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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CPT George Blakey
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Time for behind the barracks drill!
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SSG Brian Carpenter
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Holy bats@#t Batman...let's just say that even if they had only been under my command for a few days they would already know that this was a quick surefire way to be on a fast rope to hate life ville. I believed in one thing more than anything else as a leader and as a soldier. Obedience to all orders unless they were illegal or put someone in unacceptable danger during peacetime. ALL my soldiers as well as all the soldiers within my unit knew this to be true so for one of my own to disobey would probably get a few exasperating remarks from all different ranks in my Platoon
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CWO4 Tim Hecht
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First of Chief (OC) George Martin how would you handle it? Second, I would hope that a senior E5 in any service would instinctively know exactly how to handle it!

After I relate what it was like on my first ship in the Navy I’ll tell you what I would have done.

Assigned to the Deck Force on my first ship, the USS SPERRY (AS12) a WWII Sub Tender, we had a daily routine. We were up 30 minutes before reveille on the wooden weather decks sweeping and swabbing. If it didn’t meet the Division LPO (a BM1/E6) we did it again, sweep and swab, no complaining allowed. The Deck Department had a Torpedoman 3rd Class (TM3/E4) who was the Department “Enforcer”. He was, as nicknames in the service go, called Tiny. At 6’5” and 245# he was anything but Tiny. If you were sent down to get a tool from Tiny you came back with the tool. If you not up to snuff the BM2 or BM1 would say “Go see Tiny” a not pleasant trip you’d have. I don’t know anyone getting sent to see Tiny the second time!

You can not do that today; although if his peers suffered along with him, like liberty delayed and his squad mates knew why they were working 2 extra hours it wouldn’t take long before the peer pressure would probably set him straight. It’s an excellent way to build teamwork. I can honestly say in my 30 years I’ve only had one person push me close to the limit. I didn’t take it to kindly when a E5 was claiming to all who would listen that he could do my job better then I. Unfortunately when you’re a CWO4 on your twilight tour of duty and on a 270’ long cutter the word gets back to you in a hurry! He ended up appealing the semi-annual evaluations I gave him; and I was asked by the XO (my boss) if I would change a couple of them instead of having it go to the CO…I did; but point made.
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PO1 Kevin Dougherty
PO1 Kevin Dougherty
>1 y
Yea that stuff definitely got around fast in the CG. Units were/are way too small for it not to. As the electronics LPO, I had an issue with a certain Ensign, the type who give JOs a bad name. He tried to give one of my guys crap for doing what I sent him to do. I went to talk to him and was told that he wanted it done differently. He was mistaken, and refused to answer to me, so I went to the Ops O and let him deal. By the time I got back to 1st class quarters ever PO1 there knew I had had another run in with Mr. U. (Yes it wasn't the first, nor was I the first to have such an encounter. The fact that Mr. B -- yes, that was what we all called him. He had a Polish name that no one got right, so he told us just call him Mr.B -- looked up and said "What did he do this time?" Should say something.) I Later heard from a shipmate that he was six and out, never making it past JG.
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SGT Doug Blanchard
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Had a case sinikar to thus when I was stilk a Pv2 while at Benning for jump school. There was another Pv2 in another squad, same platoon though, that mouthed off to one of tge Jump Masters before a training jump. That night Pv2 Dipshit was the proud receiver of an old fashioned "blanket party" Pv2 Shitbird went crying to the Top about what happened, He was unable to identify who the responsible partues were though. Somehow the Jump Master did manage ti figure out who the culprits were though. He calked us to the side that afternoon after trainibg and thanked us for straightening Pv2 Dipshit out though, with a warning to never do it again. Pv2 Dipshit straightened his act out and gradyated 3rd in our class from jump school. I ran into him again a few years later when I was at Bragg for a joint training exercise. He was in medical hold pending a medical discharge where he broke both his legs, his back and one arm during a bad jump.
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LCpl Kevin O'Maley
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In a manner that would change his attitude and life!! Semper Fi! 68-71
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MCPO Jim Weatherford
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Normally I was always taught to praise in public and chastise in private however, in this case when you are blatantly disrespected in front of your squad you need to squash it right there with everyone listening. This sends the message to all hands that you are in charge and here's what the consequences are if you want to challenge me. Leave no room for interpretation.
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Military Family
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Shove it? Smdh. Wtf is wrong with kids these days?
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SSG Peter Kriz
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Low crawl through the mud pit, than roll over and do flutter kicks... till I’m tired!
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SGT James Grimball
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If he told me to shove it I would shove my fist in his goddam mouth.
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CPO Christian Simonsen
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My Company Commander hit me square in the chest and knocked the wind out of me for replying to his question with "yeah", instead of "Yes, Sir."
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SSG Adrian Walker
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Murder him, simply murder him. No muss no fuss.
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MSG Eddie Robinson
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As an E6 reserve going on temporary duty in an active unit, i assigned tasks for the day and had that smart mouthed E3 stand fast. Then had a soldier to soldier talk with him. Next day the PT test came about and he knew he was screwed!.
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MAJ Ralph Barnes
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As an NCO and then as an Officer I made my policy public knowledge. "If you challenge me or dis respect me in public, I will rip your face off in public" Not the best policy but very effective.
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COL Hugh Stirts
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Pull him out of formation and turn him over to my CSM
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COL William Oseles
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Key Part of Example: 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.

