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

After work starts immediately take the soldier to the office and write Him/Her up for disrespect to a NCO and a warning of the actions that can be taken and let them know this is the one and only warning. Next he will have to see the chain of command.

You tell the E2 this is a command not a request. Unlike civilian life if he does not comply and continues to treat you with disrespect he will be in subordination and he will suffer the consequences for his actions. Ask him does he really want this to occur? Do his job and be quiet when doing it be a role model not an example of what happens to those who fail to obey orders.

give them an article 15

Reward in PUBLIC; Discipline in PRIVATE!
Within 24-72 hours of being assign to my platoon, that new SOLDIER will receive their initial counseling laying out the duties, responsibilities, unit mission and expectations. I had only 3 rules: 1. Do as you're told; 2. Do as you're told and 3. Do as you're told. If you do that, you shouldn't have any problems with me. I'm not going to ask a SOLDIER to do anything that's illegal, unethical and immoral. Before the counseling session ends, the SOLDIER will have an opportunity to voice any concerns and misunderstanding. So when a situation pop up like this, the SOLDIER know the consequences.

All sailors respond to their time and money being threatened. I can't take your money, but if you waste my time, you better believe you are paying it back in kind, even if it means I need to be a martyr. Normally I will talk to the individual one-on-one after quarters but if it is a continued behavior--which seems to be a trend with younger sailors unfortunately--the whole division gets lit up. One team, one fight. Most good sailors don't like getting punished for someone else's mistakes so they start correcting each other before it ever gets to my eyes/ears.

I don't know if they still have a place called CC or Corrective Custody, but you do not want to be sent there.
I would have his entire squad stand fast and send the rest to their work details.
I would reiterate how we rely on teamwork to get our jobs done. I would explain how a chain is as strong as its weakest link.
I would tell them we have a weak link in our squad. I cant have that in our squad, company or the Marine Corps. It's shitbirds like him that will get us killed.
I would tell the entire squad, that there is no liberty until this weak link is fixed. When you think you have it fixed, you come tell me that it's fixed. Then and only then, you can all go.
Have private shit bird doesn't straighten up, I'll do my best to get them sent to CC for a while. I guarantee he will come back a changed man.

Dismiss the platoon and have the E-2 stand fast along with his NCO/Team Leader whoever is next in this turd's chain of command. Ensure that this NCO/Team Leader fully understands what he expects from junior leaders who have others in their wing who under their guidance. Zero tolerance for disobeying a lawful order and that if it occurs again the E2 will pay the piper and understands if he doesn't like the military that his/her disobedience to appropriate and lawful orders is a quick way to leave it with BCD, Dishonorable Discharge. With that paper comes the loss of educational benefits and others (VA loans to buy a house) just to name a few. Also to this E2's immediate superior that perhaps he/she needs to rethink their leadership skills in dealing with this E2 and that you are always their for guidance. Don't give on the guy, but also don't let him buck appropriate authority either. This E2 is not there just to collect a paycheck on the duties he wants to fulfill.

I would simply ask said individual the following question: "Think about what you are going to say before you respond. Are you refusing to follow a lawful order?" If said individual says 'yes' then I simply write him up and send his/her sorry butt to Captains Mast for insubordination and failure to follow a lawful order. End of story and with no need to get upset. If said individual replies 'no' and complies with the order. No problem, after the task is satisfactorily completed I then would council him/her so that the incident is documented for appraisal purposes and to also inform the division officer of the incident. Either way the individual will get corrective action and will understand that that kind of behavior will not be tolerated for one instant. If it ever occurs again there would be no second chance...write him/her up. Discipline at sea is a must. Lives are at stake 24 hrs. a day. Sailors must learn to follow orders, like it or not. The Navy doesn't want someone to blindly follow orders either. If the individual deems the order unsafe or unlawful they should then request to talk to the division officer for clarification.

I was an NCO for 18 of my 21 years in the service. I always followed the "praise in public, criticize in private" rule. While there is a need to assert my authority, it never went any further than saying loudly enough for those in the immediate area to hear, "I'll see you in my office as soon as you are dismissed here."

Out comes the knife hand while I explain assertively that they will in fact perform the task.
If that is ineffective, I will have a new E-1 in my squad.

Let him know it's not up for discussion, dismiss the platoon to a subordinate leader and deal with the situation immediately. I would have him complete the task, then make him clean our facility, toilets, conduct a thorough police call of the area, give him a lawn mower and have him cut the already freshly cut grass all day. After he's done he will come see me for a counseling at 1700. He will stand by for an hour as I type the counseling and catch up on some emails. I will let him know that he's not to ever challenge me, ever, and doing so will land him a recommendation for UCMJ and extra duty. He will have a loooong day, and a long week to think about what he did.

