This Marine Corps Master Sergeant Gave His Son An Emotional First Salute In This Heartwarming Viral Video

Father and son in arms!

Being promoted in the military is a time of honor, but this particular ceremony was memorable for Master Sergeant Michael Fisher. The Marine Corps Junior ROTC program instructor presented his son, 2nd Lt. Michael Triston Fisher, with his first salute as he became a Second Lieutenant in the Marines. The video was posted on his TikTok with the caption, “Rendering my son his 1st Salute!” where it went viral with almost 3 million views in 24 hours. It caught the attention of a journalist, James LaPorta, who shared the emotional video on his Twitter, once again stealing the internet’s heart!

Sgt. Fisher stood tall and proud with his voice catching at moments as he reminded his son how much of a joy it’s been watching him get to this moment in his life.

“I’ve watched you grow and mature and become the man that you are today,” he said. “You have always been respectful by saying ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘Yes, ma’am.’ And ‘No, ma’am.’ A salute is a sign of respect. It is a privilege to render you your first salute.”

He raised his hand in salute, then with his voice cracking, added, “But it is a greater honor to say ‘Congratulations, sir, on your commissioning.'”

The internet couldn’t get enough of this beautiful father-son moment.

LaPorta recognized the significance of the moment due to the military’s lack of racial diversity within the officer corps. Although the lower officer ranks are a bit more representative of what America looks like, the higher the rank, the less colorful it gets. According to the Defense Department, active enlistment officers at the top of the pay grade are 92% white and only 5% Black. And in the reserves, the trend continues. 

In a report from the Defense Department, the lack of people of color represented in senior non-commissioned officer ranks and higher commissioned officer ranks was acknowledged as a problem.

“Appropriate representation of minorities in military leadership positions is increasingly important in the context of the nation’s demographic trends. The non-Hispanic White population is expected to decline from 199 million in 2020 to 179 million in 2060, while the rest of the U.S. population continues to grow,” the report said. “The population of people who are two or more races is projected to be the single fastest-growing racial or ethnic group, followed by Asian and Hispanic Americans. Thus, if military leaders are to mirror the racial and ethnic composition of the Servicemembers they lead and the American public they serve, DoD must ensure that all Service members have access to opportunities to succeed and advance into leadership positions.”

We hope 2nd Lt. Fisher is just the beginning of a changing of the guard in the military. 

Thank you both for your service! 

Photo Credit: Sgt. Michael Fisher Facebook