To keep your salute possible, which hand should you keep items in?

To keep your salute possible, which hand should you keep items in?

• A. Right hand
• B. Neither
• C. Both hands
• D. Left hand

Answer: (D)

Saluting is performed with the hand that rises to the forehead, so that motion must be unimpeded and ready at a moment’s notice. Keeping items in the left hand leaves the right hand free to execute the formal salute quickly and correctly. If you held something in the right hand, you couldn’t raise it cleanly to the salute, which would look awkward and take longer. Holding items in both hands would prevent a proper salute altogether. So placing items in the left hand preserves the ability to salute promptly and correctly.

Saluting is performed with the hand that rises to the forehead, so that motion must be unimpeded and ready at a moment’s notice. Keeping items in the left hand leaves the right hand free to execute the formal salute quickly and correctly. If you held something in the right hand, you couldn’t raise it cleanly to the salute, which would look awkward and take longer. Holding items in both hands would prevent a proper salute altogether. So placing items in the left hand preserves the ability to salute promptly and correctly.