RAF Mildenhall Airmen respect foreign officers

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jonathan Light
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Saluting is a military tradition across the world, but knowing the subtle differences in tradition in different countries could prevent improper saluting etiquette.

Being on RAF Mildenhall puts Airmen closer to many different NATO officers and right in the middle of the Royal Air Force community. Airmen on base may encounter officers from other countries' military and should know when to properly render a salute.

"There are many differences between how and why we salute compared to RAF or NATO officers," said Chief Master Sgt. Tracy Jones, 100th Air Refueling Wing command chief. "For example, the physical act of saluting is different. The RAF display an open hand, positioned such that the finger tips almost, but not quite, touch the hat band, which can seem irregular to U.S. Air Force personnel, who salute with palms facing downwards."

How Air Force personnel salute may not be the only difference with some countries. In the United Kingdom, the custom of saluting commissioned officers relates wholly to the commission given by Her Majesty the Queen to their title, not the person. Therefore, when service members salute an officer of the British Armed Forces, they indirectly acknowledge Her Majesty as Head of State. On the other hand, when the officer returns the salute, it's on behalf of the Queen.

Knowing how and why other countries' salute may be useful to know, but Airmen still need to recognize who to salute.

"Unlike the U.S. Air Force, the RAF officers wear their rank on the lower arm of the dress uniform," Jones said. "The officer ranks are distinguished by straight bars rather than the chevrons or other insignia warn by their non-commissioned airmen."
However, Airmen here may encounter more than just RAF officers. Airmen should always be aware of other foreign military officers.

"As NATO consists of multiple countries, it's difficult to always differentiate the officers from the enlisted personnel," Jones said. "If there is a specific country present on our base, Airmen should familiarize themselves with the ranks which can easily be found online."

Although, learning all those ranks can be difficult, especially when Airmen may only rarely encounter someone with a foreign rank. It's important to remember, when in doubt, just salute.

Royal Air Force Sqn. Ldr. Rick Fryer, RAF Mildenhall station commander, said never be afraid to salute. There is no disrespect when accidently saluting when not necessary, but the same cannot be said if one intentionally doesn't salute or doesn't for another reason.

As long as Airmen keep their core values in mind, they cannot be wrong.

"Be respectful of all international guests, and it's always acceptable to ask about their rank if you're unsure," said Jones. "They're just as proud to serve their country as we are to serve ours."