Military Customs &
Courtesy
Presented by:
Classification: Unclassified
 The purpose of this lesson is to briefly
familiarize the class in the U.S. Army’s
history of its customs and courtesies,
and the actions to take when raising
and lowering the U.S. Flag.
Tasks: Teach and Familiarize on Military
Customs and Courtesies
Conditions: Given a classroom
environment, and highly motivated
students
Standards: All students in the class will be
familiarized on the History of Military
Customs and Courtesy and the U.S. Flag
Safety Requirements: None
Risk Assessment Level: Low
Overview:
 Meanings and examples of Customs &
Courtesy
 The Hand Salute
 Identifying Ranks
 Common rules
 Saluting and Reporting to an Officer, NCO,
or Board
 Walking with an Officer/NCO
 U.S. Flag
 National/Military Music
The Meanings of Customs & Courtesies
Courtesies
Customs
 Good manners and
politeness in dealing with
other personnel.
 Respect and consideration
shown to each other by
members of the same
profession.
 Basis for good human
relations.
 Indicator of person’s
bearing, discipline, and
manners.
 Established Practice;
includes both positive and
negative actions.
 Compliment procedures
required by military
courtesy.
 Add to the graciousness of
garrison life.
The Differences:
 The difference between military courtesy
and customs is that military courtesy are the
Rules of Conduct required of military
personnel either by regulation or tradition.
Customs of the service are practices and
procedures not prescribed by law or
regulation, but by tradition and practice have
become of a binding force.
Examples of Customs
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Never criticize the Army or a leader in public
Never jump the chain of command
Never offer excuses
Never use a superiors rank to get something
done, when in fact the superior never gave
such a order (“First Sergeant wants this
done now.”)
Examples of Customs Cont.
 Never turn and walk away to avoid giving the hand
salute
 Never run indoors or pretend you don’t hear (while
driving) to avoid standing during Reveille or
Retreat
 Never appear in uniform while under the influence
of alcohol
 You will never go wrong with the response," I don’t
know, but I’ll find out.” if you don’t know the
answer to a superiors question.
Examples of Courtesies
 Hand Salute
 Addressing and working with Commissioned
and Non-Commissioned Officers
 Rendering honors to the Flag
 Reacting and rendering honors to specific
National/Military music
The Hand Salute
Origin of the Hand Salute

In the late Roman
times assassinations
were common. A
citizen who wanted to
see a public official
would approach with
his right hand raised
to show he did not
hold a weapon.
Origin of the Hand Salute Cont.
 In the century of
Knights in Armor,
knights raised
their visors with
the right hand
when meeting
a comrade.
Meaning of the Hand Salute
• Honor exchange, privilege gesture of
respect and trust among soldiers, and
recognition of each others commitment,
abilities, and professionalism; sign of selfdiscipline.
• Expression that recognizes each other as a
member of the “Profession of Arms”; that
they have made a personal commitment of
self-sacrifice to preserve our way of life.
Appropriate and Non-Appropriate
Examples of Saluting
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Appropriate
When in uniform
When National Anthem, To
the Colors, Hail to the Chief,
Foreign National Anthems are
played
Funerals/Change of
Commands
Retreat or Reveille
Sounding of Honors
Pledging of Allegiance to the
U.S. flag (outdoors)
Turning over control of
formations
When rendering reports
Officers of friendly foreign
countries
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Non-Appropriate
Indoors (unless you are
reporting to a Officer, Board,
or if you are on guard duty)
A prisoner
If you are working
underneath a vehicle
Either the senior or
subordinate is wearing
civilian clothes
Either the senior or
subordinate has articles in
both hands
When unit is resting
alongside a road (road
marches)
The salute should be accompanied with an
appropriate greeting, such as, “Good
morning/afternoon, sir/ma’am,” or the
units/platoons motto such as “Vikings”.
Remember to salute proudly because it
shows you have pride in yourself and your
unit and that you have confidence in your
abilities as a soldier.
