Posted on May 12, 2014
How should a Junior Officer make uniform/appearance corrections to Junior Enlisted?
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Here's the situation:
There are a couple people (E3 and E5) I work with who frequently come to work looking sloppy (mostly their hair being out of standards - loose, wispy buns falling below the collar, or excessive, faddish makeup). I don't know if any of other officers or senior enlisted have said anything to them.
As a JO, what is my scope of authority to correct their appearance? How do I approach the situation
I know to make sure I can back up a standard with a written regulation. But I keep falling back on the fact that I have little more than a year in the Navy so do not necessarily have the experience to stand on.
Any advice/suggestions?
There are a couple people (E3 and E5) I work with who frequently come to work looking sloppy (mostly their hair being out of standards - loose, wispy buns falling below the collar, or excessive, faddish makeup). I don't know if any of other officers or senior enlisted have said anything to them.
As a JO, what is my scope of authority to correct their appearance? How do I approach the situation
I know to make sure I can back up a standard with a written regulation. But I keep falling back on the fact that I have little more than a year in the Navy so do not necessarily have the experience to stand on.
Any advice/suggestions?
Posted in these groups: 
Officers
Junior Officers
Officers Junior Officers
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 42
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Ma'am
Doesn't matter how much time you have you are an officer and need to make corrections period.
Doesn't matter how much time you have you are an officer and need to make corrections period.
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MAJ (Join to see)
SSgt Guina,
Basically what I came back to say. An officer with 1 day in rank is still an officer and needs to act like one. I was a direct commission O-3, so believe me it took time getting used to. Took me a long time to stop wanting to call all the 1SGs and CSMs "sir". With that said, it's important as a junior officer to be "tactful" with the corrections. Don't come running in, locking people to attention or anything like that. But on the spot corrections are the backbone to maintaining proper regulation guidance.
Basically what I came back to say. An officer with 1 day in rank is still an officer and needs to act like one. I was a direct commission O-3, so believe me it took time getting used to. Took me a long time to stop wanting to call all the 1SGs and CSMs "sir". With that said, it's important as a junior officer to be "tactful" with the corrections. Don't come running in, locking people to attention or anything like that. But on the spot corrections are the backbone to maintaining proper regulation guidance.
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Ma’am,
As an officer, junior or otherwise, it is TOTALLY within your scope of authority to correct their appearance. Additionally, I would say it is within your DUTY to make those corrections when you see them and I would say you need to find out why their leadership is not already making these corrections?
Here is how I would recommend approaching these sailors (I am assuming sailors, but if I am wrong change the word to properly reflect the service member) and say, “Sailor, come here for a second.” Take them aside and ask, “Do you know the standard for hair in uniform? Is your hair within this standard? Well, it will be the next time I see you, right!” Before they leave, get their first line supervisors name and make sure they know the standard as well. IF they do not know the standard, help train them…but I would be shocked to find they do not know the standard…and I have been shocked before.
An additional piece of advice, make sure you know what the regulation actually does say and then do your duty as an officer in the United States military and maintain the standard.
Last, IF there is an NCO part of this mess, pull them aside first, make the correction with them first and then send them out to do their job and correct the enlisted troops. Provide them with a friendly reminder that the military is making lots of cuts and if you need to do their job then we really don’t need them does we?
As an officer, junior or otherwise, it is TOTALLY within your scope of authority to correct their appearance. Additionally, I would say it is within your DUTY to make those corrections when you see them and I would say you need to find out why their leadership is not already making these corrections?
Here is how I would recommend approaching these sailors (I am assuming sailors, but if I am wrong change the word to properly reflect the service member) and say, “Sailor, come here for a second.” Take them aside and ask, “Do you know the standard for hair in uniform? Is your hair within this standard? Well, it will be the next time I see you, right!” Before they leave, get their first line supervisors name and make sure they know the standard as well. IF they do not know the standard, help train them…but I would be shocked to find they do not know the standard…and I have been shocked before.
An additional piece of advice, make sure you know what the regulation actually does say and then do your duty as an officer in the United States military and maintain the standard.
Last, IF there is an NCO part of this mess, pull them aside first, make the correction with them first and then send them out to do their job and correct the enlisted troops. Provide them with a friendly reminder that the military is making lots of cuts and if you need to do their job then we really don’t need them does we?
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LTC (Join to see)
Exactly, get an NCO or a chief petty officer to make the correction for you. That way you don't embarrass them because that is what they are supposed to do to begin with. They will respect you for it because You knew it was their lane. You always have the authority to correct them, but you want to make sure the NCO chain does its job.
LTC (Join to see) LTC Charles T Dalbec MSG Brad Sand SGT Dave Tracy CPT (Join to see) SSG Richard Reilly LTC Barry Hull
LTC (Join to see) LTC Charles T Dalbec MSG Brad Sand SGT Dave Tracy CPT (Join to see) SSG Richard Reilly LTC Barry Hull
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I'm an O-4 and have been corrected by E-5s (or even below) on more than one occasion. Nothing to do with rank here, it's about everyone policing standards. I appreciate getting corrected because it generally means there's something I don't know and should know.
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MSG Brad Sand
Yes Sir.
Years ago, I was in the PX with one of my corporals, and there was a Major with his headgear on inside. When I saw, being in the middle of something, I told the Corporal to go tell the Major to take his BDU cap off indoors and the Corporal froze…when l looked back up, the Corporal was still standing there trying to figure out what he should do. I stopped what I was doing, walked over to the Major, and respectfully pointed out he had his cover on indoors. The Major, I believe, was actually thankful that the error was corrected. The Major, I believe, did not want to be dorked up any more than any of the rest of us.
When I returned to my Corporal, after referring to him as a slang word for feline, I pointed out that we all make mistakes and if he wants to be a leader, he needs to help correct anyone when they are in error.
Years ago, I was in the PX with one of my corporals, and there was a Major with his headgear on inside. When I saw, being in the middle of something, I told the Corporal to go tell the Major to take his BDU cap off indoors and the Corporal froze…when l looked back up, the Corporal was still standing there trying to figure out what he should do. I stopped what I was doing, walked over to the Major, and respectfully pointed out he had his cover on indoors. The Major, I believe, was actually thankful that the error was corrected. The Major, I believe, did not want to be dorked up any more than any of the rest of us.
When I returned to my Corporal, after referring to him as a slang word for feline, I pointed out that we all make mistakes and if he wants to be a leader, he needs to help correct anyone when they are in error.
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