What is a military courtesy?

Military courtesy is the formalized practice of politeness and good manners that has been adopted as a code of conduct for many militaries worldwide. The intention of military courtesy is to enforce discipline and promote well-behaved enlisted personnel and officers in the military.

One practice of military courtesy is to use the proper forms of address, such as referring to elders and higher-ranking personnel as "sir" and "ma'am." Additionally, the use of hand salutes and standing at attention to superiors is meant to show courtesy and mutual respect between members of a military organization. This is intended to further the concept of esprit de corps, or the belief in the integrity of the organization.