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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Maj Scott S.
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Been there done that. Give them a nastier task (clean the latrines) and remind them of their oath to obey the lawful orders of the officers above them.
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SPC Burt Epps
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I see this is a pretty old post. That being said I would have to agree with Gunny Pepper. Knee jerk would be to call Private Snuffy front and center and tune his ass up in front of the formation. I've been a Veteran for about 30 years so I know "wall to wall counseling" is frowned upon in the military now. I will say that it did WORK, though.
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SSgt Hal Kiah
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I was of the mindset of praise publicly, punish privately. I did so several times. Everyone gets dismissed except the E2, and unless I'm his immediate super, then That person stands to as well for a discussion afterwards.
Bringing the E2 aside to find out what's going on for his or her poor reaction to orders is a first point. (Find the problem, Fix the problem, if possible). Then, if it comes to the point of pure insubordination, discipline will be the answer, with emphasis to the E2 that discipline, in ANY situation while in the service is a must and that lawful orders are to be followed as given, as he or she made an oath to do so during enlistment. Anything else could lead to disciplinary actions being taken. In todays military, sometimes "taking him out back to the woodshed" just Might be a necessary step to get the point across.
I would never have chastised in public unless it was a "guns drawn, bullets flying " situation, and then he might be facing an even worse situation.
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MSgt John Geruso
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I would immediately remind him of his responsibilities to carry out legal orders, what the UCMJ IS and give him one, very brief, second to recant. If not, I would initiate Article 15 procedures - he would be an E1 by close of day. Actions have consequences.
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SSG Clayton Lam
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That needs to be ended right then and there. If you don’t then other Soldiers may lose respect for you and try the same thing with you or other leaders. These Soldiers know what they signed up for. If a Soldier disrespects you like that then you need to hold him/her accountable. Everyone has their own leadership style so you can handle it your way but this is what I would do:
1. I would immediately have a one on one counseling session with that Soldier after I assign those Soldiers their tasks and send them on their way. I would have a negative counseling and annotate the incident and let that Soldier know the consequences of his/her actions and that the next time he/she does that, then those consequences will take effect. I would also give them corrective action that takes away some of their time (make sure the corrective action meets the crime).
2. During the counseling I will try to listen to the Soldier and attempt to determine if their is something going on I their life (either personal or professional) that might be putting them in such a bad mood or causing them to have this kind of attitude. I would attempt to help them address the problem and teach them that there are ways to address the problem without reacting in a way that can hurt them or their career.
If they don’t accept the help or if they just don’t care and just want to do what they want then maybe they need to find a new career.
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PV2 Wayne Grinnell
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In my opinion the Sgt holds him after formation and starts with PT followed up by KP or extra duty.... say painting the curb with a toothbrush....Having a father who was an Officer I learned a lot before I ever joined, my dads belt wasn’t a wimpy leather belt it was his pistol belt... I cursed my Sgt’s under my breath but never did I talk back to them. Lessoned learned.
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SFC Antonio Baird
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Immediately quote the article (92)in the UCMJ that he/she is violating and what can be done to them for this violation (Corrective Training, Article 15 or Courts Martial.) If this is their first time showing out like that, I would go with 2 weeks corrective training (observing others servings extra duty, in the same uniform as them, and have him/her present an essay to the entire platoon on the need for good order and discipline.)
When soldiers come to understand that their superiors know more than they do they generally fall in line and even try to learn more themselves. Going straight to Article would demonstrate weakness and an inability to think outside the box. Taking time from Soldiers hurts more than taking money.
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Cpl Bernard Bates
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That wouldn't have happened in my day. If it did, the E-2 would have been so damn tired from work details, they wouldn't do it again. Semper Fi.
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CPO Heidi Cermak
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pull the problem child aside, inform him that this is the us navy, marine corps etc not burger king and we dont have things our own way. Makee sure you have a senior enlisted with you so he cant whine.
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CPO Heidi Cermak
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pull the problem child aside, have a plagtoon leader with you and inform the person is the united states military, not burger king and we dont get things our own way.
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