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 11 y ago
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 380
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The nasty attitude is the reason soldier is going through the carp. Cant fix no spare parts boot soldier out. Some one will now or later put boots in their assets.
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Did you know that criminals don't usually care about fixing their broken tail lights?
If someone is ok with breaking a big rule, they don't care about small rules. Adding a small punishment to a huge punishment is irrelevant.
I would have let the judge deal with it.
As for the civilian, I would have had a discussion with them about their unacceptable behavior, and included their supervisor.
If someone is ok with breaking a big rule, they don't care about small rules. Adding a small punishment to a huge punishment is irrelevant.
I would have let the judge deal with it.
As for the civilian, I would have had a discussion with them about their unacceptable behavior, and included their supervisor.
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When I was in the Army this crap would not fly, civilian or no civilian. As previously stated "This is a military matter".
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First all, it was not your duty to do the judges job. If the judge did not give a shit what kind of uniform the soldier was wearing, that is his decision.
Were you involved in the case?
Civilians can at time say smart things and active duty officers need to listen to them.
Your second mistake is using the word "why." The best was to give an order is always say what you want the soldier to do. What you were really saying is "I am angry seeing you in the wrong uniform to attend a Court Martial." When you hear someone making a a racist remark, that is the time to say, "I do not like what you just said or did." But if the person is smaller than you, stand your ground and listen for a reply. If bigger than you, the smart thing to do is say those world and keep on walking.
Officers need to mind their own business and leave it up the the soldier's NCO chain of command, to make silly on-the-spot corrections like not putting ones hands into their pockets.
Were you involved in the case?
Civilians can at time say smart things and active duty officers need to listen to them.
Your second mistake is using the word "why." The best was to give an order is always say what you want the soldier to do. What you were really saying is "I am angry seeing you in the wrong uniform to attend a Court Martial." When you hear someone making a a racist remark, that is the time to say, "I do not like what you just said or did." But if the person is smaller than you, stand your ground and listen for a reply. If bigger than you, the smart thing to do is say those world and keep on walking.
Officers need to mind their own business and leave it up the the soldier's NCO chain of command, to make silly on-the-spot corrections like not putting ones hands into their pockets.
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Seems to me that you could've/should've told the civilian, "stay in your lane!" Ignore the civilian from there forward, but contact their supervisor if they persist. Then handle the soldier as you need to, while continuing to ignore the civilian. Or you could've just let the soldier walk into the court martial and explain to the judge why they were in the wrong uniform. If questioned by the judge, explain that you attempted to rectify the situation to no avail.
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The part of your story that gets under my skin isn’t the shitbag soldier. It’s the shitbag civilian. The only civilian positions on post should be at the PX, Commissary, bowling alley and theater. I can’t think of another place they are useful outside of select instructor positions.
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