History Main / MilitarySalute

** One obvious exception: You don't salute an enemy prisoner of war.

* [[LupinTheThird Inspector Zenigata]] salutes Count Cagliostro when he reports in ''CastleOfCagliostro''. Cagliostro doesn't even acknowledge it, being the asshole he is.

* Used often in ''DoctorWho'' between the Doctor and Jack, although at the time neither were part of military organisations. (The Doctor is/was a UNIT employee, and Jack has served in both World War 1 and 2. [[TimeTravel More than once.]]) Usually it shows the respect between the two characters...the final salute given between them shows Jack's thanks, and Ten's final goodbye.

* '''Reporting''': When a soldier is summoned by an officer, the soldier greets the officer with a salute and an acknowledgment of being summoned. "Sir, Private Bob reports as ordered."

* '''Improper/Exaggerated Salute''': The salute is rendered poorly or in an exaggerated manner. This might be a symbol of not knowing how to properly render it (excusable with a civilian, most definitely NOT excusable with a soldier), or it might symbolize the saluter either is very ignorant or very disrespectful and non-chalant. Sometimes, a character does an exaggerated salute to symbolize joy or triumph, but this is a blatant example of [[DidNotDoTheResearch not doing their homework]]. If the character was ''supposed'' to do the salute right but didn't because the writers goofed or winged it, then it's ArtisticLicenceBasicTraining (and seriously guys, is it so hard to find a soldier and ask him? You probably have National Guard people working for you, ask around!).

* '''StrangeSalute''': And already existing trope on this site, this is just a non-traditional salute that distinguishes an organization or culture as different from the norm.

* JohnCena often salutes on his way to the ring, supposedly as a show of support to the troops. Somebody should tell him that most of the time, [[ArtisticLicenceBasicTraining he's not doing it properly.]]

* MassEffect and its sequel features this at several points; given that TheAlliance shares several similarities with the USMC and US Navy, the salute is American style.
* TheRock features this several times, but it becomes symbolic. First, it is tragic (saluting a burial detail), then it is a sign of respect and purpose, then it is [[spoiler: noticeably less and less present, until it is gone completely, signifying the breakdown of order and revealing the true nature of most of the terrorists.]]

* A [[SubvertedTrope subversion]]: The Nazi salute (arm stretched forward, palm facing down) is so distinctive and reviled, any use of it in fiction, instead of focusing on the protocol of the saluter, will instead be used to signal the character's morally dubious [[CharacterAlignment alignment]].
* When a great national leader dies, expect many teary-eyed salutes to follow. Many pictures of [[FranklinDelanoRoosevelt FDR's]] funeral show US soldiers saluting while weeping.
* In ''{{MASH}}'', Hawkeye and BJ tend to mockingly salute Frank Burns. Played For Laughs most of the time.
** Also from ''MASH'', one of the only non-mocking salutes Hawkeye ever gave was to Radar when he was shipping out - Hawk was busy in the OR but gave Radar a salute in lieu of the going away party that the casualties canceled.
* Both ''ThePhilSilversShow'' and its movie version, ''Sergeant Bilko'', had the eponymous character using the salute in comedic ways.
* BennyHill was famous for his [[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jAH3Mz8KFxo/SCBt7-1W5XI/AAAAAAAAAYc/13AD-iqvamY/s320/Benny.gif silly mocking British salute]].
** In one Benny Hill sketch he was a WWI army guy who got captured by the Germans. He starts to do the regular (for him) British salute, then realizes who he's dealing with and gives a German salute - which seems to have been hand on top of the head. The German officer salutes back and stabs himself on his spiked helmet.

* ''TeamFortress2'': The Soldier, [[spoiler:who was never in any branch of the military and thus has no basic training to fail]], "salutes" by making an L with his left hand.
* At President Kennedy's funeral, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz5waH25x4U little John John]] does this, and America burst into tears.
* ''TheDickVanDykeShow'': During a FlashBack, when Rob was in the army, he was summoned to his commanding officer's office and saluted. The officer scratched his head and Rob thought it was the officer responding to his salute so he dropped his, which ticked off the CO, who hadn't saluted back. Then at the end of the meeting Rob saluted and the CO just said "dismissed" without looking up, so Rob had to leave still saluting. We then saw him out the office window, still saluting.

* Marines in ''OnePiece'' frequently salute their superior palm-inward. When asked about it in his SBS Q&A section, Eiichiro Oda explained that this was at one time actual naval practice to prevent showing tar-stained hands to their superiors.
* In the {{Discworld}} book ''Discworld/MenAtArms'', Detritus initially had trouble with saluting and would frequently knock himself out by hitting himself in the head.
* [[RedDwarf A.J. Rimmer]] and his ridiculously [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al5bErqFrDQ overextended salutes]]. The fact he's apparently completely serious just makes the whole thing funnier.
* In ''GundamSEED'', in order to steal ZAFT's new prototype Freedom Gundam, Lacus Clyne dressed Kira up in the ZAFT pilot uniform and taught him their salute so that he could get past security.
* ''MetalGearSolid3'' and ''[[MetalGearSolid4 4]]'' has the [[ManlyTears Teary-Eyed Salute version]] in front of [[spoiler:The Boss's grave.]]
* ''Scent Of A Woman'' features a mix of "grudging salute" and "civilian doesn't know how to salute". Charlie is being annoyed at Coronel Slade (Al Pacino) and answers to his demands with a poor-man's, somewhat disgusted, attempt of the military gesture while the Coronel is looking the other way. Of course since the Coronel is a blind veteran, he catches Charlie on the act instantly and explains him the basics of a salute.
* The protagonists of ''ThunderInParadise'' are shown in a flashback sharing a goofy salute with their commanding officer.

