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 9 y ago
Responses: 3697
I talk back to my drill SGT in 76 at age 17. Well you can guess where that went. i got body slammed and i never did that again
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GySgt Pepper gave a text book answer. He is an example of a true leader. I would like to add that in this day in age there are some who would take the Gunny's offer of leaving the military. I have seen soldiers who have spent their time as a permanent private until they were QMP'd. There are those who refuse to comply to anything. My nephew has spent most of his adult life behind bars. His record is three months out on parole before going back in. Some of these young soldiers just need some corrective action, but there are those who will pee on the electric fence every day just out of spite!
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Immediate obedience, that is not the time or place for any sort of insubordination. It is correct, dismiss the detail and have him and his team leader stand fast. Ensure there was no misunderstanding of the instructions. Then you order the team leader to ensure the assignment is accomplished and escort the offender back to you, THAT is when you find out what caused the breakdown, and work to correct it from there.
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E-2 is not a Private First Class he is a private and if given a second chance he does not change his attitude he becomes a Private E-1!
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In my day,1983 -1995 , we would have" discussed" this sa in the privacy of the bosn's locker and then he would have gone and completed the task that I assigned to him.
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*sorry for the misspellings, etc. My current youngest was trying to grab my phone...lol. He's 10 months....
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Had this happen in real life.....granted I was not an E5...but and E4. I worked as a 92G stationed in Ft Hood, we had two units working in our DFAC. Ours (3rd ACR, Now 3rd CR), and 36th Engineer Brigade. we were getting new cooks coming in fresh from their AIT training, after we (my unit) had gotten back from Iraq.
One of the sargents came up and had me to tell a private to go and mop by one of the our walkins, since he was just standing there doing nothing. She was from their unit. She, herself, was busy, and I was just slicing up desserts- easy task to do since I was pregnant. I do so and he went straight to giving me lip, telling me to do it myself. I informed him, calmly, that SGT wanted you to go and do it so to stay busy, instead of standing there looking lost. Gives me lip again, sizing me up, cause he was taller than me. Deep down, I really wanted to hit him since he felt froggish....but instead I went back to the Sargant and gave her the run down. In the end she had him in front eaning rest, had him mop, and later had him placed in the motor pool with the other cooks we had organizing the conexes. -We had a lot to go through in inventory to make sure everything made it back-
One of the sargents came up and had me to tell a private to go and mop by one of the our walkins, since he was just standing there doing nothing. She was from their unit. She, herself, was busy, and I was just slicing up desserts- easy task to do since I was pregnant. I do so and he went straight to giving me lip, telling me to do it myself. I informed him, calmly, that SGT wanted you to go and do it so to stay busy, instead of standing there looking lost. Gives me lip again, sizing me up, cause he was taller than me. Deep down, I really wanted to hit him since he felt froggish....but instead I went back to the Sargant and gave her the run down. In the end she had him in front eaning rest, had him mop, and later had him placed in the motor pool with the other cooks we had organizing the conexes. -We had a lot to go through in inventory to make sure everything made it back-
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I believe the best answer is only two words, "Command Presence." After a break in service I re-enlisted as an E2 in 1962 (it’s a long story). I had to take Basic Training training all over again. The basic company I was assigned to was short a Platoon Sergeant (in today's Amy a DI) the CO asked me to fill that vacancy. There were two other prior service members in the company, they were both PFCs. I said, "If that is your desire, I’ll take the position." He said, we've already cut two sets of orders. One promoting you to PFC and other making you a full acting Staff Sergeant. I knew that meat sewing on the stripes. I asked the CO why I was chosen? He said, "You have that thing called Command Presence. The men recognize it and will follow you because you have it. and all of the NCOs agree.
Here's a good article on "Command Presence." ... https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/NCO-Journal/Archives/2018/January/Military-Bearing/
Here's a good article on "Command Presence." ... https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/NCO-Journal/Archives/2018/January/Military-Bearing/

Military Bearing - Projecting Confidence and a Command Presence
Military bearing is conducting oneself in a professional manner to bring credit upon oneself and the Army at all times. It is the ability to project confidence, a commanding presence and to uphold Army standards.
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Dismiss the rest of the squad but the PFC, and squad leader. Have Squad leader Retrain the soldier in his duties, and actions as a Soldier in front of Superior NCO'S, and Officers. If all else fails give him the PIT for 3 hrs a day for a week to start. If he still has the same issue take it to the next step. DISIPLINE extra duty, restriction to base..
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In my first platoon any amount of back talk like that would get said shitbag jumped by all the team leaders in his squad. If it continued then it turned into a haze fest from the squad leaders followed by an ass beating by the entire platoon in the MCMAP pit.
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First find out what's in his head. If catastrophic issues send for mental health counseling. If attitude, immaturity, have him at attention, and the rest of the formation do a couple hundred push-ups on his behalf. If this is ongoing recommend to board him out
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I would have Pvt/Amn Dipstick stand fast after the formation was dismissed. Now we would proceed to the First Sgt's office, where I would present my case against Mr. Funny mouth and make the suggestion on Mr. Funnymouth be on extra duty for a couple of months. Say as grease trap cleaner, before and after all meals. Then cutting grass with sissors for several weekends. Or I would just take him down to the gym one afternoon and kick his ass.
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Start with some remedial PT and restriction...if that doesn't work, an Art 15 might cure the no time in the Army punk's problem!
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Basically you verbally fuck him/her up in front of peers and then lean on them HARD
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This is exactly why I got out. A long, long time ago. Right after Vietnam, it was not the military I grew up with as my father served his long career. Saw an E-4 tell a Captain that he was not going to the field for training. He eventually got out of the Army, which is what he wanted anyway I suspect. Enjoyed my time and many times I have regretted not continuing that part of my life but as they say, hindsight in the best sight.
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Tells me to "shove it"? That E2 would be counseled on the importance of discipline within the ranks, my expectations for my team members. The E2 would be briefed on the task, condition, and standard and then directed to ensure the task is completed within standards, failure to meet the standards would result in additional tasks that some may considered "punitive" in nature. Any future transgressions of the UCMJ will be met with aggressive intervention by unit NCO's to ensure that the E2 fully understands their place in the food chain.
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Lol, that Private and i would continue our discussion from the front leaning rest position, both of us . Pushups are a great training tool when used properly
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Pfc Asswipe will be immediately told in front of the everyone that he is now Pvt Asswipe. He will stand tall before the man. Insubordination must be nipped in the bud then and there. That backtalk will destroy the discipline and effectiveness of the unit.
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