Noncombatant Uniformed Services

[Doheny]

I was watching the news tonight re: the oil spill and saw a member of NOAA being interviewed. He commanded a ship, wore a navy-looking uniform and had oak-leaf clusters.

It made me wonder if members of the Noncombatant Uniformed Services (NOAA and the Pubic Health Service) salute .mil types and vice-versa? NOAA and the PHS only have commissioned officers, so if you came upon one and you were both in uniform, would you need to salute him/her (assuming he was of a higher rank)?

That's all...just curious.

Carry on.

.

[corrupt]

No salute. Of course if you're a boot than you just salute any kind of "shiny sh*t" that you see, but that doesn't count.

[NiteQwill]

No salute. Of course if you're a boot than you just salute any kind of "shiny sh*t" that you see, but that doesn't count.

Yes, a salute is properly rendered to all services, military and non-military which have no affiliation to each other. The same goes towards members of foreign militaries.

Board a NOAA ship in San Diego and they will expect (and properly so) a salute.

[OneSevenDeuce]

NOAA and PHS officers are commissioned by the same authority as military officers. Salute, yes.

[corrupt]

Haha. I always knew I wasn't a garrison Marine. Always knew I wasn't always right, too. Guess I should have stuck with, "when in doubt, whip it out".

[CWUSCG]

Guess I should have stuck with, "when in doubt, whip it out".

I shared the same mentality with my ex girlfriend after a few beers.

[todd2968]

You got a good point if they are Dept of Home land security/Dept of Transportation formerly, I might as well salute a border guard capt with bars on or an airline pilot.

[OneSevenDeuce]

Those aren't considered uniformed services. That's why you don't salute them.

[RickD427]

OneSevenDuece,

Here's the definition of our Armed Services, and our Uniformed Services. This is straight from the U.S. Code:

(a) In General. - The following definitions apply in this title:
(1) The term "United States", in a geographic sense, means the
States and the District of Columbia.
[(2) Repealed. Pub. L. 109-163, div. A, title X, Sec.
1057(a)(1), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3440.]
(3) The term "possessions" includes the Virgin Islands, Guam,
American Samoa, and the Guano Islands, so long as they remain
possessions, but does not include any Commonwealth.
(4) The term "armed forces" means the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
(5) The term "uniformed services" means -
(A) the armed forces;
(B) the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration; and
(C) the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service.

[OneSevenDeuce]

OneSevenDuece,

Here's the definition of our Armed Services, and our Uniformed Services. This is straight from the U.S. Code:

(a) In General. - The following definitions apply in this title:
(1) The term "United States", in a geographic sense, means the
States and the District of Columbia.
[(2) Repealed. Pub. L. 109-163, div. A, title X, Sec.
1057(a)(1), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3440.]
(3) The term "possessions" includes the Virgin Islands, Guam,
American Samoa, and the Guano Islands, so long as they remain
possessions, but does not include any Commonwealth.
(4) The term "armed forces" means the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
(5) The term "uniformed services" means -
(A) the armed forces;
(B) the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration; and
(C) the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service.

That's what I'm saying. That's why you salute NOAA and PHS, and not DOT or some other organization like that.

[todd2968]

What about IRS agents or TSA agents? Border Guard?

[Doheny]

What about IRS agents or TSA agents? Border Guard?

No, only these:

The seven uniformed services are:

1. United States Army
2. United States Navy
3. United States Marine Corps
4. United States Air Force
5. United States Coast Guard
6. United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
7. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps

From Wiki.

[capo]

Haha. I always knew I wasn't a garrison Marine. Always knew I wasn't always right, too. Guess I should have stuck with, "when in doubt, whip it out".

Always good when two NCO's from different services walk by each other, salute, then think "wtf" and turn around and laugh at each other.

[tacticalcity]

Always good when two NCO's from different services walk by each other, salute, then think "wtf" and turn around and laugh at each other.

From a distance, or with the sun in your eyes all that shinny crap the Army wears on their hats and shirts confuses the heck out of other services. The first time you write that glare off and assume it is an enlisted man, they turn out to be a full bird colonel with a chip on their shoulder. When in doubt...I would salute. When deployed, saluting was forbidden...so the majority of the time that I was around other services it wasn't a problem. Besides, it is much easier to separate officer from enlisted when the insignias are matte black and do not refect and blind you with their glare.

This also answers the OP. You don't have time to dilly dally and try and figure out what service they are from when they are walking up on you. You see something shinny you salute. End of story. If you accidentally salute an enlisted man, so what? You can laugh it off. Fail to salute an officer and it is a big deal. My branch, the USAF does not salute indoors, so if wouldn't matter in doors. If you knew them personally, you salute until they tell you not to. They have rank, regardless of the service they are in, and they earned that rank. So you salute.

[Beagle]

You got a good point if they are Dept of Home land security/Dept of Transportation formerly, I might as well salute a border guard capt with bars on or an airline pilot.

This is the United States we don't have border guards like other countries.

We have Border Patrol Agents not border guards.