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

Make him an E-1

Wow! This question popped up, even dated from almost a year ago, with over 2,900 comments!

But I'll give it my answer anyway, buried though it may be.

The answer is to set the individual up and separate him from his peers prior to taking any action.

First of all, you are not alone...you're part of a command structure and you have people of power and authority above you (and him). USE THAT!

The way to use that is to communicate with your immediate superior(s) about the problem you're having; and when you do, take the time to discuss your proposed plan of action. This keeps them in the loop, let's them know that YOU have a plan, and gives them an opportunity to advise you/work with you on the resolution. This is important, because if YOU are the one who is in charge of this group of people, then you want it known that YOU are the one who wants to get this under control because YOU are in charge.

I look at it this way...when I was an E-5/E-6, I ran my work group/division the way I saw fit, taking care of the work AND my people. When I needed the power of "The Anchor", I quite literally went to my Chief with the problem, my proposed solution, and essentially "assigned" him the task I needed his anchors to resolve. ("Assign"...meaning in an appropriately diplomatic way. But it leaves it clear WHO is running the division. (Me.)) Of course, my Chief may have other views or advice, but that was between me and him and NOT the rest of my division. In front of the division, we're united.

So the "set up" is discussing with your immediate superiors what the problem is, your resolution, and getting their full support on how you plan to resolve this THROUGH their support.

The "separation" part means exactly that...take him away from his audience. Guys like this are looking to make an *ss out of you in front of others for their entertainment and to undercut your authority. If you cannot control him in front of them, you lose. Therefore, do not give him the opportunity to undercut you in front of anybody. This effectively kneecaps him in front of his peers.

You can separate him from the rest by either calling him out personally through some directive (like to an office or such) or by dismissing the rest of the troops. Calling him out gives him an opportunity to defy you in front of others. Dismissing the rest gives him less of an opportunity, but he may still defy you by leaving as well. So plan for this as part of your setup. YOU have to be the one in control.

You can exert your control/authority in the separation process by being appropriately backed up by your superiors. This can be done any number of ways. You can inform him that "The Chief" is waiting for him to report to his office and then dismiss him to do so. This is an authority coming from you that he cannot ignore without consequence. You can have "The Chief" present when you separate him or dismiss the others. This, also, is an authority he cannot flaunt in your presence without consequence.

Once he's separated and in front of you AND your Chief, THEN the process of yanking a knot in his scrote can begin.

This undercuts his attempts, lets the rest of the division know YOU'RE the one taking action, and brings power to bear that he cannot ignore out of sight of the rest of the division (even though they know what's happening), and lets this guy know YOU are the one bringing this power to bear against him.

WHATEVER YOU DO...you cannot afford to lose control with him or around him...this means both your temper AND your authority over him. Part of leadership is realizing you're not alone and that there are others who can help...learn to use this.

This didn't happen in the US ARMY I was in!

Nip it quickly in the bud! Insubordination must not be allowed to rear it's ugly head. Clearly some smoking in place right then is needed. Following a lawful order must be carried out.

I retired in 1982. I went in 1957.I know the military is not the same as then. In57 there were still alot of WWII and Korean guys in. As a young airman I mouthed off to a second class petty officer and was overheard by the shop Chief. He came out of his office and took me out behind the quonset hut and grabbed me , threw me up against the wall and chewed me out , scared me to death. I learned to be respectful that day and it stayed with me the rest of my 23 years.

Is it still legal to throw a blanket party?

Can't really respond to this...during my time, conversations were 'one way' with bust, brig / corrections, and boot out as back ups.....the 'social experiments' within our military of today would have been a very early end to my career.

I was a submarine qualified Second Class Petty Officer (E5) and handing out after dinner cleaning assignments on an inport duty night when a unqualified E4 complained about his assignment. He then tried to pull "it's a black" thing, when I pointed to my arm and said no "it a rank" thing. The nonqual did eventually spend 5 minutes emptying the trash which was his assignment (all 3 trash cans). The next morning I approached a black chief we had onboard and explained the insubordination and the race issue. He responded he would take care of it of the race issue as I had already dealt with the failure to clean. Never had an issue again and the sailor was eventually shit canned from subs because of attitude.

I retired in 1986.....Went to Nam twice...This was an unheard of situation in the military at that time. However faced with the situation I would be toe to toe with the individual about two inches from his face and dare him to touch me so I could Court Martial his ass after I decked him.

As a Vietnam Veteran I know that when an E-5 gives you an order you do it, not only because he said so but he knows what he is doing. If it were not for the training that every NCO gets our armed services would be in bad shape. As for this E-2 he should be given a Article-15 for disobeying a direct order. The E-5 superior rank was questioned by an E-2 and that should never happen, when you go into the Armed Forces you be come part of a team and that E-5 leads that team so to question him or not follow his orders could mean your coming back home from a Hostile conflict.