Military courtesy

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Military courtesy is one of the defining features of a professional military force. These courtesies form a strict and sometimes elaborate code of conduct.

Military courtesy is an extension and a formalization of courtesies practiced in a culture's everyday life. It is intended to reinforce discipline and the chain of command, defining how soldiers will treat their superiors and vice versa. They are also thought to enhance esprit de corps.

Some military courtesies include proper forms of address ("Sir", "Ma'am", "Mister") and when each should be used; the salute, and the related concept of standing at attention; proper wear of military headgear; obeisance; and the rules for behavior in various ceremonies. Appropriate behavior can vary depending on an individual's rank, location, and circumstances. A military funeral, for example, requires stricter etiquette than a normal day. Courtesies are sometimes relaxed under battlefield conditions; officers may discourage salutes in combat areas to avoid making themselves a target for snipers, [1] and indeed in the United Kingdom and the United States of America as well as some Commonwealth nations, it is forbidden to salute both indoors, and when in "the field", a battle situation where snipers are likely to pick out officer targets watching for salutes.^[1]