Working with and Addressing
Officers and NCOs
Identifying Ranks
NCO- enlisted person, as a
sergeant or corporal, holding
any of various ranks below
commissioned or warrant
officers
Commissioned Officer- a
military or naval officer
holding rank by commission.
Common Rules
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Officers
When speaking to an Officer stand at attention
until ordered otherwise
When dismissed, come to attention and salute
When a Officer enters a room, the first soldier to
recognize him calls the room to attention
An Officer is always addressed as Sir/Ma’am
depending on the sex.
Common Rules
NCOs
 When speaking to an NCO stand at parade
rest until ordered otherwise
 When an NCO of a superior rank enters a
room, the first soldier to recognize him calls
the room to at ease
 Always greet or address the NCO with the
appropriate title (“Sergeant/Sergeant-Major)
Crowded Hallways and Similar Areas
 When a Officer/NCO
enters a crowded hallway
or similar area where
troops are taking a break
or standing in a waiting
line, the first person to see
the Officer/NCO should
call “At ease” and “Make
way” so those present will
move to the sides of the
hallway and allow
passage.
Saluting an Officer or NCO
Always salute 6 paces away, or
until you can see the rank of the
Officer.
On certain occasions enlisted
will salute enlisted personnel
(When reporting, handing over
formation, rendering a report,
reporting to a board).
You will always hold the salute
until the person you are saluting
returns the salute.
Reporting to an Officer/NCO/Board
Reporting
 When you report to an
Officer/NCO/Board, approach the
person on whom you are reporting to
and stop about two steps from him,
assuming the position of attention.
Give the proper salute and say, for
example, “Sir/Ma’am, Private Smith
reports as ordered.” When business is
conducted and you are dismissed,
come to attention and salute wait for
the return salute, once acknowledged
execute the proper facing procedure
and leave the room.
Walking with a Officer/NCO
 When walking with a superior, always walk
on the left.
 The custom of walking to the left originated
in the middle ages when a person carries
his weapon in his right hand and was
considered the right to be a part of honor;
the person to his left protected the
unguarded side.
Rendering Honors to the U.S.
Flag, National/Military Music
U.S. Flag
 The flag of the United
States is the symbol of
our nation. The union,
white stars on a field of
blue, is the honor point
of the flag
 All soldiers should pay
respect to the flags
daily, when it is being
raised and when it is
being lowered.
Raising and Lowering of the Flag
 The flag should be raised briskly and lowered
slowly and ceremoniously. Ordinarily it should be
displayed only between sunrise and sunset. It
should be illuminated if displayed at night.
 The flag of the United States of America is saluted
as it is hoisted and lowered. The salute is held
until the flag is unsnapped from the halyard or
through the last note of music, whichever is the
longest.
Action upon raising and
lowering of the Flag
 Dismounted Whenever and wherever the
“National Anthem”, “To The
Colors”, “Hail to the Chief”, or
“Reveille” are played, at first
note, all dismounted personnel
in uniform and not in formation
face the flag or the music (if the
flag is not in view), stand at
Attention and renders a salute
 When not in uniform, personnel
will, at first note, stand at
attention facing the flag or the
music (if the flag is not in view),
remove headgear, if any, with
the right hand, and place the
right hand over the heart.
Action upon raising and
lowering of the Flag
 Mounted Vehicles in motion will be
brought to a halt. Persons riding
in a passenger car or on a
motorcycle will dismount and
salute. Occupants of other types
of military vehicles and buses
remain seated at attention in the
vehicle, the individual in charge
of each vehicle dismounting and
rendering the hand salute. Tank
and armored car commanders
salute from the vehicle.
The Flag in Mourning
 To place the flag at half staff, hoist it to the peak
for an instant and lower it to a position half way
between the top and bottom of the staff. The flag is
to be raised again to the peak for a moment before
it is lowered. On Memorial Day the flag is
displayed at half staff until noon and at full staff
from noon to sunset.