* Used often in DoctorWho between the Doctor and Jack, although at the time neither were part of military organisations. (The Doctor is/was a UNIT employee, and Jack has served in both World War 1 and 2. [[TimeTravel More than once.]]) Usually it shows the respect between the two characters...the final salute given between them shows Jack's thanks, and Ten's final goodbye.
** A salute figures prominently in a particularly hilarious little gag in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E2DayOfTheMoon The Day of the Moon]].

* In ''JAG'', Admiral Chegwidden bawls out a sailor who failed to salute him while passing. The "sailor" snaps at him sarcastically, because it turns out he was an actor in a movie being shot next to JAG HQ.

* '''Improper/Exaggerated Salute''': The salute is rendered poorly or in an exaggerated manner. This might be a symbol of not knowing how to properly render it (excusable with a civilian, most definitely NOT excusable with a soldier), or it might symbolize the saluter either is very ignorant or very disrespectful and non-chalant. Sometimes, a character does an exaggerated salute to symbolize joy or triumph, but this is a blatant example of [[DidNotDoTheResearch not doing their homework]]. If the character was ''supposed'' to do the salute right but didn't because the writers goofed or winged it, then it's YouFailBasicTrainingForever (and seriously guys, is it so hard to find a soldier and ask him? You probably have National Guard people working for you, ask around!).

* JohnCena often salutes on his way to the ring, supposedly as a show of support to the troops. Somebody should tell him that most of the time, [[YouFailBasicTrainingForever he's not doing it properly.]]

** A salute figures prominently in a particularly hilarious little gag in [[RecapDoctorWhoS32E2DayOfTheMoon The Day of the Moon]].

Salutes are usually rendered by an officer (be it equal or lesser rank than the salutee) or enlisted soldier to an officer of equal or higher rank. The officer, while not obligated to return the salute, almost universally does. Not returning the salute is a serious show of disrespect and condescension, which reflects poorly on the salutee. This also has another interesting effect: initiating a salute towards an officer of lesser rank or an enlisted soldier, while not considered insulting (generally), is considered weird and out of place. In the United States armed forces, there is one exception to this rule: if you are a recipient of the Medal Of Honor, you WILL be saluted by any member of the armed forces, regardless of rank. So yes, this means that [[BadAss badassery]] is worthy of saluting.

* In ''AmericanNinja'', Michael Dudikoff's character, the American ninja Joe Armstrong, in one scene gets a butt-chewing from his boss, an Army colonel. After being dismissed, he salutes in a limp-wristed way, with his hand curved instead of straight, almost dismissively. Any officer worth his salt would send him to the brig for disrespecting an officer.

* Used often in DoctorWho between the Doctor and Jack, although at the time neither were part of military organisations. (The Doctor is/was a UNIT employee, and Jack has served in both World War 1 and 2. [[TimeTravel More than once.]]) Usually it shows the respect between the two characters...the final salute given between them shows Jack's thanks, and Ten's final goodbye.

* In the film version of ''WeWereSoldiers'', and officer chews out a soldier for disobeying his order to stand in formation with his military honors visible. The soldier goes to get his honors and comes back ''[[FullFrontalAssault buck naked]]'' and with THREE Medals Of Honor around his neck. The officer salutes the soldier, ashamed of both chewing out a soldier who had earned the highest military honor the nation bestows ''[[BeyondTheImpossible three times]]'' and the fact that he HAD to salute even when being completely insulted by the naked soldier.

Different armies in the world have different small details that distinguish their salutes (as can be seen in the picture above), but most of them still follow a certain pattern: the arm is lifted up perpendicular to the side of the body and bent at the elbow, forming an angle around 30 degrees, the hand is open straight with fingers joined, and the fingers touch the temple (or the lip of the visor when with headgear). The salute is dropped by lowering the hand back to the side of the body (NEVER across).

* In ''ReturnOfTheJedi'', Luke Skywalker [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:Thoseabouttojediwesaluteyou.JPG tosses off an ironic salute]] while on Jabba's sail barge. Note the file name: "[[{{Spartacus}} Those about to jedi we salute you]]."

* ''SavingPrivateRyan'' "Did I live a good life?"

'''Dr. Cockroach:''' No, B.O.B. That's a sign of great respect.

