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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SSG Squad Leader
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I’d chew him out in front of the formation, and inform him to come see me after formation to sign a counseling statement. In the old days I would have smoked his ass in front of the entire formation. 3 counselings for the same offense is grounds for separation from Servive .
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SGT Motor Transport Operator
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Those were the good old days when we had wall to wall counseling, unfortunately this is a kinder more gentler Army where the chain of command means very little.
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SFC Steven Miller
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I would make a correction to his military bearing right on the spot in front of his peers and then frim up his role in the squad/platoon scope and tasks.
Then follow up with a one on one later that day.
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SSG Derrick Iozzio
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I do not condone the "hands-on" counselling, but when I enlisted being disrespectful was a sure way to receive that counselling. I have sort of seen the end results of those foolish enough to do so. I do not know if people have changed or the military has- but questioning orders and being disrespectful seems to be the norm- there have been quite a few posts about this. When a person enlists, they should know or be made aware that they are to follow orders and practice military discipline which includes respect for those who outrank you. In the question posed above, I would use the praise in public, punish in private approach if the situation warrants it. Sometimes a quick on the spot correction is warranted.
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SGT Motor Transport Operator
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Well in respect to Army Discipline, I would have him fall out to the rear of the formation; bring him Parade Rest and have him stand in that position until the end of formation. then have him go to his designated work place and have him sign a Counseling Statement for disrespect and place it in his company personnel folder. He is on his way to an Article 15.
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MSG Danny Mathers
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Easy answer, take the E-2 aside away from the group. Give him a lawful order and if he still refused, present him to the chain of command and recommend UCMJ.
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Sgt Edward Kaufman
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The reasons for carrying out orders & doing your job should have been drilled in at basic along with the consequences of insubordination. The entire reason for training in the armed forces is so that the entire team does their job under the stress of combat, not doing YOUR job can & DOES get everyone killed. This "Deuce" was not weeded out already ??!!! It's now on YOU to lance this boil .
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PO3 Gorge Kleine
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It is clear that PFC is testing the waters. To overreact would make me seem hot headed or insecure. This is the perfect opportunity to show "shitbird" and the entire company that I am neither.
This is when a dead on confrontation needs to be avoided. I would agree that he might not like to follow orders and do the assigned task and give him a simple choice. 1. do the assignment or 2. Explain to the C.O. why he feels he is above following direct orders.
Then address the rest of the company explaining my expectations as a leader and the consequences of failure to follow reasonable orders.
Then explain that as a team they have responsibilities to each other. If and when there is such a repeat it will be the entire group that gets "team building" experience.
I have always found that peer pressure is more effective than command process.
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CW4 Craig Urban
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Never had that happen to me. I would have members of the squad give him a GI shower.
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Give him/her a bad day. A work detail should seem like a 4-day weekend when you're done with your corrective training. Have a fellow NCO around as a witness in case of a complaint. The story will spread. The SM's peers will not have much sympathy for him/her.

Personally, I likely would not have calmly done anything: violence of action works just as well with joe as it does the enemy. Of course, I wasn't there.

Good luck with your SM.
PO3 Phyllis Maynard
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LTJG (Join to see) this is a great post. But I am going to sit this one out. There are also some really great responses and perspectives.
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