Posted on Feb 5, 2014
How do you go about correcting someone of a much higher rank?
87.9K
111
38
6
6
0
How do you go about correcting someone of a much higher rank (i.e. MAJ, etc.) or someone that obviously has more years of service than yourself? By corrections I'm referring to things like out of uniform, not illegal or immoral. Ex: someone was walking past me that was wearing a sweatshirt instead of ACU top (we were outside), or wearing covers indoors, etc. etc.
Posted in these groups: 
Advice
Law Enforcement
Advice Law Enforcement
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 26
28
28
0
Respectfully... always... regardless for Rank. <br><br>Shortly after i arrived to the 173rd I saw a soldier walking away from the Battalion/DCO Building. He had a hand in his pocket and a phone to his ear. Of course i was a proud and energetic SPC at the time and Ran up behind him said "Hey Soldier you need to stop walking while on a phone and pull your hand out of your pocket"... <br><br>The soldier exused himself from the phone call momentarily and turned around. My luck... a Brigadier General. He commended me on doing the right thing. Shook my hand with a coin then went back to his phone call. Most awkward salute i have ever given... <br>
(28)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
Exactly right way to handle it. Your job is to enforce the standard, and it doesn't matter who is falling below it. If you speak like the standards matter to you, and you are respectful regardless of rank, you shouldn't have any problems making corrections to anybody. If they have a problem being corrected by a subordinate, they simply have problems.
(0)
(0)
14
14
0
Had a guy at Fitzsimons AMC spot the CSM with the tail of his class B shirt sticking out of the zipper of his trousers. The hard charging SPC walked up to him and said "Excuse me CSM, are you trolling for gays?"
(14)
(0)
SSG George Holtje
Was the response “on the spot corrections are the responsibility of every soldier, tact is a keen sense of what to say in order to maintain good relations with others. In other words, you just stepped on your crank...front leaning test position! MOVE!!!
(1)
(0)
9
9
0
What I learned from J.A.G. is that as long as you preface your statement with "with all due respect" you can say anything. :)
(9)
(0)
TSgt Allen McGuire
Not true. Just because you preface your statement with "with all due respect" does not give you the right to then disrespect the person. For instance, "with all due respect you're an asshole." Not going to work.
(0)
(0)
MSgt (Join to see)
TSgt Allen McGuire - Like I said, "What I learned from [a TV show]...."
Check for humor before correcting someone on the internet.
Check for humor before correcting someone on the internet.
(2)
(0)
4
4
0
4
4
0
I work at an NCO Academy co-located with the Logistics BOLC, CCC, pre-command course, etc. That said, there's less than a dozen Sergeants E-5 and Specialists. So anyone I correct on appearance is my peer or superior.<br><br>How do I do it? Address the person directly in a firm but discreet voice, assume the position of respect demanded by the rank, state what the issue is, and ask them to please correct it (with instructions if necessary).<br>Sometimes I get blown off, but more often than not I get a "thank you" and a positive fix.
(4)
(0)
4
4
0
In my experience dealing with high ranking NCO's or Officers I have always corrected them if they were in the wrong. That being said when correcting that person do it on the side and ensure you have tact. Usually the response I receive is that of appreciation if done correctly. Also be sure that you are in the right when correcting someone else. Be sure you are squared away before doing so to others.
(4)
(0)
3
3
0
3
3
0
As SGT B. said, you must approach the situation with tact. The best thing that I can offer is to ensure that there are no other Soldiers around, so it is done in a way that is polite, professional, and quiet enough so that the individual being corrected does not feel like a total fool. <br><br>That being said, there will be cases where the ego will attempt to trump your general military authority to point out their mistake. When it comes to that, don't take it personal, simply inform them that you were looking out for them, and remind them of their influence on those they outrank, and how their lack of adherence to standards effects that. After that you have said your piece, and they will either acknowledge your correction, or blow you off, but no matter what don't make a federal case out of it, that won't end well.<br>
(3)
(0)
CPT George Raileanu
Hooah! I just didn't say anything to avoid any problems. I'll add that advice to my tool kit though. Thank you SFC Busko.
(1)
(0)
1SG (Join to see)
Sir,
You should never be afraid to say anything, provided there is opportunity to do it tactfully. At times the person who is out of line may not even realize it, be it a personal habit, and being distracted. They may end up being more than grateful that someone pointed things out to them so they don't attract more attention to themselves.
Food for thought.
You should never be afraid to say anything, provided there is opportunity to do it tactfully. At times the person who is out of line may not even realize it, be it a personal habit, and being distracted. They may end up being more than grateful that someone pointed things out to them so they don't attract more attention to themselves.
Food for thought.
(3)
(0)
2
2
0
I corrected my 1st sergeant often when his US Army and Name Tape were switched. He ended up asking the whole company why no one corrected him except me.
(2)
(0)
2
2
0
Personally I’d rather anyone tell me that there is something wrong with my uniform offline than let me walk around (or address a formation) looking jacked up. I had an instance where a patch had gotten stuck in the wrong place when taking off a jacket and I didn’t notice until my NCOIC caught it and fixed me. I much rather that than my boss or a room full of Soldiers.
(2)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google