Describe outdoor salute protocol when approaching a senior officer in uniform.

• A. Halt, render a salute if required, address by rank and last name, and wait for acknowledgment; follow unit guidance
• B. Keep walking and do not salute
• C. Salute only if the officer salutes you first
• D. Take a knee and recite a formal greeting

Answer: (A)

When you approach a senior officer in uniform outdoors, you follow a respectful greeting sequence that centers on recognizing rank and authority. Halt, render a salute if required, address the officer by rank and last name, and wait for acknowledgment; follow unit guidance. The salute publicly acknowledges the senior’s position, while saying their rank and last name ensures you’re addressing the correct person and using proper form. Waiting for acknowledgment lets the officer signal when it’s appropriate to proceed, avoiding interruptions or miscommunication. Some units may have local customs, so you follow that guidance, but the basic sequence is the standard approach.

Continuing to walk without saluting ignores the formal greeting expected with a senior officer in uniform; saluting only if the officer salutes you first reverses the initiative and respect owed to the senior; taking a knee and reciting a formal greeting isn’t a normal outdoor protocol for this situation.