Saluted by regular Air Force guys

[stixco1]

This past weekend I volunteered with CAP at an Air Show. There were many other service members there in uniform. I was saluted by two regular AF guys. One was a SNCO and the other was a 2nd Lt. Both also greeted and thanked me. Very humbling.

[PHall]

I do hope you returned the salutes.  Just plain bad form if you didn't.

[TexasBEAST]

I remember once as a brand-new butter-bar CAP 2d Lt, looking all spiffy since I was a former cadet officer and everything, when I was greeted at the sink in the men's room at Wing HQ by our LNCO, who called me "Sir". The man was nearly 3x my age, and he still showed that kind of courtesy to me. I was floored.

And one time, at band camp...

No, seriously, once on the area ANG base, as a 1st Lt, I was walking on one side of a street on the troopwalk, and a group of 3 ANG airmen on the other side of the street saluted me. I just saluted them back automatically, without even thinking about it. It wasn't until a few seconds later that it all registered what had just happened. One, those young airmen were even less familiar with AF C&C than I was, so they probably just saw dark epaulet sleeves (i.e., officer) and figured they'd better salute. Or two, as a former cadet, I wore my uniform pretty sharply, and I guess that maybe I managed to pass as an AF officer in their eyes.

It totally changed my perspective on the gray epaulet sleeves. They didn't seem so "distinctive" (i.e., demeaning or lesser) in my eyes, anymore.

[Storm Chaser]

It totally changed my perspective on the gray epaulet sleeves. They didn't seem so "distinctive" (i.e., demeaning or lesser) in my eyes, anymore.

They were never intended as such. While I liked the blue epaulets better, the gray one never bothered me. Not only do they look much better than the maroon ones did, they look good enough with the blue service uniform that I don't think much of it. I don't really like them much with the service dress jacket, but I'm used to them already.

Going back to the salutes. Airmen are taught early on "when in doubt, salute", so it's understandable that they would salute a CAP officer if they weren't sure. Frankly, a CAP officer in service uniform doesn't look much different from and Air Force officer if they wear their uniform correctly and don't wear excess badges and ribbons (most Air Force junior officers don't have as much "bling" as some CAP officers have).

Personally, I've never made a big deal about the salutes. I always give mine when appropriate. I return them when given. And if I don't get one, it doesn't bother me at all. I always give, at a minimum, a verbal greeting and don't mind initiating it regardless of the other person's grade.

[ColonelJack]

When I was a butter bar (so new the bar still had the price tag on it), I was a staff officer at an encampment at Ft. Benning.  During our first meal in the mess hall, I was joined at the table by an Army SFC who had more years in service than I had on the planet (or so it seemed).  He asked me a lot about CAP, who we are, what we do, etc.  And every time it was appropriate, he called me "sir."  I have remembered that clearly from 1982 to today, and have always been humbled by that.

Jack

[NIN]

When I was a butter bar (so new the bar still had the price tag on it), I was a staff officer at an encampment at Ft. Benning.  During our first meal in the mess hall, I was joined at the table by an Army SFC who had more years in service than I had on the planet (or so it seemed).  He asked me a lot about CAP, who we are, what we do, etc.  And every time it was appropriate, he called me "sir."  I have remembered that clearly from 1982 to today, and have always been humbled by that.

Back when we still had blue shoulder marks, I was a mere 1st Lt and a group staff officer. We had an event of some sort we supported at the local ANG base, and I'd been working all day with several officers from one of the ANG squadrons. All of us were in blues, and I don't remember these days what exactly we were doing (family day? Something) 

But afterwards, I was shooting the breeze with the guys I'd been working with all day when the ANG Lt Col in charge of the event comes over and he's thanking everybody for the work they were doing, and he's thanking me for "working with the CAP guys and making the event so successful." As he's saying this, I see his eyes do a quick once over on my epaulets and he goes "Oh, hey, you are one of the CAP guys! I didn't even realize! I thought you were one of my lieutenants!"

(yeah, never mind the shoulder patch, the CAP cap device, etc...)

I thought that high praise that I was, at more than an arm's length distance, mistaken for an ANG Lt by the boss.

[stixco1]

I do hope you returned the salutes.  Just plain bad form if you didn't.

Of course I did.

[stixco1]

I was in BDU also so there was no confusion.

[kwe1009]

I was in BDU also so there was no confusion.

Many foreign military wear the woodland BDU or something very close to it.  As was previously stated, enlisted are taught, "when in doubt, whip it out." when it comes to saluting officers.

