Can addressing junior service members by rank alone be considered a derogatory term?

MAJ (Join to see) Understand and kudos for your wanting to show your respect to your Soldiers. I do question your disregard for Army protocol. You would e bshowing "the proper respect" if you would call your Soldiers by the rank and name instead of coming up with "personally perferred" titles. You've stated you know what the AR says about referring to Soldiers, NCOs, Officers by their rank, yet you choose to ignore it.

I was never offended when someone said to me, "Hey, First Sergeant!" or shouted to get my attention from across the street, motor pool or in the field. I was never offended if I heard them say, "HEY...TOP!"

Good move on respecting the SSG's wishes that you address him by his rank! Each and everyone of us are different in our opinions, preferences, likes and dislikes. This is one reason we have regulations that guide everything we do ...or are supposed to do.

Of the countless Soldiers who told you they appreciated it, there remains the "unknown" countless Soldiers (except 1 SSG) who do/did not appreciate. They never spoke up. Kudos to the SSG for speaking up! Even though addressing a person only by their rank isn't disrespectful, always using their name with it is showing respect and a leadership tool for both positive feedback, constructive criticism, and general conversation.

The AR is specific and there is not an appendix titled: 1LT Slaughter's perferences! If I were your 1SG I would have a conversation with you about it and if that didn't make the correction, the commander would be the next door.

Your desire is commendable...focus is yet a little blurry!

Appreciate the share! We need to hear more things like this! Good and not so good!

As a Medic on Sand Hill back in the early 2000's, I cannot tell you how many times I was hemmed up by the Drill Sergeants (permanent party wasn't safe back then either) for not addressing the trainees as Soldiers.
This was before ACU's and having your name conveniently sewn on the back of your headgear. Being a somewhat salty CPL at the time, it was easy to just yell out "Hey Private, come here..". As I saw it most of them were Privates anyway and hadn't attained the title of Soldier yet and I definitely had a massive rock on my shoulder being a female Medic on Sand Hill.
After MULTIPLE counseling sessions and back to back to back to back consideration of others courses it eventually got through my thick skull, that I was basically being an ass to these Soldiers. These men had enough on their plates and they just wanted to become infantrymen after we had become a nation at war. And that alone was more than commendable. I learned a bit more about the rank structure and its applicability after my 2 years there and it definitely helped me to diversify.

It all boils down to context and tone. In tradoc you are supposed to call them warriors but it is often said in a demeaning tone. On the flip side I can call one of my Joe's and F-er in a tone that will make him feel complimented. Anything can be made derogatory or complimentary just in the way it is said. It's time for everyone to stop getting so boo-boo lipped.

You raise some interesting points regarding treating others with respect. Calling an Army warrant officer or a cadet "Mr./Miss" is acceptable. Addressing a naval officer in the grades of O-1 through O-4 is acceptable as well (if you outrank him). You can call an Army warrant officer, "Chief", but if you refer to a naval warrant officer as "Chief", he/she will think you're talking to a Navy NCO.

It is an honor to serve in the military; therefore one serving should have pride in being addressed by the rank they earned. With that said, there are times when people address subordinates in ways that might convey tones to remind them of their station. Sometimes, the ranks are used to address others in contemptible ways. That is wrongfully, however, I can't help feeling as if you are trying to over correct. Sometimes addressing people by their rank can be a sign of respect, but I don't get that from your post.

When you continuously address everyone as "Mr./Miss", you risk offending those military professionals who worked to attain the rank/station which allows them to be addressed as such. Therefore, in trying to make everyone feel respected, you are disrespecting some.

I've noticed some people throw in a "Mr" or "Miss" occasionally in conversations, but is usually done in a very informal setting.

Don't call a private, corporal, or sergeant, "Mr", around Army warrants.

When I worked in a Multinational Brigade Headquarters in Afghanistan a few years ago, the use of rank only when addressing anyone was extremely common, however, as a Major, when someone said, "Hey Major" or "OK Major" or "Major, why do you say that?" I always felt as if I was in trouble!

BTW, I never felt being called "LT" was derogatory!

I went to a unique elementary school where we had acting classes as part of the regular daily schedule. One of our teachers regularly reminded us that it's not so much what you say, it's how you say it. As long as the tone you use when you refer to someone by rank is the same level of respect you would expect them to give you, I don't see a problem with it. Apparently in Air Force basic they started getting people to call everyone air and ma'am regardless of rank, I had a new airman come in from tech school and call me ma'am for months(same rank as me) took months for him to use my name.

You should a sailor how they feel about the word shipmate sometime. Some things will never change.

Being addressed by rank doesn't bother me at all. I earned it. In the Marine Corps, we address everyone by full rank all the time. It's not just Sgt, It's Staff Sgt, or Gunny, or Master Sgt, Etc.

However, when addressing a junior Marine, I always tried to address them by rank AND name. They are both a Marine and a person. It has been my experience that my seniors would always give me direction that way as well. Very seldom was I addressed solely by my rank (from the top down).

So as an example:

Sgt K: "Corporal Schmukatelli, come here!"
"Hurry up PFC Shitbird!"

Again, it doesn't bother me. But, it's always trying to maintain that balance of tact, professionalism, setting an example. etc.

Rank, is rank, we are not all equal. If you do not like the title to the rank you currently are at, then work hard and promote and you will get the rank you have earned with the title commensurate with that. 

Attitude and tone of voice are far more indicative than the word itself. Anyone who has heard an annoyed 'Gunny' address an errant officer knows what I mean. "Mister" or any rank title can be one of the most insulting terms there is......... **grin** That's funny but it's true!