Posted on Oct 7, 2015
At what point does an NCO cross the line between character guidance and plain out personal attack?
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Disrespect
Respect
Character
Professionalism
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 13
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SPCShamika Johnson, When that NCO loses his/her tact, military bearing, and professionalism and starts flailing his/her arms, spitting mad, yelling at the top of their lungs, using verbally abusive personal attacks at the Soldier or any of the above.
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SSG (Join to see)
Thanks so much for your input. As I'm no SME on the subject, I always like to ask questions and try to the best of my ability to help others by giving them the most accurate and precise information I can. I just feel once it becomes an attack on the same person for no apparent reason, other than self glorification and bullying, that it's wrong.
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SGM (Join to see)
SSG (Join to see) - No problem, SPC Johnson, the best approach for any correction is to maintain military bearing and use the utmost tact. I would also recommend you always have a witness present. Preferably someone of the Soldiers same gender if at all possible.
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CSM (Join to see)
Don't ever forget you have a Chain of Command beyond said NCO that can address "HOW" you were reprimanded. "WHY" you were reprimanded may get the same support/reprimand from the chain of command (if you were deserving). Your best course is to in fact have the witness, but to remain calm and let the person dig their own hole...then approach the chain of command. If you feel you were verbally assaulted or maligned, you don't get a free pass to do back in kind. That will never end well for the lower ranking person. The collective subordinate who then seeks chain of command assistance afterwards has all the ammo they need for a professionally vested chain of command to correct, adjust, mentor or punish the violator of "dignity and respect". There is also the Inspector General.....these are your tools. Good luck with them.
CSM Durand
CSM Durand
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I think at the point that it either becomes physically dangerous or unreasonably harmful to ones career. Coming from the AF, I haven't had too much experience with NCOs going out of their way to mess with junior enlisted, since they have done their best the rid the Air Force of that sort of thing, with all the advocacy programs and complaint processes; in my opinion, I think it's the military. It's not community college, you should expect that some people are going to treat you like garbage, and you've just got to grin and bear it. That's why you earn rank, so you get the option of how to treat your Airmen (or in your case Soldiers). But unless what they're doing is physically damaging or permanently harmful to your career, I think it's all fair.
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It becomes a personal attack anytime the conversation goes from what you did, to WHO you are. I recently had a very arrogant retiree that asked me into their office. I was surprised that she began a discussion that she framed as helpful and friendly. It became clear early on that she was not giving helpful advice, but attacking me as a person. Clearly, she is envious of me and my current position and used this tactic to tear me down. I was polite and listened, reflected and realized that I should not let this go. When I gathered my thoughts I sent a well thought out email detailing why she is not qualified to advise me. I think she was going to push me until I spoke up for myself. A personal attack tears one down, where correction is instruction and offers clear advise.
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SSG (Join to see)
I agree with you! I'm not the person it happens to but wrong is wrong. I'm all for uplifting and guidance but not at the expense of causing low self-esteem, killing morale, and creating a negative stigma. Thanks so much for your input on this matter!
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