The origin of the Hand Salute is uncertain. Some historians believe it began in late Roman times when assassinations were common. A citizen who wanted to see a public official had to approach with his right hand raised to show that he did not hold a weapon. Knights in armor raised visors with the right hand when meeting a comrade.

This practice gradually became a way of showing respect and, in early American history, sometimes involved removing the hat. By 1820, the motion was modified to touching the hat, and since then it has become the Hand Salute used today.

In British history, in the early 1800s, the Coldstream Guards amended the British military salute custom of tipping the hat. They were instructed to clap their hands to their hats and bow as they pass by. This was quickly adopted by other Regiments as wear and tear on the hats by constant removal and replacing was a matter of great concern. By the mid 19th Century, the salute had evolved further with the open hand, palm to the front, and this has remained the case since then.

Most historians believe, however, that the U.S. Military salute was influenced more by the British Navy. The Naval salute differs from the “Open Hand” British Army Salute in that the palm of the hand faces down towards the shoulder. This dates back to the days of sailing ships, when tar and pitch were used to seal the timber from seawater. To protect their hands, officer wore white gloves and it was considered most undignified to present a dirty palm in the salute so the hand was turned through 90 degrees.

HOW

• Raise right hand in a direct manner.
• Tip of forefinger touches the lower part of the headgear above and to the right of the eye.
• Keep thumb and fingers straight and firmly together.
• Should be able to see their entire palm when looking straight ahead.
• The upper arm is parallel to the deck and the forearm is at a 45 degree angle.
• When not in ranks turn head and eyes toward the person of colors being saluted.

WHEN

• Execute at attention or when marching.
• Salute officers parading colors or standards.
• 6-8 paces or at the nearest point.
• Salute colors or the music for colors when in sight or hearing.
• Salute when covered and outdoors.
• Indoors if in the performance of watch standing duties.
• Juniors always salute first.
• Salute smartly.

During a ship’s entire commissioned life, it will always have Sailors on watch. There are probably more than a hundred types of watches, depending on the ship or station. Whatever type of watch, the watch stander must devote full attention to it. The ship’s organization and the watches manned by its personnel keep the ship running smoothly 24 hours a day. Watches vary, of course, depending on both the type of ship and whether the ship is underway or in port.

Even when the ship is moored in port and receiving hotel services (utilities such as steam, water, and electricity) from the pier or another ship, it is necessary to maintain a watch for communications, security, and safety.

RECRUIT TRAINING SPECIFIC

• Each night, from lights out until reveille, each company will have two watch standers per two-hour shift.
• Watch standers will wake their relief fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of the next watch. Relief will report no later than five (5) minutes prior to their designated watch to receive special instructions.
• The uniform, unless otherwise noted, will be the dungaree uniform with boon dockers, canteen, and web belt.
• The watch bill will be made by the company’s MAA and will be posted.
• Watch standers will be issued a flashlight for walk-throughs and a whistle in case of emergencies.
• One sentry will make a walk-through of the company area once every fifteen – twenty minutes and log any activities or lack thereof in the log.
• Watch log entries will follow the following format:
  • All capital letters are to be used.
  • Time is to be written in 24-hour time without a colon (:).
  • Zeros will have a slash from top right to bottom left to differentiate between the letter “O”.
  • Any mistakes will be crossed out with a single line and the person crossing out the error will initial at the end of the line.
  • Walk-throughs are to be recorded as “Roving watch reports all clear,” if there is no abnormal activity or will include what activity was observed.
  • Only black pen is to be used in the official log book.
• Watch standers are to challenge all persons attempting to gain entrance to area.
• A copy of the eleven general orders will be posted with the watch bill at every station. Recruits should study between roving patrols.
• If there are any questions or situations that arise during your watch, do not hesitate to find the POOW or OOD. If the situation is urgent, locate the closest staff member. DO NOT HESITATE! Safety is # 1.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance at drills is one of the Annual Inspection criteria for each unit so Cadets are required to attend a minimum of 80% of the squadron’s regular drills.
The cadet must call their squad leader, when it is necessary to miss a drill. If you are not able to reach the SL, go up the chain of command to the next person until someone is reached. If a cadet misses too many drills or does not call when he/she is going to be absent, the cadet could be put on probation or expelled from the unit.

Abaft: A relative term used to describe the location of one object in relation to another, in which the object described is farther aft than the other. Thus, the mainmast is abaft the foremast (in back of).

Amidships: In or towards the middle of a ship in regard to length or breadth (center of).

Aft: At, near, or toward the stern (back end).

Athwartships: At right angles to the fore-and-aft line of the vessel (sideways-across).

All hands: The entire ship’s company – everyone in the unit.