It didn't fxxxxxg happen in my Army!

CSM Hayden, retired 7NOV1981

I'm reading some of your posts thinking, this is what's wrong with the military today. Praise publicly admonish privately? HORSE SHIT! Insubordination requires an immediate example to be made!

Old corps. I'd knock him out right there on the spot. Transition corps. I'd write him up and take his stripe. New corps. I'd apologize for hurting his feelings and tell him to go to his safe space. I'd then find someone else to do the work he doesn't want to do.

You DO know I'm kidding right? Best answer I've seen comes from a fellow Marine. @CPL(P) Shaun Smith MBA, PhD Student (https://www.rallypoint.com/profiles/737480-15t-uh-60-helicopter-repairer) knocked it out of the park.

Time for a positive teaching moment. Nothing personal, Private, but you now enter the realm of enhanced attitude improvement. Assign someone to supervise his attitude adjustment activities. Not UCMJ stuff, just supervised visits to a brig, observation of work details, and other alternative demonstrations of what he could face if he continues his path of self-destruction.

Had an A1C almost throw an instrument at me. We had a slow day as our planes were on weather delay. We had an instrument sitting on our launch and recovery truck waiting to be placed back on a plane. I called job control and asked if there was any reason why we couldn't put it back in the plane to save it from possibly being broken rolling around on the shelf. I was clearly told, in front of the whole crew on the truck at the time, that it could be replaced. I was an E5 and gave the task to this E3. He bitched, moaned and complained the whole time he was getting the tools and took off for the plane. He came back to the truck about 10 minutes later cussing and cursing. He raised the part and aimed it right at my head and screamed, "You stupid bitch, it has open fuel tanks and I can't put it in. You are such a stupid idiot sending me on a job that can't be done." He added a few other choice words before deciding throwing the part at my head probably wasn't a good idea. I told the driver to take us to the shack immediately. I marched the young airman to the NCOIC's office and told him to tell him what just happened. He gave "his" version than I told him the real version. He called in other people from the truck and asked them the story. He also called job control to verify that I did get clearance to work the plane. At the end of the day, the young man was lucky he didn't get an article 15 for several reasons including threatening an NCO with a "weapon". He got an LOR and 3 months of all the nasty chores available around the shack from cleaning both bathrooms to all the mopping, sweeping, FOD walks several times a day in all weather (was in England). He also had to apologize to me in front of everyone for all 3 shifts. Oh, this was in the early 80's and I was one of only 3 or 4 female NCO's in our section working avionics. I did have a private talk with said A1C on my own as well. I think he, and many other's as well, got the message.

When I was a PL, that happened once or twice. I would just look at my PSG, he'd nod, and I'd watch the smoke. It was rare though. I had an amazing PSG who didn't let shit slide. We were a great team.

I had an E8 come into my room to tell me that he had just volunteered me to move tables for the Chaplin. I had just worked over 60 hours in the previous three days, and had only been back at the barracks for about 15 minutes. He didn't like my answer. My work involved precision timing and working with high voltage. I averaged 140 hours per 14 day cycle. There were four others who could have done the job, but he was trying to provoke me into a fight, to Court Martial me. I refused to take his bait. I was an Engineer, not a lackey.

I was so exhausted that I was shaking as I told him that I wanted to speak to the Inspector General. He moved those tables. By the time the dust settled, he came close to being reduced to an E1, while the commanding General put my SP4 pins on me. This wasn't long after I was pulled out of bed after another three day shift to fight a forest fire, while sleep deprived.

It is one thing not to want to take an assignment that you don't like. It is another thing to refuse to be abused. That last year of active duty pretty much destroyed my heath, but no one gave a damn. It was at the Army's Cold Weather Research Center in Alaska, in the early to mid '70s.

I like some to all of the comments below. I especially like the ones of having this individual stand fast with his team leader and get the TL involved. However, sense the NCO cannot commence the laying on of hands any more in the military; I would suggest no matter what is discovered for the attitude problem, a counseling statement must be completed and filed on this individual. Another thought if you have not got the First Sergeant involved yet is the Platoon leader needs to write him a counseling statement also. I have spent way to much time watch NCO's try and rehabilitate Mr. Attitude when he really needs to be a civilian. He is part of the 10%. Plus don't you NCO have something called the self defense pit. Sounds like training time to me. If the attitude continues get rid of him and move on.
Bill Murray LTC (Retired)

What do you call an E-2 that gets reduced in rank by an Article-15? An E-1!!!! Correct!! Simple as that! Anything less than that means the E-5 is not worthy of his/her stripes! A second offense would be forfeiture of pay and confinement to company area! A third offense he goes to PFC "Poor Frickin Civilian" Ha! God Bless our Veterans! - Top