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
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Warrant Officers
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 112
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It lets me evaluate potential skillset and experience if they profess expertise in a given field, but that's about it. I mostly agree with LT James Jones with the caveat that I outlined in my response to him. I respect anyone who served, and absolutely don't mind addressing vets and retirees by their rank or 'sir' or 'maam'. But then, I do that last for anyone older than I, that I don't know.
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With rank comes some level of access, authority, and experience…the perspectives may important and it can impact communication and leadership styles/decision making process. I see many as “big picture” or policy people…not detail or technical people. NCOs make that bridge between the doers and the planners. Those roles can persist into civilian life. More frequently I find that junior enlisted persons are underestimated, or esteemed “less than successful “…there is only so far you can go in 4 years….E-1 to E-4 in <2 should give some folks a clue.
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Since I’m out, and everyone I deal with these days is also out I couldn’t care less what was another veteran’s rank back during service. We are all civilians now. Whether someone was an E-1 or an O-10, doesn’t matter to me: to the eyes of everyone else we are all the same now. Nobody who was a former high ranking military personnel can’t now go to Walmart (for example) and cut line like they could do at the commissary.
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It shouldn't but unfortunately it does in most cases. I wish that would change.
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No, left that all behind when I signed out and drove off-post for the last time.
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Since retiring from ZUSAF in 1991, I have been associated with many retired officers and enlisted persons. We seldom use our ranks amongst ourselves, but whenintroducing either of each other to an active duty member, we do use ranks. Of course we are former Special Operations/ Air Commandos personnel and we tend to be relaxed, foot loose and fancy free. (My butt is in for some serious chewing).
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Once out of service rank no longer matters. Treat others as you wish to be treated.
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I think you have it exactly right. To be honest, I find it somewhat sad when a senior retired officer makes a big deal about former rank. I still believe in courtesy, but we are not still on active service any more, and are not frozen into the hierarchy from which we retired years ago.
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