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Any reason to salute with left hand?

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kray1395

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I'm usually not the type of poster to post something not important or of no value to the members of airwarriors, but I noticed a picture on the front page of pensacolanewsjournal.com and wanted to know if anyone else noticed it. It is of a group of enlisted sailors, most likely from NATTC, taking part in a Memorial Day event. I believe it is in the NASP Chapel. Anyways, the sailors are saluting, but one of them is apparently saluting with his left hand. Sorry for describing the picture even though I am posting a link to it. But after tonight, the picture may not be available on the web site anymore.

The question is: Is there any reason whatsoever that one might salute with the left hand? If not, I certainly hope this sailor was just experiencing a momentary lapse of judgement, and not trying to deliberately salute the wrong way, to perhaps get a good chuckle from his buddies. I will never know the answer to this I suppose, but I hope somebody in his chain of command noticed and either corrected the error in his ways or corrected the situation appropriately. I know I would have had a chat with him if he worked for me. Sorry for bringing it up but I had to vent a little.

Here's a link to the picture and story:

http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/news/html/B23FDEE8-2819-4846-AFCF-990883F4F7BC.shtml
 
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Fly Navy

Fly Navy

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Right hand broken. Right arm broken. Right hand carrying something that for some reason can only be carried with the right hand. There are a multitude of little reasons, normally involving the right hand being disabled or otherwise unavailable.
 
K

Kolja

Git-r-done
I may not remember entirely correctly, but won't a bosun mate salute left handed while he's doing the whistling bit with the right hand?
 
K

Kolja

Git-r-done
could have swore he did when doing the whole sideboy thing.
well, that's what comes from being in ranks waaaaaay in the back for every retirement and change of command I've ever been to!
 
Clux4

Clux4

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Pilots sometimes salute with their left hand when you launch the aircraft from the port side so that the AO's and the AD's can see their hand and salute. Now I am not sure if this is SOP.
 
Brett327

Brett327

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Clux4 said:
Pilots sometimes salute with their left hand when you launch the aircraft from the port side so that the AO's and the AD's can see their hand and salute. Now I am not sure if this is SOP.
Click to expand...
That has nothing to do with the AOs seeing their hands.

Brett
 
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kray1395

Active Member
Awesome, thanks for the replies. I was hoping that I was just missing something. Probably a broken hand.
 
Fly Navy

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Clux4 said:
Pilots sometimes salute with their left hand when you launch the aircraft from the port side so that the AO's and the AD's can see their hand and salute. Now I am not sure if this is SOP.
Click to expand...

Happens here too... your right hand is controlling the nosewheel steering high-gain button on the stick... don't want to let go of that.
 
Clux4

Clux4

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Brett327 said:
That has nothing to do with the AOs seeing their hands.

Brett
Click to expand...

AO3 below will like to know that you have accepted full responsibility of the ordinates before he walks away. If he can't see your hand salute how does he know you are saluting.

I would think that you should be able to hold on to the nosewheel steering high-gain button on the stick with either hands, if that is the case that warrants the right hand being occupied.

Well, I don't fly in Navy/Marine Corps and the mystery in the cockpit is known to those that have exeprienced it.
 
Gatordev

Gatordev

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While taxiing (or anytime, really) a helo, you're supposed to have your hand on the cyclic...riiiight. But taxiing and turning, it's best if you lean into the turns, which requires constant pressure. When coming out of the line, that first turn is usually when the lineman salutes. I always switch hands if I'm at the controls and still salute w/ the right hand. Obviously a different ballgame w/ NWS.

My guess in the picture is that the guy just goofed. Don't forget, these guys are right out of boot camp and still in the school house, so they aren't as salty as some.
 
Fly Navy

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Clux4 said:
Well, I don't fly in Navy/Marine Corps and the mystery in the cockpit is known to those that have exeprienced it.
Click to expand...

Exactly.
 
squeeze

squeeze

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gatordev said:
I always switch hands if I'm at the controls and still salute w/ the right hand. Obviously a different ballgame w/ NWS.
Click to expand...

not really... i always switched hands to salute with the right. meridian kids just aren't coordinated enough to do such things.
 
Brett327

Brett327

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Clux4 said:
AO3 below will like to know that you have accepted full responsibility of the ordinates before he walks away. If he can't see your hand salute how does he know you are saluting.

Well, I don't fly in Navy/Marine Corps and the mystery in the cockpit is known to those that have exeprienced it.
Click to expand...
Having worked ARM/DEARM as an AO, I might know something about the whole sequence of events. The whole hands up while arming thing is different and happens earlier in the launch sequence. Once you're armed and the AOs are clear, they couldn't care less where your hands are. ;)

Brett
 
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