How do you deal with Officers who shouldn't be one?

2015-07-22T13:59:18-04:00

So there I am, walking through the parking lot in the pouring rain. Lakes they call puddles everywhere. Most cars are driving nice and slow to prevent spraying on us pedestrians. Not one guy. He blows through a puddle and nails me. I yell something like "have a nice day" (or worse) at him. He actually stopped, rolled down his window, and says "Do not talk to an officer that way!" I told him I would have said the same to the 4 star if he drove through a puddle that fast. Told him "real officers know how to have some respect for people around them". He gave me a salute of the one finger variety and moved on.

I believe the military needs to train their officers better nowdays on being "gentlemen/ladies" instead of jerks. Maybe this would stop them from getting relieved of command later on in their careers.

What you all think? Any good examples of officers or even senior enlisted being jerks towards the civilian population.

Response by SGT David T. made Jul 22 at 2015 2:09 PM

2015-07-22T14:09:46-04:00

My response would have been I am a civilian and I will talk to you any way I please. Right when I got out I was going on post one day because they gave me 6 months medical coverage and I was at the visitor's center waiting in line to get a pass. My hair still was short but I hadn't shaved in about a week. Some full bird comes up to me and rather rudely tells me "you need to get out this line and go shave Soldier". I looked right at him and rather profanely explained that he needed to mind his own business, learn some people skills and find out who he is talking to before he comes at people like that because I was a civilian. The look on his face was priceless. Granted I was wrong in how I handled that, but that was 9 years of built up repressed frustration coming to the surface. Admittedly, it did feel kind of good lol.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 2:15 PM

2015-07-22T14:15:54-04:00

I've never witnessed anything personally, but man have I heard stories. Officers telling military in civilian gear to salute cuz they had a hat on, a butterbar getting on a Master Chief rather disrespectfully about saluting, to which the Master Chief replied with something to the effect of, "You better climb my anchor and count my stars..." Oh, good times. I don't look forward to ever coming across an Officer who's simply disrespectful or ignorant.

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Jul 22 at 2015 2:16 PM

2015-07-22T14:16:37-04:00

Honestly, I'm not sure if either of you handled the situation very well! Had I been you, I would have waited for him to exit his vehicle, approached him respectfully, and express my concern first of all about safety (driving too fast), and second that he splashed you (he may not have realized it). If I was the driver, I may have said the same thing (not to talk that we to people you don't know) - but, at the same time, if you mentioned respectfully I was being a safety risk & splashed you, I would have offered a heartfelt apology, offered to make amends and agree that I was definitely traveling too fast and say I'm sorry (again).

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Jul 22 at 2015 2:29 PM

2015-07-22T14:29:43-04:00

Keep them away from my Sailors! Teach them as much as I can and keep them from getting people hurt or killed!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 2:59 PM

2015-07-22T14:59:34-04:00

You will always have a couple bad eggs. I wouldn't think that is something that is representative of all officers. I would do the same as you did. He is a fool and reflects poorly of us officers.

Response by MAJ Jim Steven made Jul 22 at 2015 3:03 PM

2015-07-22T15:03:33-04:00

its not just officers.... had a uniform violation while walking in my off post neighborhood. SGM was a jackass about it.
actually posted on here about it, so many people thought he was completely justified. Apparently, if you are wrong, I get to be wrong, too!! Childish logic, if you ask me, "but mom, he hit me first!"

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jul 22 at 2015 4:03 PM

2015-07-22T16:03:24-04:00

PO1 Donald Hammond Two wrongs never made a right - it sounds like he was wrong and the part where: "I yell something like "have a nice day" (or worse) at him." just made the situation worse. This kind of road rage is going to get people hurt in a serious way. I believe that if you approached a different way with he might have responded differently, but no guarantee. I've found that trying a professional approach first with some does work in about 75% of the cases. If the office in question is really a "jack#$%" then it wouldn't have made any difference. I'm too proud to make the first jester towards reconciliation of an issue first - then you can tell him where to GO! I don’t have any stories to tell you because I couldn’t hear what the other guys said as they were speeding away in their car. Just my 2 cents on the subject

Response by SSG John Erny made Jul 22 at 2015 5:48 PM

2015-07-22T17:48:27-04:00

Back in the day they were, "transfered" from the unit.....ahem.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Jul 22 at 2015 7:29 PM

2015-07-22T19:29:09-04:00

This isn't an 'officer' issue...it's a basic humanity one.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 7:55 PM

2015-07-22T19:55:43-04:00

This is unfortunate. Please don't judge the rest of us based off the actions of a few. Believe me, Officers or Leaders like that are the minority, not the majority.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jul 22 at 2015 10:14 PM

2015-07-22T22:14:14-04:00

I had the good fortune to be trusted by my commander to be able to write honest assessments of substandard officers on their OERs. I prevented what I called the "Bad Penny Syndrome". If you let them go as LTs you get them back as CPTS where they can do the command real damage. Same goes with CPTS to MAJ,

Best to eliminate a dud at the lowest level, before they get people hurt.

Response by PO1 Shahida Marmol made Jul 22 at 2015 10:17 PM

2015-07-22T22:17:58-04:00

I often wondered when being an officer and gentleman had changed. All I know is if I ever put on bars these officers will finally be out in their place.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 22 at 2015 10:43 PM

2015-07-22T22:43:00-04:00

That's tough to answer. I'm not sure I know. But often times the chain of command figures it out with the assistance of senior NCOs who have the ear of command.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2015 2:20 AM

2015-07-23T02:20:07-04:00

You don't need me to tell you this, but things don't go according to plan. TRADOC is a plan. There are controls, training requirements, and standards to produce gentleman and ladies, but it doesn't always work out.
For instance, I used zero of my ROTC training and some of my OBC training as a finance officer. I actually lean on my accounting degree and warrant officers to find out how to the Army works. But, I do remember leadership and culture. Everyone gets all doomsday about the budget. But, I refuse to become cynical because a subordinate would be miserable under that leader. No matter how wrong and outdated the PPBES is, I know never to show it or talk about it unless I have a solution. If I was a civilian, I'd probably say do this requirement because it's your job and we said so. As an officer, I know how soldiers are juggling multiple training requirements and you can have too many internal controls.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jul 23 at 2015 4:57 AM

2015-07-23T04:57:14-04:00

PO1 Donald Hammond There are tons on both the O and E side. No one has a monopoly on it. It is not a level of training or a pay grade, some people are just asses when dealing with other people.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2015 5:29 AM

2015-07-23T05:29:43-04:00

Well I've seen more officers forgetting or misplacing their military ID than any private would've and yet nothing happens to them while that private probably would've had a long day.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2015 4:21 PM

2015-07-27T16:21:42-04:00

Just an observation - there are jerks in every segment of society. Often there are two jerks at the same place and time. That when things sometimes get interesting.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2015 10:19 PM

2015-07-28T22:19:03-04:00

If your story is true then the guy is a douche bag. The fact that he tried to pull rank on you makes him an even bigger douche bag.

He's lucky you're a nice guy. I would have gladly taken an Article 15 to put that asshole in his place.