How should you respond if a commissioned officer asks you a question while you’re saluting?

How should you respond if a commissioned officer asks you a question while you’re saluting?

• A. Stop the salute, respond clearly with the answer, and then resume or complete the salute as directed.
• B. Resume the salute and answer while still saluting.
• C. Continue saluting without speaking.
• D. Ignore the question.

Answer: (A)

When a commissioned officer asks you a question while you’re saluting, you should stop the salute, respond clearly with your answer, and then resume or complete the salute as directed. Lowering the salute to speak ensures your voice is heard and shows you’re fully attentive to the officer. After you’ve given your answer, you follow the officer’s instruction about whether to resume the salute or finish the salute as needed. Keeping the salute while talking would muffle your voice and isn’t proper etiquette, and ignoring the officer is disrespectful.

When a commissioned officer asks you a question while you’re saluting, you should stop the salute, respond clearly with your answer, and then resume or complete the salute as directed. Lowering the salute to speak ensures your voice is heard and shows you’re fully attentive to the officer. After you’ve given your answer, you follow the officer’s instruction about whether to resume the salute or finish the salute as needed. Keeping the salute while talking would muffle your voice and isn’t proper etiquette, and ignoring the officer is disrespectful.