Have you been involved in a situation where you had to confront a superior about their conduct?

Yes. It's an amazing thing to see how a superior reacts when their actions or inaction are reported to their higher up! As long as you know and use the regulations, you are good.

I can think of it happening twice. The 1st was in Korea where we got a Bn CO who came from a tactical unit to our fixed station communications unit with a 24/7 mission. We were the last link in the system before leaving Korea to the states. He started having us do PT and Sat. morning inspections, etc. while we were working 12 hour shifts. It started taking a lot longer for circuit outages to get fixed then previously and phone calls of high ranking officers kept getting dropped. It didn't take long for Brigade to start looking into it and he was soon gone. He found out the hard way the difference between the missions of tactical & fixed station communications and the treatment of the soldiers performing them.

The other was a SSG Assistant Station Chief in Vietnam who was a real pain in the rear. His room was in our barracks but he had walls to the rafters rather than our 4' dividers. Several times someone would climb over the wall when he was gone and lock his door on the inside. The guy in the cubicle next to his room made a stereo cabinet out of a wooden shipping box with a locking door and over thee power plug. When the SSG had a day off, he put on the side of the album which was all Yoko Ono, left the record player arm up so it would keep repeating, locked the cabinet door and we took off with the site vehicle to the PX which was on another compound several miles away. After that he got the hint and was pretty decent.

Another time, an MP learned the hard way not to mess with personnel and commo guys when he "volunteered" for a remote place in Turkey. He was given a hint as he did his final out-processing at personnel. But he wasn't a superior rank, just let his badge go to his head.

I had a similar issue with one of my superiors when I was with 1st CAV. I had returned from a deployment to Iraq and when I went to acquire my personal belongings that I thought had been put in storage, it was all gone, but for a few bags of clothing. After investigating I found out that over $10,000 of my belongings had been stolen by soldiers within my unit. I later found out that it was the BN 1SGT, that was responsible for letting it happen and even though he knew who was responsible he did nothing and opted to sweep it under the rug. I requested assistance from my company commander and 1SGT and they too decided to do nothing. I ended up losing nearly everything I owned because of their negligence.

First year at Ft. Eustis, Va. I came back from a evening run and found that all but one of the 4 barracks doors where chain and padlocked. If it was not for my platoon leader being on CQ that night I would have had heck of a time just going to my room. You see being a cook the only time I was seen by other members of my company was at meal times, and they tend to be think about their meal and not who was serving it. So being a volunteer Firefighter I knew that to lock all but one was a violation of Fire code for the barracks. I went to first Sargent to let him know about it think he had no idea it was being done, well it turned out it was his idea to do it. Simple put I told him with all due respect if I was to have same problem the next night I would go to post fire company. All it took was one trip the ran a fire drill during day when I was at work in mess hall, they question him as to why there where chains and locks hanging on the doors, he told them same thing he told me. Their response did not make him happy, the chains and locks where removed that day. I never heard another thing and he was transferred out within 6 mouths.

Yes. My Department Head and I were on liberty in a port city in Washington State. We had not gone together but were drinking at the same bar. A shipmate informed me that my Dept. Head was fighting in the parking lot with a Senior CPO. I rushed out and sure enough, they were fighting. Finally, I got between them, and said to each, "Stop Fighting or I will do you both in with this heavy stick I picked up on the way." Just then the police arrived in a police car and demanded that all of us get in, over my objections. I thought about this until both men started fighting in the car, which I again stopped. Sitting in the police station both men again started to fight which I stopped and directed the guarding officer to separate them which he did, finally believing my ideas. When the Magistrate arrived we were all required to be immediately taken back to the ship, and return the following day. I directed the police driver to put the Commander in the front seat of the van and the senior chief in the back with me and handcuff the chief to the door so he could not reach me. The police did so and we drove to the ship. The police asked me if I had any further ideas. I told them to release the Commander and escort him to the gangway. Then release the Chief and do the same for him. Finally, let me go to the gangway. These ideas were carried out. When I got on board I went to the Commander's stateroom, and found him asleep and then locked his door so, he could not leave. The next morning I took the Commander's place at the XO's briefing, unlocked the Commander's door, and left for the police station. At the appointed hour all were present, and each man, in turn, was fined, and let go. In my case, the police explained about my assistance and the fact that I was not engaged in the fight but tried to stop it. The magistrate gave me a note with his approval, and I returned to the ship. By the time I got there the Chief had been spoken to by the Captain and restricted for two weeks. The Commander and I went in to see the Captain. The Captain asked me what had happened and the Commander interrupted and answered for me, praising my actions and relieving me of any part in the fight. Then he admitted that he was totally responsible and sorry. I was excused and no further comment, verbal or written was ever made. I was very relieved to not have to testify against my immediate superior because basically he was a good man and well respected on the ship.

Absolutely! I confronted a superior officer when he propositioned me on duty. I later told him (off duty) in no uncertain terms that his career was on the line, not to do it again, and that I had told 2 others about it to protect myself from retribution. He stammered and was extremely uncomfortable, which was awesome. He had a history of doing this, but I never heard of anyone else ever having a problem with him after my incident.

Yes, 1980, USAF First Shirt "name calling" me in front of other airmen. Told Ops Officer and we both went to Social Actions about it. Got "half hearted" apology.

Yes, Second Lieutenants, they had a habit of shitting in my soup. But then again that was their job as Company Commanders in Training.

Did not “have” to but yes. Sometimes they drink too much goofy juice for breakfast and get arrogant. In a CS meeting the BN CDR said something and I added to it. He jumped up yelled (and I mean Yelled) for me to follow him to his office. Got in his office & he slammed the door and yelled even louder - for the benefit of the guys still in the conference room.

I told him to pull his head out of his ass and that he better never yell at me again. Next day the BDE CDR came down and found me in my office at the Motor Pool. He left his entourage outside and closed the door to my office. He used to be my BN XO and this guy was a shit-hot Officer. He looks at me and asks if I really told the BN CDR to pull his head out of his ass and to never ‘raise his voice at me again’. Of course I said ‘Yes Sir’. Guy laughed so hard I thought we was gonna wet his pants.

After he wiped the water from his eyes and his laughters subsided he asked what the BN CDR was up too. I gave him my take. I’m sure he had gotten wind of things from other officers in the BN.

BN CDR rarely spoke to me and could never look me in the eye after that. OER’s were proper (BDE CDR was my reviewer) and never heard another thing about it.

Yes and I didn't care what he thought about it because we had photos of him doing the low crawl from the O-Club bar to the parking lot. That was many moons ago when I really thought I was something special. I am no where nearly that "cocky" any longer.