* As mentioned in the caption above, JohnCena often salutes on his way to the ring, supposedly as a show of support to the troops. Somebody should tell him that most of the time, [[YouFailBasicTrainingForever he's not doing it properly.]]

[[caption-width:350:American and British army salutes, respectively.]]]]

[[caption-width:350:American and British army salutes, respectively (By the way, [[JohnCena John Cena?]] [[DidNotDoTheResearch Take a long, HARD look at this picture, please...)]]]]

* In ''MonstersVsAliens'', General Monger salutes the monsters just before [[spoiler:sending them off to save Susan]], to show that he is no longer their warden and now sees them as equals. B.O.B., being the RalphWiggum, missinterprets it.

--'''B.O.B.:''' Well, that's rude! What did we do?\\

* ''Scent Of A Woman'' features a mix of "grudging salute" and "civilian doesn't know how to salute". Charlie is being annoyed at Coronel Slade (Al Pacino) and answers to his demands with a poor-man's, somewhat disgusted, attempt of the military gesture while the Coronel is looking the other way. Of course since the Coronel is a blind veteran, he catches Charlie on the act instantly and explains him the basics of a salute.

The Military Salute is a long-standing tradition of military forces around the world, and it is obviously the most visible and known gesture of military protocol to the average civilian. It's history is old and prestigious: medieval knights, after a battle, would open their masks with the right hand towards other knights, showing that they were an ally(by revealing their face) and that they were being non-hostile(by using their right hand, which is the one used to wield weapons). This gesture eventually evolved into the one known today, and it is both an acknowledgment of kinship and a sign of respect.

Different armies in the world have different small details that distinguish their salutes(as can be seen in the picture above), but most of them still follow a certain pattern: the arm is lifted up perpendicular to the side of the body and bent at the elbow, forming an angle around 30 degrees, the hand is open straight with fingers joined, and the fingers touch the temple(or the lip of the visor when with headgear). The salute is dropped by lowering the hand back to the side of the body(NEVER across).

Salutes are usually rendered by an officer(be it equal or lesser rank than the salutee) or enlisted soldier to an officer of equal or higher rank. The officer, while not obligated to return the salute, almost universally does. Not returning the salute is a serious show of disrespect and condescension, which reflects poorly on the salutee. This also has another interesting effect: initiating a salute towards an officer of lesser rank or an enlisted soldier, while not considered insulting(generally), is considered weird and out of place. In the United States armed forces, there is one exception to this rule: if you are a recipient of the Medal Of Honor, you WILL be saluted by any member of the armed forces, regardless of rank. So yes, this means that [[BadAss badassery]] is worthy of saluting.

Saluting is [[SeriousBusiness SERIOUS business]] for any member of the armed forces, and it's misuse or improper execution are considered a serious ''faux pas'' at best and a serious ''insult'' at worst. If you're a soldier and you render an improper salute, expect a small lecture on proper execution and a SEVERE butt-chewing ''if you're lucky''. Worst-case scenario, you can even be taken for disciplinary action and get hit where it really hurts: your paycheck. As mentioned above, the salute is a sign of respect and kinship, so any kind of corruption, change or mockery in the salute reflects very poorly on the saluter.

* '''Change of command''': When a soldier or officer is in command of an outfit and another soldier or officer(be it equal or greater rank) arrives to relief him of command, the commanding officer salutes the newcomer to acknowledge the change.

* '''Improper/Exaggerated Salute''': The salute is rendered poorly or in an exaggerated manner. This might be a symbol of not knowing how to properly render it(excusable with a civilian, most definitely NOT excusable with a soldier), or it might symbolize the saluter either is very ignorant or very disrespectful and non-chalant. Sometimes, a character does an exaggerated salute to symbolize joy or triumph, but this is a blatant example of [[DidNotDoTheResearch not doing their homework]]. If the character was ''supposed'' to do the salute right but didn't because the writers goofed or winged it, then it's YouFailBasicTrainingForever(and seriously guys, is it so hard to find a soldier and ask him? You probably have National Guard people working for you, ask around!).

'''Examples:'''

* A [[SubvertedTrope subversion]]: The Nazi salute(arm stretched forward, palm facing down) is so distinctive and reviled, any use of it in fiction, instead of focusing on the protocol of the saluter, will instead be used to signal the character's morally dubious [[CharacterAlignment alignment]].

** Also from MASH, one of the only non-mocking salutes Hawkeye ever gave was to Radar when he was shipping out - Hawk was busy in the OR but gave Radar a salute in lieu of the going away party that the casualties canceled.
* Both ''ThePhilSilversShow'' and it's movie version, ''Sergeant Bilko'', had the eponymous character using the salute in comedic ways.
* Benny Hill was famous for his [[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jAH3Mz8KFxo/SCBt7-1W5XI/AAAAAAAAAYc/13AD-iqvamY/s320/Benny.gif silly mocking British salute]].

* ''The MasterAndCommander'' film has a plot point where a character failing to salute is flogged.

* In the {{Discworld}} book ''Men At Arms'', Detritus initially had trouble with saluting and would frequently knock himself out by hitting himself in the head.