How do you feel about the proposal to assign spouses rank?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 22:02:03 -0500

No way no how do I feel a spouse should actually receive rank. I was reading this started after a spouse was not saluted at a gate. This sounds fine to me. Her husband earned the salute NOT HER! I have run in to this way too many times in my 13.5 years in. Giving spouses rank would be a huge mistake in my opinion, and just inflate some of the issues. What do you all think/feel about this issue?

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Jan 1 at 2014 10:02 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 22:02:45 -0500

It's a joke...not gonna happen.

Response by SFC James Baber made Jan 1 at 2014 10:14 PM

SFC James Baber — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 22:14:20 -0500

I will tell from an experienced MP, I have too many situations over the years of "Do you know who my husband is or my husband is MAJ/LTC/COL/GEN so and so, I shouldn't be bothered or harassed in this manner". And I could never count up how many times I have received the call at the station from either the spouse who just got the ticket begging me to do something with it so her husband doesn't have to hear about it, or the reverse of the military member calling wanting to know why their spouse received a ticket and what can be done to fix the issue, and my response was always, "well Sir/Ma'am there are two ways to handle this they can either mail the fine in or come to court to handle it," you laugh at how many times the other of the phone just went dead. And I had the many times where they would call my station commander and tell them they needed to fix it if they ever wanted to make LTC or above, the politics didn't do it for me, and whenever I was asked by the CO I always said respectfully no, if it had been handled differently from the beginning by the offending spouse, the possibility of just a warning could have occurred, but not after all the headaches that they have all put or tried to put everyone through, it goes through as required.

I was taught by my grandfather, being that I am 4th generation LEO and 5th generation Army that as a police officer you have to have your mind made up before you leave the patrol car if you are going to write the ticket or not, and then you can determine if things will change on that decision based on the demeanor and attitude of the offender. Like I used to always tell people, the way you act when I come up to your window will determine if I give you the benefit of the doubt and just a warning or follow through with my original thought of writing a ticket for the offense at hand plain and simple, if you are respectful and honest with me, many times that will get you just a small lecture and the warning to pay attention, be more careful or slow it down instead of the ticket that could cost you more in time, money and insurance premiums for the offense you knew you were wrong with when you committed it before hand.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2014 10:31 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 22:31:47 -0500

....

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jan 1 at 2014 11:43 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 23:43:13 -0500

Oh Duffelblog... How many shall fall in to your web?

Response by Cpl Benjamin Long made Jan 2 at 2014 3:45 AM

Cpl Benjamin Long — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 03:45:39 -0500

The law is quite clear... You only salute Commissioned officers, Heads of state, Standards not cased, or the duty officer in report...<br>

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2014 10:17 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 22:17:25 -0500

Ridiculous! If you didn't take the oath to put your life on the line to defend this country.....Any how, why is this even a question? If they want rank, tell them to sign up and get it the way everyone else does.<br>

Response by A1C Michael David Severson made Jan 4 at 2014 9:45 PM

A1C Michael David Severson — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 21:45:33 -0500

The article in Duffleblog is satirical in nature, and nothing more. I'm returning to barracks now... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.....

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 4 at 2014 10:08 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 22:08:12 -0500

I hadn't heard about any proposal to give spouses rank. But if someone is actually considering that they should immediately seek mental treatment! Are we then going to give rank and honors to children too? Rank belongs to the service member, who has earned it. I know a lot of people who are on the fence already when it comes to staying in or getting out. If such a ridiculous thing as spouse rank were to happen, I know some excellent Airmen and Soldiers who would pack it in. It's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of. I can't think of one valid reason for it.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Jan 4 at 2014 10:39 PM

SSG Robert Burns — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 22:39:14 -0500

As long as they get the pay with it, then I'm all for it!

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 4 at 2014 10:45 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 22:45:38 -0500

Wow, SGT, look at your sources. These are fake/satirical websites (The Onion, The Duffleblog, etc)...