Having been in the situation like the two who saluted you, this is probably how the conversation went between the 2 AF guys:

Lt: "what is that?"
NCO: "not sure sir"
Lt: "we better salute."
NCO: "yes sir, agreed."

salutes exchanged

Lt: "what was that?"
NCO: "still not sure sir but good thing we saluted."

I have had that exact conversation numerous times in my career.

[lordmonar]

Or maybe....just maybe....they saw a CAP officer...recognized him as a CAP officer....knowing full well what and who CAP is.....also knowing that they would not get into any trouble if they just ignored him.....saluted him anyway.

[stixco1]

It was at separate times, each was walking alone.

[Mitchell 1969]

When I was a butter bar (so new the bar still had the price tag on it), I was a staff officer at an encampment at Ft. Benning.  During our first meal in the mess hall, I was joined at the table by an Army SFC who had more years in service than I had on the planet (or so it seemed).  He asked me a lot about CAP, who we are, what we do, etc.  And every time it was appropriate, he called me "sir."  I have remembered that clearly from 1982 to today, and have always been humbled by that.

Back when we still had blue shoulder marks, I was a mere 1st Lt and a group staff officer. We had an event of some sort we supported at the local ANG base, and I'd been working all day with several officers from one of the ANG squadrons. All of us were in blues, and I don't remember these days what exactly we were doing (family day? Something) 

But afterwards, I was shooting the breeze with the guys I'd been working with all day when the ANG Lt Col in charge of the event comes over and he's thanking everybody for the work they were doing, and he's thanking me for "working with the CAP guys and making the event so successful." As he's saying this, I see his eyes do a quick once over on my epaulets and he goes "Oh, hey, you are one of the CAP guys! I didn't even realize! I thought you were one of my lieutenants!"

(yeah, never mind the shoulder patch, the CAP cap device, etc...)

I thought that high praise that I was, at more than an arm's length distance, mistaken for an ANG Lt by the boss.

And....compare that story to mine. 

I was assigned as protocol officer for the graduation parade at encampment, Vandenberg AFB.

USAF base commander arrived, I met him, introduced myself, gave him a quick briefing on the sequence. He was a colonel, knew his lines as a reviewing officer. I told him I'd be on the reviewing stand behind him.

During the presentation of awards I went with him, carrying  plaques and streamers. At the end he shook hands all around, thanked me by name.

So, here's the punch line - from the time he pulled up to the time he left and multiple times in between, he called me "Cadet Captain Wilson."

I was 33 years old.

[Luis R. Ramos]

Think of it this way. He was not saying you were Cadet Captain, but Captain of a group of cadets...

[goblin]

On the opposite side of the spectrum:

I was a brand new 2d Lt at AF pilot training, Columbus AFB. CAP's AETC-FC was in town and I volunteered to help since I was an ex-cadet and knew what the program entailed.

I met the CAP Major running the show outside the flying squadron to give him a tour/meet and greet and before I could introduce myself, he said "excuse me LT, aren't you forgetting something?"

I asked what that would be and I got a 30 second lecture on how he was a USAF AUX Major blah blah. I snapped to attention, gave a sharp salute, and carried on. He avoided my company once he realized I used to be in the program.

I've attended one encampment since rejoining CAP as a SM and Air Force officer and have never had any problem saluting those of higher "rank" when wearing my "Real AF" uniform. I do so out of respect for the position (WG/CC, encampment CC, etc) and for the person, most whom I know personally. 

This situation, while rare, put a bad taste in my mouth.

[Гугл переводчик]

Thats not very smart of that CAP Major. CAP commissions are not "real" ones, and CAP officers do NOT have to be saluted by AF personnel.

[JeffDG]

I met the CAP Major running the show outside the flying squadron to give him a tour/meet and greet and before I could introduce myself, he said "excuse me LT, aren't you forgetting something?"

I asked what that would be and I got a 30 second lecture on how he was a USAF AUX Major blah blah. I snapped to attention, gave a sharp salute, and carried on. He avoided my company once he realized I used to be in the program.

Thats not very smart of that CAP Major. CAP commissions are not "real" ones, and CAP officers do NOT have to be saluted by AF personnel.

Our former Wing Commander made clear that his response to one of his CAP people demanding a salute, ever (for their CAP grade...those AD/Res/NG officers of course not included), would "start with a '2' and end with a 'B'"  I've not heard our new Wing Commander say those words, but I'm pretty sure her opinion is right along the same line.