Summary of the Elements of Article 91: The government may accuse you under article 91 for striking, disobeying or using contemptuous language or disrespect toward a warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer of the U.S. armed forces.

At a minimum Counseling, but could just refer to Article 15. Given the gist of the example probably start with a Summarized if the soldier is salvageable or a Company Grade.
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CWO3 Robert Fong
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You immediately lock everyone's heels. Have Seaman Nobody fall out and place him at the front of the crew facing them. Tell the crew Seaman Nobody believes he is better than the rest of the crew and he will be given two choices. Tell Seaman Nobody that if he fails to accept the assignment he will go on report and face Mast. I'd dismiss the crew to their assignments. Now Seaman Nobody has a choice; 1) report to his assignment or 2) Place him on report. The OinC would give him two choices 1) accept Mast (fine, EMI, restriction) or 2) Go on report to the CO, which could result in a Courts Martial. If he accepts number 1 the crew sees that he has given in and is doing what he is ordered to do. If on the other hand he chooses 2 he goes on report and the crew will know it. Either way you stop the infection. Now if he chooses 1 at Mast the crew sees the punishment for being a wise ass, and if he chooses 2 at Mast the crew knows he's doing time in the Brig.
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SSG Bill McCoy
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Edited >1 y ago
WOW! First, finish giving assignments and have the PV2 (or SA?) stand fast! Then counsel him on what a Lawful Order is and ascertain if he has any questions. Do it firmly, but calmly. If he gives you ANY crap, take him to the Orderly Room and have him sit while you confer with your supervisor with the intent of (at least) issuing a WRITTEN Counselling Statement. The statement needs to address his insubordination, overall attitude and disrespect.
Any problems after that, he's toast. It is crucially important to keep your cool - firm, but level headed and fair. I called it, "Giving him rope enough to hang himself;" but with the hope that he wakes up to the fact that he's subject to discipline if he continues his stupidity.
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SFC Charles Woods
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I once had a company commander,who,when I first reported to him as part of my newbie welcome,Returned my salute with the following remark,My name is XXX , I am a Capt in the United States Army,I maketh and I taketh away.The first one is on me all the rest are on you.Do you have any Questions PVT. I learned that using that system was a pretty good way to get the job done.A good leader simply must be aware of what the people under him are going through.And if the person is simply being an axxhole then make an example of him/her. Even if there problems at home,get the offender the help they need but make that the offence is corrected.At least,thats the way I see it.
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PO2 Jeffery Reiser
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Pull him/her asside after formation and counsel them and start a paper trail for futer disciplinary purposes...
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SPC Rikk Hillicoss
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PT until total muscle failure. He’ll learn quickly.
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