Aloft: Above the upper deck (above).

Aye, aye: The traditional and expected response to an order. “Yes, sir” (or Ma’am) is not an acceptable substitute.

Beam: The extreme width of a vessel.

Belay: To cancel an order or stop an action, as in “Belay the small talk!”

Below: Beneath the deck (under).

Bridge: The raised platform extending athwartships, the part of the ship from which the ship is steered and navigated.

Bow: The forward part of a vessel’s sides (front).

Bulkhead: A vertical partition, i.e., a wall.

Colors: The morning or evening ceremony of hoisting or lowering the U.S. flag.

Compartment: A room. Sailors sleep in berthing compartments in a ship. A small compartment housing officers is called a stateroom. The compartment where the Captain lies is called the cabin. It is the only cabin in a naval vessel.

Cover: Head gear, such as the cadet’s with hat or ball cap.

Deck: Horizontal planking or plating that divides a ship into layers; the floor.

Division: A local unit of the Sea Cadet Corps in which the training involves general seamanship topics. Sea Cadet Squadrons concentrate on aviation while Sea Cadet Battalions study SeaBee construction subjects.

Door: Oddly enough, the nautical term for a door–an opening in a bulkhead (wall)–is “door.” It is not a hatch. A hatch is an opening in a deck.

Drill: A training period scheduled for the unit. Commonly on a regularly scheduled weeknight or weekend, it can also include special training events, parades, etc.

Field Day: A general clean-up of the facility involving all hands.

Fore: Forward.

Forecastle: A compartment where the crew lives.

Frame: The athwart ship strength member of a ship’s hull.

Galley: The kitchen.

Gear Adrift: Items, such as personal gear, not properly stowed.

Gunwale: The upper edge of the sides of a ship.

Hatch: An opening in a ship’s deck for passageway or for handling cargo or stores.

Head: The bathroom or, more specifically, the toilet, so named because in the days of sail it was a simple seat over a hole cut in the overhand of the bow in the foremost part (head) of the ship.

Hull: The shell. Or plating, of a ship from keel to gunwale.

Inboard: Towards the centerline of a ship (towards the center).

Keel: The timber or bar forming the backbone of the vessel and running from the stem to the stem-post at the bottom of the ship.

Ladder: Doesn’t necessarily mean something with rungs, it also means stairs. A stairwell is called a ladderwell.

Manhole: An opening into a tank or compartment designed to admit a man.

Midshipman: An adult, typically a former cadet or college student, appointed by the National Chairman to a position of leadership in the Naval Sea Cadet Corps (including the Navy League Cadet Corps), under the age of 21.

Muster: To assemble the cadets for a roll call.

Officer: An adult appointed by the National Chairman to a position of leadership in the Naval Sea Cadet Corps (including the Navy League Cadet Corps). In order of precedence officer ranks include: Warrant Officer, Ensign, Lieutenant (junior grade), Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander. By custom, it is common to address a Lieutenant (junior grade) as “Lieutenant” and a Lieutenant Commander as “Commander.”

Passageway: A hallway, or corridor.

Port: The left side of a vessel when looking forward.

Outboard: Towards the sides of the vessel (with reference to the centerline).

Overhead: The ceiling. The deck forms the overhead of the compartment below it.

Quarterdeck: The area of the ship or training facility, commonly the entrance, set aside for ceremonial purposes.

Rack: Common slang for bunk or berth where the cadet sleeps.

Rate: The rank of a cadet, sometimes expressed as the equivalent Navy pay grade (E-1 through E-7).
• Recruit (E-1).
• Seaman Apprentice (E-2).
• Seaman (E-3).
• Petty Officer Third Class (E-4).
• Petty Officer Second Class (E-5).
• Petty Officer First Class (E-6).
• Chief Petty Officer (E-7).

Scuttle: To sink a vessel by boring holes in her bottom or by opening sea valves.

Scuttlebutt: Drinking fountain (from the old term for the cask where fresh water was kept handy for the4 crew on sailing vessels). The term also refers to rumors or gossip, which was exchanged around the scuttlebutt.

Starboard: The right side of the ship.

Stern: The after part of the vessel (back).

Superstructure: The ship’s structure above the main deck.

Topside: Generally refers to weather decks.

Void: An empty tank.

Watertight doors: form a watertight seal when properly closed.

Wardroom: Named for the compartment on the ship where officers take their meals and socialize. It also refers to the entire complement of sea cadet officers in the unit.

Watchstanders: Sailors or cadets on duty for a certain period of time, such as the Petty Officer of the Watch or the Messenger usually stationed at the quarterdeck.

Weather Deck: Any deck exposed to the elements.