 The flag is to be flown at half staff in mourning for
designated, principal government leaders and
upon presidential or gubernatorial order.
 When used to cover a casket, the flag should be
placed with the union at the head and over the left
shoulder. It should not be lowered into the grave.
National/Military Music
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National Anthem
Reveille
Retreat
To the Colors
Hail to the Chief
Taps
The Army Song
National Anthem
 Known as the
“Star-Spangled
Banner”
 Written in 1814
by Francis Scott
Key
 Usually played
after Retreat
Retreat
 Originally called “The Watch Setting”
 Signal to forces outside the camps to return
before the closing of the gates
 Originally sounded on drums
 Adopted to take effect before sunset in 1779
 Signal of when the night guard was taking
control
 At the last note of this call a cannon is fired.
To the Colors
 "To the Colors" is played while the flag is
raised and lowered.
 To the Color is a bugle call to render honors
to the nation. It is used when no band is
available to render honors, or in ceremonies
requiring honors to the nation more than
once. To the Color commands all the same
courtesies as the National Anthem.
Reveille
 Originally from the
French meaning “to
wake again”
 Written by Joseph
Hayden
 Signifies the
beginning of the duty
day
 Origins from the
Roman Empire
“Diana’s Hymn”
Hail to the Chief
 Originally written by James Sanderson for a stage
adaptation of Sir Walter Scott’s Poem, “The Lady
of the Lake”.
 Song was first performed in the U.S in 1812.
 The tune for the song; however, may have been
borrowed from an old Scottish melody.
 Now its traditionally played to announce the
ceremonial entrance of the U.S. Commander-inChief -- the President of the United States.
Taps
 Meaning “Lights Out”
 Created in July of 1862
by union Gen. Daniel
Adams Butterfield
 Played by the Brigade
bugler Oliver Wilcox
Norton
 Officially recognized in
1874
The Army Song
March along, sing our song
with the Army of the free
Count the brave, count the true,
who have fought to victory,
We're the Army and proud of our name;
We're the Army and proudly proclaim:
First to fight for the right, and to build
The Nation's might, And the Army Goes
Rolling Along. Proud of all we have
done, Fighting till the battle's won, And
the Army Goes Rolling Along
CHORUS:
Then it's hi, hi, hey! The Army's on its
way count off the cadence loud and
strong (two, three) For wher-e'er we go,
You will always know that the Army Goes
Rolling Along
Valley Forge, Custer's ranks, San Juan hill and
Patton's tanks, And the Army went rolling
Along. Minute men from the start, Always
fighting from the heart,
And the Army keeps rolling along.
CHORUS
Men in rags, men who froze, still that Army met
its foes, And the Army went rolling along. Faith
in God, then we're right, And we'll fight with all
our might, As the Army keeps rolling along.
CHORUS (the third chorus should be sung
slower) + (Keep it rolling) And The Army Goes
Rolling Along.
Upon hearing, soldiers should come
to attention face the flag or the
direction of the music and salute.
Questions
Conclusion
 Military Customs & Courtesies is not a one-way
street. Enlisted personnel must be courteous to
Officers, and Officers are expected to return the
courtesy. Officers respect the soldiers as
individuals, just as you respect the Officers as
individuals. Without the basis of mutual respect
there can be no Military Customs & Courtesy, and
disharmony will result.
 Customs & Courtesy show discipline, bearing, and
the abilities of the Unit, Soldier, and Section. Pride
in ones actions will show positive Courtesy and
Custom.
Work-Cited Page
FM 3-21.5 Drill & Ceremony
FM 7-21.13 The Soldiers Guide
AR 600-20 Army Command Policy
AR 600-25 Salute, Honors, Visits of Courtesy
August 1995 Webster’s Handy College Dictionary 3rd
Edition
Internet Sites
www.armystudyguide.com
www.squad-leader.com