Military Courtesy

Military courtesy is an elaborate and ubiquitous code of etiquette that governs relationships between service members. It focuses on the proper conduct between superiors and subordinates and, thereby, reinforces discipline and the chain of command. Each service has its own specific elaboration of military courtesy based on the way its members relate to one another. Military courtesy encompasses every aspect of a military member’s life to include the proper times for saluting, wearing headgear, and rules for smoking or riding in cars, planes, and boats, among other things. Military courtesies are based on traditions or customs developed over time that determine what a military may and may not do. Military study guides usually group military customs and courtesies together as the two go hand in ...