Do Officers Really Pay for that 1st Salute?🫡

Hi, all—

It's true! According to military tradition, newly commissioned officers are considered so green they must bribe the first enlisted man or woman they meet to cough up that initial salute. If you've seen the movie An Officer & A Gentleman, you've seen the tradition play out in the scene near the end as the awesome Louis Gossett, Jr.'s, character takes something from each new ensign he's saluted & pockets it.

 

What's he taking? A US silver dollar—which can cost more than a buck if an officer plans on handing off one with a bit of history in it. Mine cost $16. When I was in NROTC, I decided to track down a 1776-1976 commemorative silver-clad Eisenhower. Why the Ike? I wasn't about to skimp out. Not when I knew my father would be the one to snag it. Especially since he retired in February of '77.

 

Here's a photo of me returning my inaugural ensign salute from the US Navy's saltiest chief ever, my dad: BMC Ernest A. Phillips, USN-Ret. It's also my father's fault that I caught sea fever in the first place, but that's a vignette for another newsletter.

 

 

Of course, I'm far from the only military brat to sign up because of pops—or mom. (Heck, I wasn't even the first among my siblings!) It's actually a fairly common occurrence, which is why I initially decided Agent Regan Chase had joined the Army because of her dad. Unlike me though, Regan has zero respect for her father...with good reason. If you've finished reading my Deception Point series prequel, AIMPOINT, you know why.

You'll learn more about Regan's relationship with her father as the series develops, beginning with the token she keeps on her coffee table. You'll discover what this token is in Book 1 of the series, BLIND EDGE, along with the intriguing mystery behind it.

Tuck the mystery into the back of your mind, because it'll come into play in subsequent books in the Deception Point series. 😉