How would you react to an E2 who "smart mouths" you in formation?

I saw this in the early 70s in the SeaBees with p.c. and affirmative action and from the point of view the seamen doing the grunt work it was total bs . They got away with murder and nothing happened to them and since they couldn't be trusted to do anything important the rest of us had to pick up the slack . The military is not a social justice workshop and the slackers should have been stomped on hard right from the beginning . That's one of the reasons I didn't ship over

I remind them that it's not only my responsibility, but my privilege to make their lives a living hell, if they continue to disrespect my authority.

I am old school, my initial instinct would be to deck the maggot and send him to the brig for insubordination. Regardless, this puke disobeyed a lawful and should be brought up on charges, preferably discharged for his actions.

Throat chop

Counseling chit and possible EMI. If it continues NJP the process them out.

Personally i would make him the object of attention. I will not wall to wall counsel him in front of others but I will make sure he understands his place in the food chain and he will have crap duties for quite a while.

After I removed my foot from his ass, I let the chain of command have him.( I being his L/CPL (E-3 for you non-Marines) would then let the Corporal have him before the Sergeant would get his turn)

I am a U.S. Navy Vietnam Veteran PO 3 and in my day 1964-1968 the little shit bird wouldn't be able to back talk me or my mates because his jaw would have been broken. Then as now there wasn't and shouldn't be any tolerance for that kind of bullshit. In any situation emergency or combat there is no excuse for disobeying any order, or you may find yourself overboard in the middle of the night in someplace like the South China Sea or if you a Marine and part of a rifle squad in combat you might get shot from behind by an M-16, not that either ever happened, just saying.

Peer pressure works also. Don't release anyone until everything's complete. And have him pull watch over his battles while they are doing the work. Won't take long for him to get the point. Write nice little counseling that you read to him after everyone else has left. If that don't work light that but on fire in front of his peers while keeping your bearing. Write that counseling. And in no time at all he/she will get the point or a chapter

I take it digging a fighting hole with an MRE spoon is frowned upon these days?