Posted on Jun 10, 2017
Do you find the term "butter bar" offensive or demeaning?
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As a newly minted O-1 I have no problem with the term, but some of my fellow ENS/LTs have been scolded for using it. I never considered the term a pejorative when I was enlisted and I still don't now that I'm on the officer side. I always thought it was sort of a rite of passage that goes along with being a new Officer. Am I missing something? Do you consider the term disrespectful or demeaning?
ENS
Officers
2LT
Professionalism
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 392
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I think I will have to agree with LT Brad McInnis, and as the poll results here show, I think everyone else (almost) agree with the basis of it as well. The 2LT is very much like a private, you got through class and made it here to the real world, now it is time to show that you actually deserve that rank. Once your guys get to know you, the term will change for better or worse. If the officer who was complaining reads this, (most figure this out if they are not told outright by CoC) it is your MEN who will write your OER through their actions and performance. This applies to NCO's as well, so I am not saying that we got out of it.
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SSG Robert Perrotto
I am, and have always been, of the opinion that an officer or NCO is only as good at the troops want them to be - if you are good, take care of them, fair, and keep them informed - they will go to hell and back for you - if you go in like a petty tyrant, then they will shirk, sham, misunderstand, and just about anything else they can creatively be in order to just barely get the mission done, in the lowest way possible that wont make them have to do it again.
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Now that I'm not one, it's a great term. As a 13 year enlisted Airman, I was not excited to be called LT, but knew it was well earned. I'll never forget the SGT who was basically like, "I have night guard with this LT". I told him I was in for 16 and he was like yes sir the rest of the night. We had a call about 2am and he was saying that the soldier was not in our org... Needless to say I got on the phone and a guy (soldiers father/non military) was shot in head. It was a red cross family contact and the soldier was in the unit. Proved to me that no matter what, when your in charge in the military it's important.
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If the Military starts gettingto a point where they need a safe space, we are all in trouble, the fact is that there are only 2 ranks in the Army that are Gold, that's because both have no real jobs and are just waiting for commands
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If something as trivial as butter bar offends then the offended is going to have a long career full of being offended. When the offended is no longer a butter bar and use the term, then we have moved from offended status to hypocrite. Spend less time worrying about being offended over the smallest things and work on your profession or find a profession where you can focus on being offended without impacting the mission.
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One of the scariest things is to hear a new Ensign, or 2nd Lt, say "Based on my experience..."
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PO2 Brian Gee
I was stationed on a subtender in Kings Bay, GA. I went visit my parents on the west coast of FL, about 45 miles south of Tampa.
Not seeing the news, I did not know there was a hurricane in the Gulf. We had to evacuate the key.
I called the office to let them know I was safe. The Lt had answered the phone, and he said that they were getting ready to go to sea.
He said I had to return. I reminded him that we were repair crew, not ship's crew. He said I had to come back. I told him that there was a hurricane between myself and the ship, and said I would make my decision as to whether it was safe at the next position report at noon the next day.
I decided to drive back when the position report showed the hurricane was heading NW.
Found out later the Master Chief basically ripped a new lower orifice in this Lt. Well, a ETCM can do that.
Not seeing the news, I did not know there was a hurricane in the Gulf. We had to evacuate the key.
I called the office to let them know I was safe. The Lt had answered the phone, and he said that they were getting ready to go to sea.
He said I had to return. I reminded him that we were repair crew, not ship's crew. He said I had to come back. I told him that there was a hurricane between myself and the ship, and said I would make my decision as to whether it was safe at the next position report at noon the next day.
I decided to drive back when the position report showed the hurricane was heading NW.
Found out later the Master Chief basically ripped a new lower orifice in this Lt. Well, a ETCM can do that.
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As long as soldiers aren't being deliberately disrespectful or crossing the line, it really doesn't matter. There are names for other ranks like "Mosquito Wings" for PV2, "Fuzzy" for PVT, and an entire list of others. It is also not hard fulfilling someone's requests when they don't want to be addressed by these names like calling a First Sergeant, "Top". However, if they start making a huge deal out of it, then perhaps they should have thought about a different career choice. Out of the realm of getting easily offended, it is basic military culture that dates back to way before many of us were even born.
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No more than a three striper is called a buck sergeant. Those taking offense choose to do so and that's another topic.
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No, not in the slightest. I still remember quite clearly saying "Butter Bar" in the context of me *becoming one* and a SFC within earshot began screaming at me to never say such a thing again. He really lost it.
I am now the butteriest of butter bars and proud of it.
I am now the butteriest of butter bars and proud of it.
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