EDIT: I have no idea why someone would vote this response down, I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything of the sort. I'm just telling people to look at their sources before they post this stuff. Also reference the "are females too pretty" thread, which is also from a satire website in which people are posting serious responses to.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 4 at 2014 11:48 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 23:48:02 -0500

Alright, I admit I got got, I didn't know about the duffle blog. My fault, but it did make for an interesting thread to hear some of these responses. I will now for future threads make sure what my wife shows me on her cellphone is not from less than reputable websites. Thanks to SSG Hasbun, A1C Severson, and SFC Jones for the heads up.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2014 8:35 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 May 2014 20:35:27 -0400

Well considering my Wife serves as well, I don't have to worry. It is however, HILARIOUS, when a military spouse tries to pull that crap and my wife is in civilians and they don't know my wife serves. Her response is usually priceless

Response by PO2 Rocky Kleeger made May 3 at 2014 9:00 PM

PO2 Rocky Kleeger — Sat, 03 May 2014 21:00:46 -0400

Absolutely wrong. They are not in the military, their spouses are. There is a story that one of my CO's told about when he went to a spousal support group meeting. He asked the spouses to get into line by their rank. It took a while as they were all asking thing like, "when did yours get promted?" After all were in line, he told them that none of them had rank, it was their spouses that held the rank, NOT THEM

Response by MSgt Keith Hebert made May 3 at 2014 9:15 PM

MSgt Keith Hebert — Sat, 03 May 2014 21:15:42 -0400

Lol just remember(if my memory serves me correctly) as a young marine we were taught to salute the blue sticker on cars, so as a gate guard you would salute the blue sticker. Proberly because you never know who is the car.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2014 10:39 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 May 2014 22:39:29 -0400

No way this happens. Not to call out fellow soldiers, but just ask anyone who was part of 4BCT, 82ND ABN when the BDE CDR's wife was banned from FRG activities by the CG from Iraq. That was a three and half page spread in stars & stripes. Plus can you see a SPC's wife trying to reprimand a CSM or COL's wife for missing an event or a meeting? I have a better chance seeing a CSM be demoted to SFC or SSG. You give wives rank then you open up a whole new can of worms that will just enhance the issues you already have as a unit

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 3 at 2014 10:43 PM

SPC Charles Brown — Sat, 03 May 2014 22:43:39 -0400

OH HELL NO! If they are going to do that then they need to train these spouses in the same military occupational specialty as their spouse. I say this needs to be done in case their spouse is killed in action, God forbid, they can step in and fill the breach.

Response by Cpl Ray Fernandez made Jun 26 at 2014 2:22 AM

Cpl Ray Fernandez — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 02:22:55 -0400

It was a satire story posted on Duffel Blog

Pentagon Proposes Policy Assigning Ranks To Military Spouses

A very controversial new policy within the military community.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 26 at 2014 10:02 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 10:02:50 -0400

Absolutely ridiculous. I am a Soldier and an Army spouse. I don't get any more from trying to use her name/rank in conversations. If anything, when spouses do that, they make their service member look silly.

Response by SPC James Mcneil made Jan 17 at 2015 12:09 PM

SPC James Mcneil — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 12:09:11 -0500

The only "rank" a spouse deserves is PFC (Private Freakin' Civilian) unless the spouse is also a service member. Rank for spouses is probably one of the worst ideas I have ever heard from the military.

Response by COL Tom Allred made Jan 17 at 2019 11:54 PM

COL Tom Allred — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 23:54:53 -0500

In 1976 I was at the Naval Hospital at Oak Knoll (Oakland, California) when the wife of a Navy Captain (O-6) tried to cut in line at the Pharmacy, saying, “I’m Mrs. Captain So-and-so.” Only a few seconds passed before the offender was tapped on the shoulder by a little white-haired lady, all 4’ 11” of her, and she was told, “Well, I’m Mrs. Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz - and the line starts at the end, Dearie.” We all loved Catherine Nimitz - and she made the point. A dependent is a dependent is a dependent - and always will be.

Response by SSG George Holtje made May 17 at 2019 8:52 PM

SSG George Holtje — Fri, 17 May 2019 20:52:52 -0400

When those spouses complete Basic and AIT for the MOS of Army spouse. Not to mention spouse WLC, OBC, ALC, Spouse Career Course, Spouse Major Academy, Spouse Ranger, Spouse Master Gunner and Housing Sanitation Course