When I enter a room with a CO(or anyone of a higher rank which you need to salute to) in, I know I have to stamp in but do I salute after they have told me I can come in the room or do I stamp in then salute straight away until they tell me to come in?
I guess it depends on the circumstances. Two possible situations
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You’re stood at an open office door with officer’s inside, when you’ve knocked on the door and you’ve got the attention of the officer(s) in the room you might just stay where you are and salute before being invited in.
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If you’re knocking on a closed door, when invited in you’d step into the room, come smartly to the position of attention and salute the officer.
Hope this helps!
In my opinion when entering an office with officer present there is the need to salute once you have crossed that threshold.
Step in, take a pace, halt, salute and then address officer as required.
With door open or closed I would still knock.
Open door, knock to announce you’re walking in, step in and salute
Closed door, knock, wait to be acknowledged, walk through the door, close the door step and salute
Leaving is the same without the need to knock!
I agree with this.
And if you want to avoid everyone laughing at you, make sure you clear the door/any other items in the office before saluting, doesn’t work so well if you hit your arm on the doorframe/door.
Just walk in, then salute.
Saluting in the doorway appears to be an odd ATC-ism
Why do we do it anyway? Is it an RAF custom we’ve picked up along the way?
Saluting?
or saluting entering an office?
Entering an office…
There’s too much saluting going on in the ATC IMHO. Why don’t cadets just get briefed to salute officers at the beginning of the day\evening parade and again at the end of the day\evening parade?
It’s absolutely ridiculous that cadets throw their arms up at every opportunity and we then wonder why they crack their fingers on door frames, salute whilst holding mugs of tea etc etc etc.
Or is it that some staff just adore the adulation?..
Maybe Rocks arn’t taught about paying compliments to a Queen’s Commission. :cheer: 
I’m pretty much on a start and end, no hats inside rule. BUT cadets should salute when entering an Office of an Officer. The RAF does it, the customs of the service suggests it and Drill manual demands it. While on an RAF station, I salute when I enter an Officer’s office, the same as I salute other OC’s if I visit their squadrons, irregardless of their commissioned rank. A lot of RAF Station HQs are now ‘hats on’ buildings and compliments are paid.
At the end of the day, there are niceties in the military that, while they could be seen as antiquated, are part of the traditions, customs and hertiage of the military. We should respect that.
I must admit I don’t see it too much -if at all - in the RAF. It was enforced by OACTU (who weirdly, also told us to salute one of their WOs, it was very confusing so I did the logical thing and pretended I missed that memo) but I haven’t seen it at all on any station I’ve been on. I’d make sure I wasn’t standing with my hands in my pockets or anything but I’ve never saluted entering an office and never been picked up on it; nor have I seen anyone do it. Perhaps I’m just blinkered though, willing to accept that!
In continuation of Gunner’s point, I think cadets have a tendency to call officers Sir/Ma’am far too much in one conversation, although I’ve seen plenty of people called out for not addressing an officer appropriately and none for saying it too much so I suppose it’s better to stay on the safe side!
[quote=“Gunner” post=25526]There’s too much saluting going on in the ATC IMHO. Why don’t cadets just get briefed to salute officers at the beginning of the day\evening parade and again at the end of the day\evening parade?
It’s absolutely ridiculous that cadets throw their arms up at every opportunity and we then wonder why they crack their fingers on door frames, salute whilst holding mugs of tea etc etc etc.
Or is it that some staff just adore the adulation?..[/quote]
^wot he said.
Mine call me Sir and salute first and last on parade only on det or on camp. Rest of the time it’s Boss, or ‘Sirrrr’ when they’re being sarcastic sods. I’m thinking of getting a Biff chit from the MO limiting me to two returned salutes per 24 hours or I’ll be getting Tennis Elbow and suing the MOD.
[quote=“bucketofinstantsunshine” post=25592]
Mine call me Sir and salute first and last on parade only on det or on camp. Rest of the time it’s Boss, or ‘Sirrrr’ when they’re being sarcastic sods. I’m thinking of getting a Biff chit from the MO limiting me to two returned salutes per 24 hours or I’ll be getting Tennis Elbow and suing the MOD.[/quote]
I like your style.