for enemy observers to establish . . . the commanders and the officers."
And in Afghanistan, there are Taliban spies everywhere. There isn't a military manoeuvre that takes place that isn't being watched by someone, with the information often quickly relayed to the Taliban leadership.
"Snipers can be a threat," Babinsky. "But simply observers gathering intelligence can determine our rank structure to identify possible targets for future times. Those are all possibilities."
"The focus here is on operations. Saluting is a courtesy and entrenched in our culture. But here we agreed we would not salute and remain operationally focused and it's working fine."
They had that rule in WWII
dumb ass reporters
At New Orleans in January, 1815, Tennessee and Kentucky riflemen killed all three British generals present on the field. By the time the reseve commander arrived, the route was already on.
In a combat zone the journalists are the ones who should be saluted to draw fire from snipers.
I think in combat zones, saluting should be reserved exclusively for reporters...
The Navy never salutes indoors because a cover isn’t worn indoors and the Navy doesn’t salute without a cover.
So, the article says that these other countries’ military personnel don’t salute on the FOB? That is odd. We don’t salute while out in-sector, but on the FOB, it’s basically like any other military base, except you get mortared a lot more often, and you carry your personal weapon with you everywhere you go.
Well for their information - the covered terrace area that surrounds Walter Reed Army Med Center (WRAMC) is also a “No Hat, No Salute Area” the initial reason for that rule is there are so many Docs/nurses(officers) that you’d break your arm just walking out. However, since I’ve been down to WRAMC, given the neighborhood that surrounds it, maybe they too are afraid of snipers.
That's what I was just thinking as I read the article. Journalists have to be retrained after lunch or dinner much less after each war/battle.
Ah for another Ernie Pyle!
Nam Vet
Generally, if someone gets inside my zone and hasn’t saluted, I initiate it…so, that’s not the protocol, but I figure it is a greeting and a sign of respect…I’ll give both to any other service member gladly.
I was at Norflok Naval base recently and walked past a CAPT and CDR. Our Air Force rank is bigger and on the opposite side of our hats, so I have to look very carefully. We walk with the higher ranking person to the right. So, as I approached, I looked at the guy on the right, saw he was an O-5 too, verbally greeted them, and moved on.
The O-5 then proceeded to read me the riot act with the O-6 glaring at me. I snapped one up, apologized and excused myself. I’ve been in this business for 26 years and didn’t need the lecture. Ah….what are you gonna do?
Does anyone know is the Navy does the “rank to the right” when walking?
Yet, who can forget that cartoon in THE OVERSEAS WEEKLY, of a soldier helping a wounded comrade and an officer pointing to him and demanding from another officer..”Why isn’t that soldier saluting me!”
Maybe somebody can calibrate me here, but I recall hearing that the big open courtyard in the middle of the Pentagon is also a “no hat / no salute” area.
Again, merely for practical reasons. With so many of various ranks milling around it would look like everybody doing jumping jacks.
>>>believed by some to go back to the Middle Ages when a knight would raise the visor on his helmet and expose his face to the view of another.
I think there was a Canteen thread on the origin of the salute.
Correct. Also, the area outside the doors at corridor 8 out to the Pentagon Conference center is a no hat/no salute area.
We used to call saluting or wearing bright rank insignia, even in a training environment, a SNIPER CHECK!
Logic is a good thing.
:-)
Reminds me of the funniest episode of MASH. Harry Morgan {before he took the role as Potter} was General Steele and about a brick shy of a load. He and I think Hawkeye were in a war zone and Steele insisted he be saluted. At the instant the hand went up so came the bullets. Seriously though if a Zero’s ego needs stroked in such a dangerous manner under those conditions well then they have a leadership issue. My guess is 999 out of a 1000 do not.
LOL!
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