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The most common salute in the Royal Naval Service is the "hand salute," executed by touching the brim of the cover between the forefinger and thumb of the right hand.

The salute is generally accompanied by a polite "Good Morning Sir or Ma'am" depending on the situation. In the Navy and Rescue Service, Officers below the rank of Commander are usually addressed as "Mister" or "Miss" depending on the situation. Officers who are at the rank of Commander or above are usually addressed by their rank i.e.. "Good Morning Commander Jones".

Members of the Naval Services do not usually perform salutes when not in uniform and uncovered. If you are saluted and you are not in uniform or in uniform and not covered, tradition dictates that you do not salute. Instead you may great the person saluting you with "Good Morning", "Good Afternoon", or "Good Evening" depending on the situation. If you approach someone who is senior to you and you are in civilian attire, you do not salute. Instead, you may say "Good Morning Sir or Ma'am" depending on the situation. Officers and men also do not salute when their hands are full, or when it would be dangerous to do so (i.e. in a combat zone)

Junior personnel must salute the senior officer present. If more than two officers are present, a salute will be directed to the most senior officer, regardless of how many other officers are present. If you are outdoors and with a group of officers an/or enlisted and an officer senior to all the officers present approaches, all of the members must stop what they are doing, face the senior officer, come to the position of attention and render a hand salute.

When Boarding and Departing Naval vessels you must salute the national ensign (flag). Generally, there will not be an RNS boatswain located in the Airlock, so upon enter the ship you will salute the Bosun's Mate and request permission to come aboard (on a ship to which you are not assigned) or report your return to the ship (for the ship to which you are assigned). When permission is granted you step aboard and salute the ensign. To leave the ship, you reverse the order in which you came aboard. You will salute the officer of the deck and request permission to go ashore. After permission is granted, you will proceed onto the brow (this is generally what separates the ship from the gangway. On a spaceship, there is a line in the airlock which marks where the ship begins and the gangway ends.), turn towards the national ensign and render a hand salute. You may then proceed "ashore."

When overtaking an officer who is senior to you, tradition dictates that you must render a hand salute and say "BY YOUR LEAVE SIR or MA'AM" depending on the situation. The officer who is senior will return your salute and say "CARRY-ON." You may then drop your salute and proceed.

REMEMBER: members of the naval services do not salute when uncovered or out of uniform.