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

I just have to laugh, he could disagree, with me but he will do what I ask of him, unless I am asking him to kill himself or someone else, he has no other way to go. Do what I ask and we be OK, disrespect me and you will be in trouble. There is no need to ask someone else to do what you was told, specially if I told you in front of the other subordinates and you have lost it when you tell me to give it to someone else. Wrong answer.

punish everyone else in his platoon for E2 disobedience, and remind the rest of the platoon to thank the E2,he is going to have to sleep with one eye open.

I would probably say, son you would rather piss in your mommas cornbread than piss me off! Now drop and do push ups until your arms fall off or you will be getting a article 15 so fast that your head will be spinning

Office Hours and some paperwork!!!!

We have a lot of Officers on here. Paperwork is a way to start an end to a career. This is a person we have not yet figured out how to mentor. I had a similar experience. We were in Afghanistan doing base communications. We were doing our evening changeover and a Lance Corporal from another section said, "Fucking Sergeant Momsen." At least that is what I heard. I got with the Sgt in charge of his section and we discussed my plan. Together we handed him a copy of article 91 and let him read it. I gave him a counseling and that was the end of that. I had no further problems for the remainder of the deployment.

Here s a suggestion for a situation like this, but you have to be prepared. Ignore the taunt. Call everyone to attention. Pull out of your pocket a copy of a Medal of Honor citation, and start reading it. My personal favorite at the moment is the one finally awarded artillery officer Alonzo Cushing at the Battle of Gettysburg. Who remained at his post, firing artillery during the height of Pickett s charge, holding his exposed guts in one arm, and continuing to fight with the other. The other person chose to try to humiliate the chain of command in public. In this case, swift and public response is justified. I don't think anyone could win a complaint where the allegation is that you read a medal of honor citation in formation as a way to motivate your troops.

Me....!!!!

Well honestly, I was a fresh E2 but I was at one time also my Platoon Guide. Leading a team is hard sometimes when even only one person wants to be an individual among other names that I won't disclose here. We know what we call them. While the first thought would be to go off on them and punish them hardcore, chances are it's not that they simply want attention or that they have a problem with authority. There are plenty of younger kids these days that lack discipline, because they weren't given it properly. It does sound like off the bat that he's relating the issue to just get attention and show his peers that he doesn't want to listen (class clowning), so you make an example out of him. You give him a little lesson by excluding him from the activity, but make him do it with some hardship. Have him duckwalk to a wall or post nearby, and then force him the into the human chair position until everyone else is done with that task. Once the task is complete, you make an example out of him to show both your authority, and to discipline him. That is when you give him some heat in front of everyone, showing him both integrity, humility, and embarassment. If And you be more persistent than he is. You've got all day to work, even if that means making an example of him. If he keeps on, you discipline him accordingly and at worst give that boy corrective duty to further the humbling experience, and hopefully you won't end up with the paperwork of an article 15. If so, then you do it. This will also show to the rest of them that you aren't messing around. In accordance, this is in absolute agreement with @GySgt Kenneth Pepper. And as with other's responses, you must read into what fellow company you are in as to handle the situation properly. You're a leader, and it's your job. Be a leader. As a drill Sgt., your job is to break them down to build them up to proper standards. Without the first step though, often times it's impossible to mold someone accordingly if you don't show pride in your own "work".

Fan room counseling.

Fan room counseling.