Professional Documents
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GREENVIEW SECONDARY SCHOOL
15 PASIR RIS STREET 21
SINGAPORE 518969
WEBSITE: http://cuonet.cjb.net
Scout Salute
Make the salute smartly, bring your right hand up in a wide outward sweep, and hold
it for a second, palm sideways, with your forefinger touching the edge of your right
eyebrow.
When the salute is completed, snap your right hand down to your side in a plane
perpendicular to your body.
When you do the Scout salute, everyone knows you are a member of the Scout
Movement, a world brotherhood of Scouts. The World Scout badge on your uniform
reminds you that you belong to this movement.
Saluting is one of the most common and basic forms of courtesy in uniformed
organizations. It is a privileged gesture of respect and trust among uniformed personnel.
Remember the salute is not only prescribed by regulation but is also recognition of each
other’s commitment, abilities, and professionalism.
When to salute?
• Respect to be given to the National flag.
• Respect to be given to the Singapore Scout’s Flag
• Respect to be given to the Group and respective units’ Flag and Colours
• Respect to be given to all Scouters, Adult Leaders and Commissioners
• Respect to be given to all commissioned officers of:
o Singapore Armed Forces
o Singapore Police Force
o Singapore Civil Defence Force
o Friendly foreign countries
In general, you don’t salute when you are working, indoors (except when reporting), or
when saluting is not practical (carrying articles with both hands, for example).
Scout Sign
You can greet another Scout by using the right hand raised shoulder high in a Scout
sign position with the three fingers extended as shown in the picture below.
The Scout Sign is made whenever the Scout promise is made, repeated or re-affirmed.
We all know that friends greet each other in various ways such as by waving their
hands, by nodding and smiling to one another.
We greet our brother Scouts and Sister Guides by using Scout sign.
Scout Handshake
The Scout handshake is a left-handed one. It is a token of heartfelt friendship. The left
hand is used since it is nearer to the heart, and is hence the hand of friendship. Baden-
Powell (B.P.) introduced the left handshake to the Scout Movement after his experiences
in Africa.
There is a story that when Baden Powell entered Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti,
in 1896 he was met by one of the Great Chiefs of the Ashanti, he saluted them and then
offered his right hand out as a sign of friendship, but the Chief transferred his shield
which he held in his left hand to his right which contained his spear and offered his left
hand as a sign of friendship.
When asked why, the Chief said, “No, in my country the bravest of the brave shake with
the left hand.”
By offering his left hand which traditionally was used to hold a shield for protection he
was showing his trust to his enemy or friend for with out the shield for protection he was
open to attack.
This began the left handshake tradition of Scouts around the world.