Civil Air Patrol Lesson Plan

NCOA Lesson Plan: Civil Air Patrol Customs and Courtesies

Overview: This lesson will introduce and begin to familiarize cadets with the basic customs and courtesies of the Civil Air Patrol. The instructor will impress upon students the purpose and importance of such standards, as well as outline the fundamentals of saluting, oral greetings, and other fundamentals.

Saluting: Definition of a salute-A salute is a visual representation of mutual respect intended to recognize other members of an organization. History: The origins of saluting, like so many military customs and traditions, are shrouded in the past, but there are several possibilities concerning its beginnings. In the medieval days of chivalry, mounted knights in mail
It became the custom in such times for potential adversaries to approach each other with raised hand, palm to the front, showing that there was no concealed weapon.
It seems reasonable to assume, however, that the hand salute as now rendered in the military, evolved to some degree from the British navy. There is general agreement among scholars that the hand salute is actually the first part of "uncovering" in front of a senior. That practice gradually evolved over time into merely touching the cap, and became the present salute. (Information from the United States Marine Corps History and Museums Division) Purpose: In the present-day Civil Air Patrol, the salute remains important. In rendering a salute, the junior cadet does not admit inferiority, but simply recognizes and greets a senior cadet, whose perseverance and commitment has earned him his higher grade. The salute is also a standard on which cadets are measured. A cadet that does not properly render the salute loses the respect others had for him and the respect of and for his unit. When to Render: The only appropriate dress for rendering a salute in is the military style uniform. When in uniform, you are expected to
Marked military vehicles when on a military installation (e.g. Ordinarily a general's car will be marked as well as base commanders) Guidelines: Saluting is only expected when a cover is worn, therefore you will never salute indoors (when you are not wearing a cover) except when reporting to an officer of senior rank than you. When outdoors, you are not required to salute when you are carrying items in both hands, or one heavy object, which cannot be placed in your left hand, however, you are still required to render a verbal greeting. If you are the junior officer approaching a senior officer who is carrying cumbersome articles, you are still expected to salute, despite the senior officer's inability to return said salute. You do not salute when an area is designated "under cover" such as a much-used pavilion or covered walkway. Saluting is not demanded when in a specified "no saluting zone" such as at a disaster relief missions or emergency service activity. When in a military formation, you do not salute unless you are the highest ranking cadet or the formation leader. Military personnel are under no obligation to salute CAP members, but are not permitted from doing