Posted on Nov 7, 2014
Disrespected while correcting a Soldier, how would you handle this situation?
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Ok so there I was at a court-martial asking a Soldier why he was wearing ACUs and not ASUs. He started to catch an attitude, so I told him to go to parade rest. He turned away from me looking at my paralegal, putting his hands in his pockets.
My paralegal tells him that he does not need to be looking at him, but at me, because I was the one addressing him, and that he needs to show respect. As the Soldier continues to stare out at my paralegal with his hands in his pockets, I continue to correct him when a civilian comes out to where I was correcting the Soldier stating that she had work to do and I could "yell" at him some other time.
I was so mind boggled and dumbfounded because said civilian used to be in the military. I'm sorry, but the last time I checked the Soldier was given a direct order by a CPT and myself that the duty uniform for the court-martial was ASUs and an alternate uniform had to be approved by the judge, so I was doing my job by asking him why he was in the wrong uniform and then correcting him when he began to disrespect me.
I felt so disrespected I just walked away and sat in a room to cool off.
How would you have handled the situation?
My paralegal tells him that he does not need to be looking at him, but at me, because I was the one addressing him, and that he needs to show respect. As the Soldier continues to stare out at my paralegal with his hands in his pockets, I continue to correct him when a civilian comes out to where I was correcting the Soldier stating that she had work to do and I could "yell" at him some other time.
I was so mind boggled and dumbfounded because said civilian used to be in the military. I'm sorry, but the last time I checked the Soldier was given a direct order by a CPT and myself that the duty uniform for the court-martial was ASUs and an alternate uniform had to be approved by the judge, so I was doing my job by asking him why he was in the wrong uniform and then correcting him when he began to disrespect me.
I felt so disrespected I just walked away and sat in a room to cool off.
How would you have handled the situation?
Disrespect
Civilians
Counseling
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 379
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LTC Jason Mackay
SFC (Join to see) ICE complaint for the Civilian. Senior Commander and GC sees those. Just saying.
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LCpl Waliq Knolle
MAJ (Join to see) from losing pay multiple times, I’ll tell you it absolutely doesn’t fix anything.
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SSG Marciano Gonzalez
My sentiments exactly in todays army Iwould be court martialed too. because the wall to wall counseling would be in session.
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SPC John Bush
This was the reason I decided not to make the Army my career, although I had intended to. Enlisted in 74, had always wanted to join, my father retired from the Army. I remember many of the stations that my family was allowed to be with him and especially his ETS station at Fort McPherson. It wasn’t the same Army I had grown up in. The last straw was an E-3 telling the company commander, a Captain, that he was not going to the field and there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He got booted, which is probably what he wanted anyway. That none of the senior enlisted present did anything at the time or later was just not acceptable to me. He did receive some behind the barracks encouragement from several others at a later date. Never regretted my time in the Army and have lamented many times getting out
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SGT Leon Riege
SSG Marciano Gonzalez - since court was not in session you could have utilized the time to get in a little hand to hand training
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If I were present when a civilian interfered with the lawful duties of an NCO making a uniform correction, I would have gone Drill Sergeant on her.
That is simply not ok.
That is simply not ok.
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CWO2 Richard Rose
Before I received my commission I was at a major joint command in D.C. As luck would have it I was also assigned the duty of Senior Enlisted Advisor for my directorate. We had primarily E-7 and above, so very few problems was the norm. I had have an E-6 challenge me on a grooming matter. (I had grooming regs for all branches of service in my desk.) She had been a bit of a pain in the rump with other project managers and engineers. Well, I directed her to go to the Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and obtain a copy of the Navy grooming standards. After she departed I heard clapping coming from several cubicles. A Marine Major in the directorate came to my desk and said he had been waiting for her to get put in her place. I thought I was being very quiet and nobody else heard. From that time forward she straightened her act up.
One of the problems with joint assignments is the annual fitness reports or evaluations for your prospective service. Civilian GS/GM could write them for everyone, except Navy Chiefs and above. They were to be signed by the senior ranking naval officer in the command. That was a three star Vice Admiral.
Back to the original comments about the civil service directing military personnel. I was told by one that he was the equivalent for a LTC (O5) and I just asked him when did he receive his commission? He attempted to direct me to refer to him as "Sir or Mr so and so.) I told him that respect is earned. I never had a problem with correcting a service member. I do believe in chastising in private and praising in public.
One of the problems with joint assignments is the annual fitness reports or evaluations for your prospective service. Civilian GS/GM could write them for everyone, except Navy Chiefs and above. They were to be signed by the senior ranking naval officer in the command. That was a three star Vice Admiral.
Back to the original comments about the civil service directing military personnel. I was told by one that he was the equivalent for a LTC (O5) and I just asked him when did he receive his commission? He attempted to direct me to refer to him as "Sir or Mr so and so.) I told him that respect is earned. I never had a problem with correcting a service member. I do believe in chastising in private and praising in public.
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CPT David Quinn
Lighten up on the Capt, we wouldn't expect anymore from the Dept of the Navy would we?
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