question about military etiquette

[mg357]

Dear S&W forum, I have a military etiquette question.
When an American Soldier walks into a court house wearing their dress uniform are they required to remove their cover? any and all help in answering this question would be greatly appreciated sincerely and respectfully mg357 a proud member of the S&W forum.

 

[BearBio]

It's been 30 years but if I remember right, yes they do.

 

[REM 3200]

Yes, unless under arms. ie: an MP would not remove his headgear.

 

[thndrchiken]

Unless they are on watch, such as guarding a post or similar they are required to uncover when indoors.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Unless they are on watch, such as guarding a post or similar they are required to uncover when indoors.

I was USN for a decade and that was the uniform code we used. I never could figure out the Army though since they seemed to do their own thing and make so many changes so often.

 

[safearm]

Generally, a military person would remove their headgear when entering a building. Exceptions are when the person is "under arms," such as a military policeman, courier, guard, or when in a ceremonial capacity, i.e., honor/color guard, pallbearer, etc.

 

[straightshooter1]

MaximumBob-Funny you would say that about the Army. It's totally the opposite of what I found.

Maybe it's because I'm older and things have changed.

I went in the Army in February, 1965. Every place I was stationed for nearly four years (except that lovely SE Asian paradise) had a bulletin board that told the soldier exactly what the uniform of the day was. And, everyone wore exactly the same thing.

Then, while in Law School, I needed some extra bucks and joined the Naval Reserve. I couldn't figure anything out about the uniform. Some wore whites with the little round sailor cap, some wore black pants, white shirt and the bus driver hat, others wore the chambray dungarees.

In a formation, there were at least three different uniforms.

I just never got it, and, to my surprise, spent two weeks at Orlando's Navy Base and found much the same thing.

For the OP's question, going into a civilian court house, a soldier would, back in my day at least, take off whatever hat or cap he was wearing unless he was, as others have said, under arms.

Bob

 

[handejector]

As stated above, the cover is removed unless guarding a post or under arms.
The grade of the uniform has nothing to do with it- fatigue or dress.

No one has yet stated that wearing the pistol belt, even without a weapon, is "under arms". At least in my day.

 

[Straightshooter2]

Navy answer is yes, the cover comes off immediately upon passing through the door unless you have the duty (under arms or not). It's not part of the OPs question but even on duty, you didn't wear a cover on an active flightline (good way to FOD an engine).

CW

 

[straightshooter1]

Lee, I'd forgotten about that. In Basic we had the "Fireguard" who wore a pistol belt and his baseball-style cap. I don't recall the Orderly Room Runner wearing a pistol belt, and, IIRC, they took off their hat inside the Orderly Room.

Bob

 

[jdh]

Runner did not. Fire Guard wore Pistol Belt, Helmet Liner, and whistle on a lanyard.

 

[Fishslayer]

IIRC (it's been a few years) the only places we were required to uncover was in sick bay or other medical type buildings. Sailors usually don't salute indoors regardless.

Some medical facilities allow carrying the cover outdoors. Doctors are officers and you'd wear your arm out saluting around there.

There are also area that are posted as "Considered a covered area for saluting purposes."

Ya gotta tell the Marines EVERYTHING.

 

[1 old 0311]

None of you been to an EM club and seen the signs" Those who enter covered here buy the house a round of beer?"

 

[Fishslayer]

None of you been to an EM club and seen the signs" Those who enter covered here buy the house a round of beer?"

LOL... that's another. Truthfully it just got so automatic that I'll bet a lot of us didn't even give it a lot of thought. I retired in '94 and to this day still check my cover when I go outside.

I hated wearing a ballcap aboard ship. I lost count of the number of times I banged my head because I didn't see a low overhead because of that )#*$&#* ballcap bill.

 

[jdh]

None of you been to an EM club and seen the signs" Those who enter covered here buy the house a round of beer?"

The MPs entered, the fight stopped, and almost everyone in the club said "THE MPS ARE BUYING". Needless to say they didn't and failed to see the humor in the situation.

 

[BearBio]

As stated above, the cover is removed unless guarding a post or under arms.
The grade of the uniform has nothing to do with it- fatigue or dress.

No one has yet stated that wearing the pistol belt, even without a weapon, is "under arms". At least in my day.

Now that you mention it, I remember seeing an MP escorting some prisoners through their physicals prior to transfer (to prison?). He was bu-- nekkid except for brassard, hat and his 45 & belt. Told us they sent him cuz he was exiting also.

The time I escorted a prisoner, I kept covered the whole time we went through the various offices but I was carrying a .45.

 

[johnsonl]

This is why it drives me insane to see males wearing hats indoors, especially in restaurants, even more so if it's on BACKWARDS. Makes me want to grip the offender firmly by the chin and the back of his cranium and twist until the hat's bill is facing forward. Problem solved.

 

[kraigwy]

I went to MP school in '66. We were taught, when in uniform and under arms the only time we were to remove our cover was in Court and Church.

Don't know if its changed, that was a long time ago.

 

[semperfi71]

As a Marine we were always "uncovered" indoors unless "under arms" and wearing a pistol belt without any extraneous "782 gear" (accourtements) was "under arms".

As a civilian, and so trained as a youth, one is always uncovered indoors, ESPECIALLY while dining.

I too get a bit "umbraged" when I see someone dining and wearing a hat. Especially a cowboy hat because in my youth ALL men wearing cowboy hats doffed them while dining.

 

[Dadsnugun]

From a cranky old civilian's standpoint...hats off indoors and especially at the dinner table!