Anyone know what Army Regulation (or any branch) that allows a higher-ranking officer to call a lower-ranking officers by their first name?

Worked for me when my drill sergeant did it. For all I knew I thought he knew my firstname was idiot or dumbshit. But I have climbed to the top of that major monstrosity and I have the ceiling of evenly spaced logs to get across and then climb down the cargo net to get back to the ground. I an on the roof looking down and my drill sergeant, Jones is looking up at me but he's about the size of an ant on the ground. I knew what I had to do when I got to the top but looking at it from having just got up there was a whole different thing. I guess I hesitated a little too long because I was thinking I could fall between these logs without touching and break my legs when DS Jones shouts, "Come on, Brian! You can do this! Reach forward for that next log. Go on all fours, Brian. One log at a time." That tool helped me to refocus on the task at hand and get through it quickly.

I almost always called my subordinates by their first names. I was a personnel superintendent and we were mostly office-bound. Frankly, it was the same throughout my organization. It was a factor in good espirit de corps and I think it gave my subordinates the feeling that I trusted them to do their jobs correctly. My subordinates, however, always referred to me by my rank and last name. Among us senior NCOs, it was common to call each other by our first names, except for the Chiefs. The officers I worked for used my first name, although I always used their rank. As I noted, we worked in an office; this might not work so well for those in other services who do a lot of time in the field and are under combat conditions.

I called my people by first name when in the office. When in the presence of officers it was by rank and last name. My kids allways called me by rank and name. Or as officers called me papa ops!

That “one” who said, if I’m not mistaken, was Dale Carnegie, the author of a timeless, and valuable book of knowledge and perspective, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” If he did not say that, then he quoted that in his book.

LTC (Join to see) Honestly not that invested, as I've been a proud DD214 holder for nearly 20 years.

I just find it incredibly arrogant and disrespectful that a senior command officer would even point that sort of thing out and think it's okay. "You have to be respectful of me, but I can blatantly ignore you if I want, because you are clearly below my station."

Which regulation is this that states a lower ranking officer doesn't Salute a higher rank? We had a 1LT as Company Commander and 2LTs, non-comms and enlisted alike gave her respect due to her rank. Rank has its privileges.

SSG Vernon Hartnett, yet it doesn't say by first name.

It was pretty common among officers, when I wore the uniform, to call subordinate officers by their first name unless their boss was present. A 1LT who is acting as a company commander needs to be called sir or ma'am, in respect to their office and to reinforce their status as a commanding officer. But, other than that, there was no rank among lieutenants. All a 1LT is, is a 2LT who didn't screw up bad enough to be kicked out.

SPC Wayne Pfeffer - Yes it does. They have earned the right by being there before you. Nothing degrading about it at all. Makes one strive to be better and move up.

I agree in private you can call them by their fiest name. I also recommend you say something on the order of "John, do you mind if I call you John?" And then go on with what you wanted to talk to them about.

I didn't mind being call Sgt.Steve by my squad members, it stuck with the rest of my company, confused a couple officers at first. When my squad got that outstanding on the I.G inspection, it was all good.

CW4 (Join to see) Working on batalion level, staff officers used first names when internal planning. However, the LTC anda COL wasalways addressed by rank and last name.

Exactly--lots of whining about nothing

Unfortunately(or fortunately, depending on ones outlook!)not every unit is SF!

I loved the big boy rules... I still play by them, because everything else is dumb.

Kinda like mom using your full name.... ;o)

As a kid, my Mom referred to me as "Your Son", when I required an approach by my Dad. Who was also a Sr NCO and over 6'5". :)

Absolutely Chief..
Did 3 years in 82nd Combat Aviation Battalion from 85 - 88. Went thru transistion to Brigade during my time. Officer ( Warrant and Commissioned ) to Enlisted ratio is higher than most units and even junior enlisted got fairly comfortable being around officers.
More than one officer pilots prefered to be called by first name while off duty. Even by junior enlisted.

I was getting ready to mention Aviation.

If they care enough to know your first name that's a good thing

Part of the reason I loved the unit I finished up with was the fact even the lower enlisteds were on first name basis with officers and NCOs. Must be why they got broken up and disbanded. It was an active duty Forscom civil affairs unit. Most of the officers and noncomms were from the sof side of the house.

I agree with you. When an officer called me by my first name, it made me feel like I was doing a good job, and he recognized it.

I look at it this way: If the senior officer has taken the time to remember my name and use it, then he sees me as an individual and not just another insert rank here in a uniform.

If this is the case, then explain how SOCOM units work so well together? Let’s include EOD and CI/HUMINT in the mix. Everyone knows their job and understands their individual responsibilities. The use of the first name is a way to build trust.

I wasn’t SOCOM or any other special unit, but when I used this method of leadership it built trust and resulted in higher performance and better morale. When you show you give a rats ass about your squad, they’ll give at least two f***s about you and what you have to say. When you don’t have much you can offer them, mutual respect goes a long way.

SSG(P) Dan Keene I was going to say something about Abe, but wanted to see if anyone else had the same experience. I worked directly for him as a lowly buck sergeant, and he not only knew my name but the names of my wife and child. Ten years later, after many changes in my life and his, I ran into him at the hospital and he asked after them by name! He was, and I assume still is, a leader who legitimately cared about his soldiers.

SGT Paul (Eric) Haines - I made SGT while he was my Squadron CO, Fulda 1985

As an enlisted man, the only officer I ever didn't call Sir or address by rank was my chaplain, and even still I almost always used Sir rather than Father.