Posted on Sep 13, 2021
As a SPC in a Team Leader Role, how should I go about counseling a soldier on disrespect towards myself and other soldiers?
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SM is being chaptered and is on his way out. He just signs the counselings I give him without acknowledging the information. I’ve gone over them with him and he doesn’t seem to care about time being wasted or any other repercussion. He is extremely disrespectful to me and other soldiers that try to correct his actions. As a young Leader coming up, what information can my NCO’s give me for this situation. Thank you.
Leadership Development
Leadership
Disrespect
Counseling
Team Leader
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 22
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Here is the long and short of it. He is being chaptered out the military. So in his view and mindset, you do not matter. To him the job, the military and everything else does not matter. He knows he is getting out and that really you can do nothing about or to him.
The most that can happen is that he receives one or more article 15's on his way out. He has given up caring.
So here is what you do. You counsel him and reference previous counseling statements and his actions then you turn that over to your immediate NCO who hopefully will read it and walk it to the 1SGT and he can then walk it into the Commander. This is not about him at this point. This is about you showing those who remain that this type of behavior will not be tolerated. Because if you let it slide or ignore it or whatnot then the others will read you as weak and this type of thing will breed and will be seen by higher ups and this could impact your position. IE having it stripped of you.
The most that can happen is that he receives one or more article 15's on his way out. He has given up caring.
So here is what you do. You counsel him and reference previous counseling statements and his actions then you turn that over to your immediate NCO who hopefully will read it and walk it to the 1SGT and he can then walk it into the Commander. This is not about him at this point. This is about you showing those who remain that this type of behavior will not be tolerated. Because if you let it slide or ignore it or whatnot then the others will read you as weak and this type of thing will breed and will be seen by higher ups and this could impact your position. IE having it stripped of you.
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SSG Russell Busicchia
This exactly what I said:
" I disagree, the Army passes the buck all the time. A problem passed on to someone else is a problem solved. Good leadership will handle the problem and not just pass it on to someone else. I was involved in chaptering a soldier once, it was done within 1 month. This SM should be referred to the 1SG for further disciplinary action, perhaps confined to quarters."
NO WHERE did I say he should not take the problem to his chain of command.
NO WHERE did I say he should take the problem to the First Sergeant.
I DID say the SM should be referred to the First Sergeant for disciplinary action. I assumed the SPC would go through his chain to do so. When I was on active duty you never went directly to the First Sergeant without at least letting everyone in your chain of command know you wanted to see the First Sergeant. Was that not the procedure when you were in?
I was disagreeing with the the statement SSG Brian G. statement that the Army does not pass the buck on screw-ups. SSG Brian G. reply only addressed this issue. I did agree with everything else he said.I have seen people get reassigned instead of handling the problem, especially at the Pentagon.
You are the illiterate one reading into a statement things that are not there. Did you always have to have everything spelled out to you? You made an assumption, and it was wrong.
" I disagree, the Army passes the buck all the time. A problem passed on to someone else is a problem solved. Good leadership will handle the problem and not just pass it on to someone else. I was involved in chaptering a soldier once, it was done within 1 month. This SM should be referred to the 1SG for further disciplinary action, perhaps confined to quarters."
NO WHERE did I say he should not take the problem to his chain of command.
NO WHERE did I say he should take the problem to the First Sergeant.
I DID say the SM should be referred to the First Sergeant for disciplinary action. I assumed the SPC would go through his chain to do so. When I was on active duty you never went directly to the First Sergeant without at least letting everyone in your chain of command know you wanted to see the First Sergeant. Was that not the procedure when you were in?
I was disagreeing with the the statement SSG Brian G. statement that the Army does not pass the buck on screw-ups. SSG Brian G. reply only addressed this issue. I did agree with everything else he said.I have seen people get reassigned instead of handling the problem, especially at the Pentagon.
You are the illiterate one reading into a statement things that are not there. Did you always have to have everything spelled out to you? You made an assumption, and it was wrong.
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SSG Jacen Black
SSG Brian G. - That was back when the supervisor could probably beat the Soldier. He might mess up and realize he's fighting a former UFC champ, lol.
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Been there, done that. Remain professional and up the chain the documentation goes. Do not waste your time with trying to alter a bad attitude if it seems impossible. It will only unnecessarily piss you off.
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Lt Col Timothy Parker, DBA
Agree. Good advice in my view. For whatever reason, some have the misguided belief that their behavior is justified. I discharged a few like these that thought they were untouchable....they weren't.
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CPL Adam Schoenwald
Agreed you can't help those that just don't want to be helped. It's like leading a dead horse to water.
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He's getting chaptered out. You no longer have any carrots to offer this horse, and he no longer fears the stick.
Any effort you put into this kid at this point is a waste of your time, and is time now best spent on the good Soldiers you do have. Do your job, but don't let him monopolize all your time. It's wasted.
So continue to counsel, do the right thing, but don't burden yourself with delusions that you're going to reform this kid. Some people just have no business in uniform.
Any effort you put into this kid at this point is a waste of your time, and is time now best spent on the good Soldiers you do have. Do your job, but don't let him monopolize all your time. It's wasted.
So continue to counsel, do the right thing, but don't burden yourself with delusions that you're going to reform this kid. Some people just have no business in uniform.
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