Posted on Oct 16, 2016
How would you react to an E2 who "smart mouths" you in formation?
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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?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3697
you never disobey a lawful order. If you feel the order singles you out is unfair or whatever you complete it as ordered and then use your chain of command go 1 step over your Sgt to correct the NCO or help you understand. The first requirement of a good leader is knowing how to be a good follower. The answer is to accept no less behavior than as a good troop you would have behaved like. You confirm he knows what is required of him and the proper military way to handle it and then repeat the order and that's it. He gives any grief ask him if he is refusing a direct order. If he says no then ask him to shut up and do it then. If he says yes you write him up on an Article 15. If he goes to do the job but still gives you grief write him up also.
As a new NCO I was taught leadership was a lot like riding a horse. You jump up with a firm grasp of the reins, you can let up the grip as you like. If you don't assert a firm grip the horse can run away from you and you will lose control.
You will be setting an example and letting the other troops know what is expected of them. When lives depend on you in the heat of battle putting up with attitudes will kill you all. Your responsibility is to make sure when its demanded your people obey respond quickly and work as a team. If you approach this any other way you don't deserve your stripes.
As a new NCO I was taught leadership was a lot like riding a horse. You jump up with a firm grasp of the reins, you can let up the grip as you like. If you don't assert a firm grip the horse can run away from you and you will lose control.
You will be setting an example and letting the other troops know what is expected of them. When lives depend on you in the heat of battle putting up with attitudes will kill you all. Your responsibility is to make sure when its demanded your people obey respond quickly and work as a team. If you approach this any other way you don't deserve your stripes.
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SGT Richard Gagne
In response to my first you don't need to be a hardass, get to know your people as individuals and never require of them what you would not do yourself. If someone feels a personal issue go to him off duty talk it out tell him what he does well encourage him.
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Clear the room. Find out whether he is having external issues, be empathetic, but also emphasize his role in taking care of his problem. Stress his responsibilities to the unit mission and his teammates come first. Offer assistance to get him the help he may need and follow-up if necessary. BTW his outburst won't get him out of performing extra duty.
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Similar situation happened to me in Okinawa while stationed over there. I was the COG and this Marine private spouted off to me and told me to F off during formation when I directed him to fall behind the NCO's in formation, without hesitation I took my Kevlar helmet off and smashed his nose with it. My MSgt and LtCol NJP'd him for not following direct orders and told me that is how you garner respect nobody else talked back to me while I was in charge or gave orders!
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Smoke everyone for the next 2 hours and pull him in the office and have him explain himself to me and another NCO. Or if he feels uncomfortable talking with me 2 other NCOs.
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In the words of my DI, back in 79, "I can't make you do anything, I can only make you wish you had done it."
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I must be old. I cannot even imagine this scenario, let alone discuss how it should be handled. I was a paratrooper in the 82nd in early 1980s. This E-2 would have gotten his ass kicked repeatedly by the E-5 and team mates for less than this and it would have never gotten to this extreme point, ever.
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First some pushups then a talk with him and his squad leader , after everyone has left for their assigned tasks do not cuss at him because that will not achieve nothing but more friction between you and him and do nothing but make maters worse
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