this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2026
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That's how you know for sure it's fake. Soldiers in training don't salute each other. They only salute officers.
God damnit, I wanted this to be true so badly.
If it makes you feel better, it is 100% something marines would do (not the saluting). At least until higher ups started threatening
You can also tell it's fake because of common sense. But that's a rare trait these days.
You can be training for an invasion without being in basic training, or are we to assume there are no continuous improvement efforts in the military?
Who said anything about basic training?
Soldiers don't go around saluting each other, no matter what stage of training they're in.
Deployed in the field, no. In garrison, yes.
Did you serve at all or are you just saying things?
He served it al dente, obviously
Edit: assuming it's a guy with a name like Al
Actually, the name is inspired by an anti-binary mentality. I tend to disagree with black and white labels, and instead believe that most things can be found on the gradient between two extremes. I think this is reinforced by the idea that change is constant, and if you were to somehow become the 100% embodiment of an idea, it would only last for an infinitely small period of time as you bounce off the binary rev limiter, since you can't go past it.
To me, al dente represents a place on the gradient that just feels right. Al dente literally means "to the tooth", and is found by taking a bite to check if pasta is starting to become cooked, while still retaining some firmness. It's not undercooked, and it's not overcooked.
On the topic of the OP, I see the outright dismissals as one of the binary extremes. Even if the screenshot was of a parody account, it seems obsurd to say that this isn't happening and is misinformation. Israel and the Epstein class have such an obviously significant influence over US military. Surely soldiers have noticed, and if no one was jokingly saluting "for Epstein" before, some would have been inspired by this headline since it has been circulating for a few weeks now.
Asking basically every coworker I have that's served and that's like 4 navy guys 3 marines 4 army dudes. They all basically confirmed what that guy said.
If it was for a joke they 100% would sarcasticly have saluted each other and made dumb jokes.
Source: your pasta extruder.
I guess you're right, saluting was just a fad and nobody does that in the military anymore, not even to joke about serving Israel and the Epstein-class. Although, I stand by the comment about not saluting when deployed. In combat zones, a salute can indicate to the enemy who is higher ranking, and is normally prohibited.
Okey dokie!
Soldiers salute comissioned officers regularly, except in very specific circumstances.
Soldiers salute non-commissioned officers (enlisted with rank sergeant and above) very rarely in very specific circumstances.
Soldiers (enlisted below the rank of sergeant) never salute each other except maybe as a joke. It's just not a thing.
I think you hit the nail on the head here. The claim is that soldiers are jokingly saluting each other in honor of the Epstein class. I find it inconceivable that there aren't groups of corporals jokingly saluting each other over the Epstein/Israel/Trump situation, especially after headlines like these came out. I find it incredibly hard to image they aren't jokingly saluting like-minded NCOs as well. And surely, there are some lieutenants telling them all to knock of off.
The guy I was originally responding to seems to have a nothing-ever-happens mentality, and I couldn't disagree more.
Halfway Post is also a satire site like The Onion.
For sure, and this headline has been circulating for weeks. If no soldiers were jokingly saluting about the obvious military manipulation by the Epstein-class before, then some have surely been inspired by this satirical post.