Are you allowed to walk away from leadership when they being to act unprofessional?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 19:29:59 -0400

Response by MSG Danny Mathers made Jun 20 at 2019 8:14 PM

MSG Danny Mathers — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 20:14:06 -0400

The sentence doesn't make any sense. What are you trying to say?

Response by SGT Javier Silva made Jun 20 at 2019 8:24 PM

SGT Javier Silva — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 20:24:12 -0400

That is a negative, SPC Private RallyPoint Member. Let them be unprofessional. That's why you have Command Climate Surveys, your Chaplain, Inspector General, and if it is bad enough Senator. Walking away from leadership can be seen as disrespect. Remember THEY will submit you for an Art. 15, but YOU can't submit them for one. Although, I have always wanted to see someone put a MPO on their leadership (sorry, sidebar).

Response by SFC Marc W. made Jun 20 at 2019 8:27 PM

SFC Marc W. — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 20:27:52 -0400

In short, no. Disrespecting an Officer or NCO is really left up to the judgement of that Officer or NCO, so walking away could be viewed as you disrespecting them or outright disregarding them. Neither of which end well for you. However, after the fact or if it becomes too much, you can always exercise the open door policy of the person one step higher than them. Best to have a battle buddy that can confirm whatever it is you think is unprofessional that they said or did, ie cursing in your face, calling your mother a whore, whatever it is.

Best bet is to remain professional and calm, roger sir/sergeant, then take your battle buddy and go see immediate chain of command. Do not exaggerate and do not lie.

Response by MCPO Hilary Kunz made Jun 20 at 2019 9:21 PM

MCPO Hilary Kunz — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 21:21:41 -0400

No, but be sure to document it. We had a Second Lieutenant (a position, not a rank, he was an Lt), that screamed at his troops constantly. We (CPO Mess) had the documentation to step in and fix him, but I'm not sure other services have an equivalent to the Navy Chiefs and their power. We don’t tolerate that crap. That’s the only time I can remember having to square away an officer professionally to that level, because no JO wants a visit from the Master Chiefs, trust me. It’s far easier being dressed down by the Captain than me, and I never used a foul word.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jun 20 at 2019 10:13 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 22:13:29 -0400

Doesn't make sense- if you walk away while they are talking to you, then they will order you to halt- refusal=Art15

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Jun 21 at 2019 9:18 AM

SSG Carlos Madden — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 09:18:24 -0400

Don't do that. Just stand there and say "Roger that Sergeant," move on, and handle it professionally afterward.

Response by SFC Scott Higgins made Jun 21 at 2019 10:48 AM

SFC Scott Higgins — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 10:48:24 -0400

Allowed to walk away, No. the advice from SSG Marc W. and SSG Carlos Madden is spot on.
One point to add: NCO's are people too and most, not all, but most require some infraction before their ire is up enough to cross the professionalism line. That being said, ask yourself this one question, what was the cause of this NCO crossing that line? Could it be that there was something you did that could warrant a reprimand? Perhaps not in the ranting/raving way this NCO presented, but check yourself first...then consider what the two fine NCO's mentioned above relayed to you.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Jun 21 at 2019 12:23 PM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 12:23:55 -0400

Depends on how much you like extra duty.

True story: Back when I was a PV2, my squad leader was a complete ass. After getting smoked for the umpteenth time for no reason other than that he saw me (literally he would drop me just for being seen), I recovered myself and walked away. He started hooting and hollering, and I just walked to my barracks room and locked my door. 15 minutes later, 1SG was pounding on my door. Here is, paraphrased, what top told me. "What you did absolutely needed to be done. Unfortunately you don't have the rank to back it up. Tomorrow you will be seeing the Commander for your Article 15." We proceeded to have a gentlemanly conversation about the squad leader, the merits of a court martial, what to expect in an article 15, and how to move on in the Army. In essence, 1SG had pity on me and my situation. I was right in theory, but because I was a PV2 and he was a SSG, I was still wrong.

And that's how I got my FIRST Article 15....

Response by Sgt Dale Briggs made Jun 26 at 2019 8:27 AM

Sgt Dale Briggs — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 08:27:54 -0400

I must have been very lucky, a lot of these things that pop up on here and completely foreign to me. Our NCOs were completely above board in every area you could possibly think of. If you had a problem the Company Gunny could and would move a mountain to help a Marine, he was completely respected up thru the LTC. The only time I saw the 1st Sgt was to pin on stripes and that hurt quite a bit, but no further than Gunny was ever necessary.