Are Sea Scouts supposed to use the Boy Scout Salute?

Post date: Dec 14, 2018 7:05:12 PM

https://seascout.org/commodores-corner/september-2016/

On the cover of the new Sea Scout Manual, there is a picture of a Sea Scout saluting with a three-finger salute. So are Sea Scouts supposed to use the Boy Scout Salute?

Short answer: Yes; but it is the Scout salute.

Explanation: There was a policy decision, by the BSA National Executive Board, in the fall of 2012, that all BSA programs would use the Scout Oath and Law; and Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts would use the three-finger Scout sign and Scout salute. The implementation of this policy was to be phased in as new materials were published. This policy was first publicized in October of 2012 in a “Bryan on Scouting” blog. For Sea Scouts, the change appeared May 6, 2013 in the third on-line update of the old Sea Scout Manual. So, this isn’t new, it’s just the first time it has appeared in a printed Sea Scout Manual.

By the way: One Sea Scout Leader says, “I like to think of the salute as being restored to us.” The 1925 Sea Scout Manual describes the salute: “Raise the right hand smartly, the fingers held as in the Scout Sign, till the tip of the forefinger touches the brim of the hat above the right eye, or the eyebrow if uncovered, palm to the left, forearm inclined at 45 degrees, hand and wrist straight …”