How do you handle a disrespectful junior soldier that doesn't belong to you?

You were totally correct to attempt to correct a deficiency. No matter the rank you have to act like a professional. Just recently as a range OIC, I approached a Col to explain oporder and he thanked me. I approached him professionally and he responded in kind. I have received on there spot correction from an NCO. I thanked for pointing out and correcting my issue. He was right, I was wrong. I don't care if it had been a PFC. Right is right.

Suplex

I would ask for his id If im senior to him and write him up if he refuses to give me his id I would call the mps and have them arrest him for disobeying a lawful order, then when they have him in custody and have his id you can find out who his unit is! and forward charges to his command! disrespect is never ok in the military! second I am going back to 1978 I was in the parking lot of my unit which had reserved spots for radio jeeps to be parked while gear was being worked on! I aproched the car and knocked on the window and the person inside rolled the window down and a green fog rolled out! that smelled like burning rope! I could see a bag in the console so I called my fellow sgt over to witness and got every one out if the car, got their ids and then took possision of the bag of marijuana! I wrote charges up for the 4 men and took it and the charge sheets to their 1st sgt he took it all and thew it in the trash and told me to leave his men alone, I promptly reached into the trash can and took possession of the drugs again along with the charge sheets! walked straight to the batt commanders office where I boldly walked in on his staff meeting to my capt dismay handed the col the sheets and drugs and told him I thought he would want to know one of his 1st sgts said to me about it! he quickly read the charges and then called the 1st sgt and fired him on the spot! always have your ducks in a row before you ever try something like this!

get is id and write him up!!! expecially if you are senior! if he refuses to give you his id call the mps they will place him under arrest and take his id! then you can find his unit!

KARMA, No witnesses huh?

I will assume that this was out in public and not on post. It was, if that is the case, someone looking for a free meal by wearing the "uniform" of a service member.

Used to be one reason for the Provost Marshall's Office...

I always feel that it is extremely important to correct soldiers when they are wrong. That is your job as a leader. However, through my experience as an MP and as an NCO, I found that I am able to get the respect that I deserve and earned by the way I approach soldiers. For example, the posting about the incident in the parking lot, I would have left it alone because if soething was to happen or the right MP came along he would have gotten a ticket. When I am talking to a soldier yea I can yell at them and make them stand at parade rest anywhere on the installation. Hell I even locked a soldier up at parade rest an scolded him in front of his family before. But where is the professionalism. I've had some difficult sokdiers in my time and even had to correct some outside my unit but that whole idea of respect going up and not down is a bunch of b.s. pick your battles, approach as a leader and not a tyrant, it is then you will find a soldier who respect you and will follow you to the moon an back.

It is extremely important as a leader to correct soldiers when they are wrong.

I saw the U.S. Army begin it's decline of discipline beginning in the mid 80s through the early 90s. It was largely due to NCOs who had lost their moral compass and deviated from the traits of the professional NCO.