Can a corporal in a team leader position have me do corrective action (“smoke” me)? And was I wrong to tell him to eat a bag of dicks?

"hooker in church trying to pass a $3.00 bill in the collection plate" omg, I just about fell out of my chair laughing, thankyou I needed that!

Nothing more needs said than MSG Livingstons response.

I was once very abused by a corporal who was way too "hoo-ah" for his own good. (Not sexually, just a whole lot of screaming and yelling and pushups, no matter what I did it was wrong, etc) And the local E-5 and E-6 let it happen. He is damn lucky that I was how I was then (a 21 year old ultra dork Specialist 4), because if the modern me were there then, I'd have challenged him to get into a boxing ring and whatever happens, happens. Not saying I would have won, but I'd have put him on the spot by either forcing him to take the challenge or back down, and I would have made sure everyone in the company knew. Even if I had lost the fight, I'd have won. I heard the whole "got to respect an nco" thing back then (1990-1991), and my response was that you can't respect an a$$hole.

1stSgt Michael Shafer - This was over 30 years ago, in a combat zone, he was eavesdropping on a private conversation, then publicly berating me. I told him what I said in private. He was salty because he had been assigned to a patrol that I was in charge of because he had no training or experience for it. When he was in the subordinate position, I still respected his rank, but I was in charge. He handled it. I learned my lesson. There was no reason to overreact to the point that you suggest. That's the kind of toxic leadership that forces out troops that have enormous potential. It would also have been an enormous waste of time. I am proud of my service. I may not have made a lot of rank, but I accomplished more for my country and branch than he ever did. He had been assigned to me. Get my drift, 1stSgt?

SFC Boyd, just reading that he told a Cpl. to "Eat a Bag of Dicks" gives me a funny feeling that the 'disagreement' wasn't as sweet and clean as he's making it out to be. If it was, there probably was a finishing touch to his comment to the Cpl like maybe, "dumb ass", "moron" or something else of that nature. I just have that feeling, that there's a little envy, or Spec Gomez wanted to knock the Cpl down a couple notches while lifting himself up a couple of notches. Maybe even Gomez wanted to test the Cpl., and didn't expect the Alpha Charlie, or the Smoking that he earned.

Having been a young enlisted man and a young NCO I can remember these days as some of the most challenging of my career. The transformation to the NCO ranks is one that in my way of thinking requires a whole lot of training, mentorship, and learning by doing and yes even the mistakes one makes by doing the job. If their is a perceived lack of experience on your new TL than my recommendation is elevated this to your Platoon SGT and have a sit down with both him and TL together. I know it is difficult to check Ego's at the door but an honest dialog needs to happen between you both on this situation. Respect is a two way street as I have often learned. In order to get it you have to give it. As someone once taught me "people who look down upon other people don't end up being looked up to."

1stSgt Michael Shafer - Sorry to disagree, your response shows you to be a hard nosed leader that needs some leadership training. You needed to pull both to the side and have a discussion about the problem and try to fix it, if that didn't work you could give less punishment than an Article 15. Sorry top, you don't have my support.

It is also the NCO's responsibility to ensure that he/she is competent to give those orders and if not defer to the senior specialist before giving said orders publicly to the unit. That said it is also jacked up for that disagreement to be taken up publicly. as a side note i'm not sure if this holds true across all branches but if i wanted to "smoke" a mouthy sailor i was required to perform the exercises with them. Exercise was not to be used as a form of punishment,,,however assigning midwatch, and mandatory training of policies and instructions was available.

PO2 Steven Southard - As I've said before - I gave extra training that dealt with the subject where the soldiers first-line leader was present to supervise and the second-line leader monitored the training IOT ensure the training was both correct and safe.

That is complete bullshit.. he has the right to violate that order if the order can and will put him or anyone else life in Jeopardy

SGT (Join to see) - How do you know if the Corporal telling him to drop to do push-ups and him responding, "eat a bag of dicks" would harm other soldiers?