Posted on Feb 23, 2018
Does rank play a part in how you view individuals after you have left the service?
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Whether it be on social media or in person at the local Veteran Service Organization (VSO), does the rank that you left the service with and the ranks that other veterans left the service with play into how you view, associate with, or speak to other veterans? The highest rank that I ever had was Sergeant and I still find that I address those that I know were officers as "sir" or "ma'am". (I also address all generations of older veterans as "sir" or "ma'am".) I still hold a certain level of respect for all those who attained a rank higher than I did, but I do speak to them as if we could have been old friends. I consider us all on almost a completely even field after leaving the service. Does anyone believe any different?
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Officers
Enlisted
Warrant Officers
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 112
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No, it shouldn’t but in some occasions it can be. Everyone who has ever been in the military past, present and future should be respected and honored not by rank or position held but by the virtue of who they are. Their character and judgement comes into play everyday of their lives. So rank shouldn’t be as how individuals are viewed after they left the military service.
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I take the view all of us are Veterans and served our country within the US Armed Forces. I have addressed some people by rank to acknowledge their accomplishment and that I know it took effort on their part to be there. Sir or Mam are in My vocabulary as being respectful and its not dictated by rank. In the American Legion Post where I've served as Commander We have people that were Senior Officers and people in lower enlisted positions, We have no rank here, they are all My fellow Veterans and friends.
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They are fellow veterans first. He or she may have a higher rank but after retirement that's gone. Treat them as you want to be treated. All career field didn't get promoted as well as other and i as a E7 and had friends because of their career field could only dream of promotion.
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I address former staff NCO's and senior officers by their former rank. I address active duty likewise. They earned it. It's just plain respect on my part. Of course I call my grandson "Boot" because he's a Seaman. But he still calls me "Grandaddy" and that's perfectly fine with me. Do they warrant special privileges? That depends on the circumstances.
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I have many veteran friends and colleagues and to be quite honest I know what rank they were when we served together but have no clue where they ended up since many just got out while others retired. Usually never ask and neither do my friends.
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I grew up in the Marines......rank will always matter to me.......especially senior rank. I was a SSgt in the marines and retired as a Cpt. from the Texas Army National Guard.
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I'm still serving and all veterans get respect from me. I'm always fast to acknowledge those that mentored me and are retired regardless of their rank being higher or lower than mines. I also believe it depends on the subject matter. Some of us, retired or still serving like to believe we know things that may have changed or that is inaccurate. At times, I may try to correct or if I see it's going nowhere, I tactfully remove myself from the discussion. Either way, I find myself more and more using the terms brothers or sisters in regards to all Soldiers both serving or retired. We truly are family... that's my belief.
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Not in the least. When I run into someone I knew before I retired & they are still serving I still give the the respect of addressing them with their rank and always show respect to everyone that served with the exception of a few bullshit posers that were never achievers. No respect for those types.
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