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

Not sure if it's reg- but think, play with a dud grenade or call down a superior for calling you Brandon

I don't personally call people by their first name but I think this is one of those things that is ridiculous to get flustered over. We are all people at the end of the day. I work with full birds and generals and they call me by my first name. The pronunciation is a little off but it doesn't bother me. I think there are bigger problems to worry about.

Never seen a regulation in the Air Force that allows such familiarity. It happens, but it's usually a more senior officer addressing a junior officer--doesn't go the other way. I've had generals and colonels call me, "Jim" when we were alone in their office. On aircrews it may happen a bit more often, but it's usually among a group of officers all of the same rank serving in different crew positions. I never called an NCO or Airman by their first name while in uniform and don't recall doing so out of uniform. When I was in ROTC we were taught a group of traditions about addressing junior and senior people. For example, it was okay to address a more junior person by their last name only if there where no other more junior people in the area. I could turn to an enlisted Loadmaster and say, "Smith, come take a look at the tie downs on this truck." If Smith was a Senior Airman and there were more junior airmen in the area, I was supposed to say, "Airman Smith, come take a look at the tie downs on this truck." It was all very complicated. On an aircrew, crew position designations saved a lot of BS. I probably would have said, "Hey Load, come take a look at the tie downs on this truck."

When traveling overseas, we were cautioned about calling out rank where it might present a danger to the person or group of people. We couldn't hide the fact we were Americans eating dinner together in a foreign country, but we didn't want to highlight the most senior people making them targets. I doubt it matters much to the bad guys these days. We're all infidels.

It's a leadership and psychological technique. Recognizing and individual who is responsible to you by their first name or nickname is intended, and normally does, make the junior individual feel he has some personal acknowledgement by his senior. In the Corps, it was normally done in private circumstances or in small groups. When the entire staff met, the senior officer reverted back to rank and last name. When addressing enlisted, rank and last name prevailed in group situations, while in a smaller group or one on one basis, you could be so informal as to address the enlisted man by has rank. The senior man was always addressed as Sir or his rank.

On the Navy side, there's a lot of "one up, one down" until you hit the junior/senior officer break at O-4/5. In front of ENLs it goes by rank. It isn't written down anywhere that I recall. I was just informed of it when I was an O-1.

I am almost positive it is addressed in "Service Etiquette" Unfortunately, mine is in a box at the back of a storage unit.

Never had a problem. My name was Senior Chief ____, not Thom. If I encountered a "ring knocker" I would suggest the use my academic title of "Doctor." I was not on a first name basis with any officer, Petty Officer or non rated personnel nor did I want to be. Call it "professional" distance or whatever but familiarity was not my forte. In the Goatlocker it was more usual if one knew the Chief. Senior Chief or Master Chief to use first name informally. Rank and last name were usual forms of address when referring to Petty Officers and Officers. Mister was the accepted Navy address for Lieutenants and lower officer ranks and Warrant Officers.

Its a way for higher ranking officers to show that they care about you as a person, not just a subordinate. I have also had commanders that were by the book and proper that I liked also. It was always an honor for me when my commander addressed me by my first name.

It's hard for me to believe that this is even a legitimate question, especially from a CW4. It isn't in any regulation. It's based on an individual leadership style. I could have called my lowest enlisted subordinates by their first names but, I chose not to.

Never had a butter bar call me craig