Posted on Feb 20, 2018
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
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Does general military authority allow a Specialist to require a Private to stand at parade rest for them? There was a previous thread discussing whether a Private should automatically stand at parade rest for a Specialist, but I've seen Specialists over the years tell Privates to stand at parade rest when talking to them. Can Specialists do this? It seems like an abuse of general military authority to me.
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CPT Army Reserve Unit Administrator
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I'm gonna say, generally, no. At least not force (make) the Private do so.
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SSG Senior Desk Sergeant / Operations Sergeant
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No. I think I would lose my mind if I saw a SPC do that to a PVT in my unit. A SPC is not an NCO and just because a SPC is in a team leader position it does not mean they can do it either.
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Sgt Wayne Wood
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Witness the problems created when you have a parallel but not equivalent rank structure... Semper Fi
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SSG Senior Desk Sergeant / Operations Sergeant
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I would light that SPC up if I saw that happen.
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CW3 Jeff Held
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If this SPC is singling out one PVT for this then there is clearly an issue.

Keep your head on straight and know the difference between bad, good, better, and great Leadership.
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SGT Ait Instructor
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Some units do enforce privates to stand at parade rest for specialists.
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
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What about the ones that don't?
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SSG Squad Leader
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SSG Cyber Security Sme And Trainer
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In the units I've been in, Signal Battalion we did not have privates stand at parade rest for SPCs, the MI unit we did not have privates stand at parade rest, and in my infantry unit, they went to parade rest for CPLs, not SPCs. I have seen, and I think it was out of habit, many of the 11Xs still went to parade rest for SPCs. So yeah, I've seen it done by the unit.
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SPC Ray Orvin
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No cause he’s not an nco
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SPC Power Generation Equipment Repairer
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As far as I know it is only CPL's and above that have that power. SPC's do not assume any NCO responsibilities. I'd like higher enlisted to correct me on the customs and courtesies if I'm wrong, though.
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SSG Michael Davis
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No, it's that simple and others have provided guidance from official pubs. The only exception might be in training environments where soldiers are frocked into leadership positions within the training formation that make their actual (pay) ranks meaningless within the training environment context.

PV1 = Junior Enlisted. SPC = Junior Enlisted.

I'm surprised this topic comes up, that and whether civilians have military authority over green suiters. Hint = only as much authority as a normal supervisor in a workplace has (a/k/a the civilians cannot make you do pushups). But they can report you to a NCO who might be able to...
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CW4 All Source Intelligence Technician
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Even when serving in an E-5 position. What is the rank/grade of the individual? Training Circular 3-21.5 seems pretty clear to me.
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