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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PO1 Stephen Oxborrow
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Remove the E2 from formation. Tell him to remain and dismiss the formation as if nothing has happened. After explain the consequences of his actions. Appropriately discipline if necessary.
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PV2 Paul Yoder
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Article 15.
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SPC Tim LaFountain
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It's a fine line to walk, if you strike him you could get in trouble for it. But you have to do something or you lose that sense of authority that you have with the rest of the platoon, he either does the task or Article 15 him for insubordination.
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PO1 Dallas Shewmaker
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I'm of the same schooling that you praise in public, reprimand in private. I had this happen before and this is how I dealt with it:

Morning Muster/Formation - In Port. I was delegating work for the day and about half way through Seaman S. Bhag is given his duty and doesn't like it. So he spouts off about his discontent. I tried to silence him initially but he refused to save the discussion. I gave a direct order to be quiet and retracted my assignment.

SN S. Bhag was feeling a bit victorious as I reassigned the work to somebody else. I then went on to assign other work to others and saved the worst of the jobs for last. You can guess who I assigned that job to. When everyone was released, he was the last to break from formation.

When everyone had moved into the workspaces, I paid a visit to check up on my people. The unruly Seaman was dredging along but working. That's when I decided for some undocumented "Extra Military Instruction." He complained about getting the crappy job but I explained that if he had kept his mouth shut in formation, he would have had the less crappy of jobs. I concluded with declaring that the next time that he has a concern about his work, he bring it up directly to me after the formation and no sooner. Failure to comply with this would result in disciplinary action.

Did this change the attitude of SN S. Bhag? No. He was just a bad seed overall.
I will say that he never challenged my authority in formation again, though!
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Matthew French
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Considering I am a civilian and have know leader skills or any act in the military i'm not sure. If I was a drill instructor and someone smart mouthed me I would most likely do the same. It doesn't matter if you are a civilian or a E2, never backtalk anyone that is at a higher standpoint than yourself. Its not only a sign of respect, its a act of obedience. You're set out to do a job in the military that you signed up for. No matter the situation.
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SSG (Non-Rated)
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I would counsel, then punish. Then carry on.
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SGT Michael Hatcher
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1 Question. WTF do they do in basic ??? What happen to the REAL ARMY. Are these the problems the "NEW ARMY" HAS ? WoW
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SFC Donald York
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I carried myself pretty damn well and never had to worry about that. Had it ever happened, the Top Sergeant would be taking away some money from him/her, and the soldier would go back to E-1 and be doing some extra kp.
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SSG Corey Schmidt
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Push ups, until I am tired , then a blanket party
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SPC Gary Pulis
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In my day Sarg would have given an impromptu hand to hand demonstration.
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