Posted on Oct 16, 2016
LTJG Ansi Officer
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Here's the background. You're a senior E5. Your troops are in formation and you're handing out work for the day. You hand out an assignment to a fresh E2 with less than a year in and only a few months at your command. They blatantly complain and tell you to choose someone else. You calmly tell them they will do this task and they tell you to shove it and give it to someone else. How do you react?
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CMSgt Dennis Heath
11
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I actually had a young man pull this on me, but not while in formation. I was an E5 shift supervisor on a mountaintop site in Italy. The trouble stemmed from the fact this young many was a 4-year college graduate, and he believed the additional duty assignment was beneath him. I remembered all my NCO training about rewarding publicly and punishing privately. I prepared a letter of admonishment, had him report to the workcenter office, and presented his "gift" along with a pretty strong tongue lashing. He never questioned me again.
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SFC Frank Mazzella
11
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You mean after his ass whooping?
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SPC Don Wynn
SPC Don Wynn
>1 y
Well, that kind of goes without saying, lol.
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Cpl Rick Logan
11
11
0
I don't know how today's Marines would handle it after 8 years of Obama. With all the time out cards and mommies calling congressman. There may have been a small blanket party and then a shit load of crappy guard duty and fire watches. Refusing a direct order. NJP.
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MSgt F 35 Weapons Requirements Manager
11
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No comment, I wouldn't want to incriminate myself.
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Cpl Zach Wellborn
11
11
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Oh I'm sorry pfc I didn't know you were in charge. My mistake, why don't you come out front here and let Everyone know what the word for tomorrow is. Oh you don't know?!?

THATS BECAUSE YOURE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO KEEP YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH SHUT IN FORMATION. THANKS TO PFC DIPSHIT PT IN THE MORNING 0300. I'd recommend drinking a lot of water tonight.

Anyone else have something to say to me?
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MSgt Wayne Morris
11
11
0
Had a situation similar years back at a small duty location in the middle of a large civilian area. Small military numbers, no "real base" around and an OIC the same age of some of these barely out of their teens who liked to party with them. Had an E4 report more than an hour late for swing shift on a Sunday, uniform looked as if had been slept in and wearing athletic shoes. When questioned why late stated he had lost track of time, forgot uniform shoes and didn't do laundry. Instructed him to return to his quarters, and return most rapidly in a clean, pressed uniform with proper footwear. Twice, the second time stated as a direct order. Told me to "F" myself and as mentioned had problems already with some new troops who thought they were more civilian than military. Didn't say anything more but picked up the phone and called the senior controller on duty, explained the situation and requested a senior NCO's presence. Not much later an E8 showed up, ascertained the problem and restated the order, again refused. Escorted out by local security, directed troops to sit down individually and write statements, OIC notified and did my own homework with Personnel on Monday and learned that he was already on Control Roster for insubordination to a commissioned officer and was only allowed to PCS because he was on a remote and the dirt bag OIC and never told the staff NCO's. In summary, I requested an Article 15, OIC tried to talk me into accepting an "apology". Lost stripe and more roster time but the other kids who thought it was all a joke and game all of a sudden realized they were in the military and the other Flight Chiefs noticed an extreme change in attitude also. Sometimes you need to burn down the outhouse to get the stink out.
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CPT Andrew Wright
11
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Pushups till I got tired!
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1SG Richard Turner
10
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I keep reading about UCMJ. If you are an NCO and you can handle a Private E-2 open disrespect without UCMJ you need to take off your stripes. I would have the young private explain to me why I should assign the task to another Soldier while he is in the front leaning rest. If he has a valid point then he can get up. He does not have a valid point then he can stay in that position while I finish the formation. After formation, the corrective training would ensue followed by his reporting to the proper location to conduct his work detail. After the detail is complete he would then report to his counseling session and other such actions as directed by his squad leader and/or Platoon Sergeant. It would be a very long day for the young private but at the end of the day, he would still have his money and his rank. The second time he refused and smarted off in formation then the rank, money, and time would go away.
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SPC Don Wynn
SPC Don Wynn
>1 y
Right on Top!! I kept wondering the same thing. But, I have interjected with this also; why did the E-Nothing even think this was acceptable? To me, there is equal punishment needed - obviously the dumbass 'civilian', but the E-5 for having allowed this type of attitude to exist within his unit to begin with! And I saw some comments that seemed to indicate a trip to Top's office as a matter of course. Not when I was in! A trip to Top's office was a death sentence, as far as we kiddy soldiers were concerned!
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MSG Karl Arrington
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Going off the information in the question no more, no less. Once an PV2 says "shove it" to an NCO, it's game on. I would tell him that he's about to become the newest PV1 in the Army unless he shuts up and completes his assignment. Everyone has details they don't want to do. Privates are going to complain, I did my share when I was one but understood the chain of command. There is no way a private should be saying anything close to "shove it" to a leader.
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Sgt Wayne Wood
10
10
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Can you take 'em? Informal counseling... can't? Art. 15
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Sgt Wayne Wood
Sgt Wayne Wood
>1 y
Yeah... for the other answer...informal counseling has always been officially discouraged ... good Sergeants know the rule "you lie & i'll swear to it" takes care of official misgivings
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SGT Drill Sergeant
SGT (Join to see)
>1 y
SPC Erich Guenther - only pussies let an asshole cpl talk like that to them without an instant attitude adjustment, a punch in the throat should do it
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Sgt Wayne Wood
Sgt Wayne Wood
>1 y
SGT (Join to see) - Don't know rank do ya asswipe? When were you with the 7th?
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CWO3 Us Marine
CWO3 (Join to see)
>1 y
Best answer here and what I've said here all along. Handle at the lowest level. Paper should be last resort. Counselling works best provided it's quick, violent, and decisive. Problem solved. No involvement by Chain of Command taking their time better utilized leading and administering the unit. There's a training opportunity for other leaders also. By letting the immediate leader handle it he can better lead him in the future, and develop his leadership skills. Otherwise you have a lion leading a bunch of lambs, and when the lion is gone who's going to take charge? Ain't no fun unless we all get some and fire team leaders need to eat too.
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