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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PO3 Dale Olson
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RU kidding me.... I would make sure that Seaman X would remember that day for the rest of his life.
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CWO4 Carter Owens
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Well...... in today's Military I wouldn't be surprised that would happen. Not at all. My last few years Active Duty we joked in the Wardroom that "We" must adopt to them via "Them" adopting to Us. And only once when I was a W4 a E-9 smarted off to me and I took care of that shit real quick.
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PO3 John Priest
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Edited 5 mo ago
Oh, I was hoping this would be a senior E-5 (though Senior E-4 would equally count...)!

First response would be, "Excuse me?" followed by "Did I hear you correctly, Seaman Apprentice?", followed by "Ok, no problem, Let's go see what Petty Officer First Class/Workcenter Supervisor has to say after we're done here. Perhaps a private chat is in order about your problem with my orders."
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SGM Ronald Russ
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I’m not trying to criticize anyone because everyone has different leadership styles. One technique would be to immediately put that individual into a thinking position…elevated push-ups, mountain climbers, burpees, etc choices are endless. You do this to regain control of the situation, because when he tells you no in front of everyone you have evidently lost control. While he is busy thinking you continue with your information dump. Once complete you release everyone but him then you take him off to the side along with his team leader and explain the consequences of being insubordinate. I have found throughout my career that a good stern corrective talking and some physical coaching goes along ways. If that doesn’t work they sure hate to loose their personal time and money… that requires constant and repetitive counseling. I know things have changed since my time you have to figure out what works best for you. But I can tell you if you wait one minute to correct it you just lost respect of others as well. Good luck. My recommendation nip it in the bud immediately with a swift corrective action. It shows you will not tolerate it. That’s why you talk to him afterwards it shows empathy and understanding.
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CPO Donald Crisp
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Edited 8 mo ago
You are an E-5, senior or not. You are an E-5 speaking to an E-2. If I were you, there would be 2 paths I would take. The first is EMI to get the E-2's attention. The second is placing the E-2 on report for blatent insubordination. There is no way this type of behavior can be tolerated. But there's something else I'd be concerned about. This dirtbag has been in less than a year and he mouths off to his/her E-5.
I'd have to look at the E-5 and their leadership skills and ability as well.
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SFC Wade Adams
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GySgt is right. The old saying goes, reward in public, reprimand in private. However, one of my big faults we’re letting it go at that moment. I’ve been in this situation before and I can tell you that I had an immediate response. There was no way me being a SFC and being talked to by an E-2 like that and I waited until nobody was around .
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SFC Wade Adams
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I have been a squad leader, a platoon sergeant, and a section sergeant. . To me , there’s only one way to handle this, I’m going to rip him/ her a new one. Today’s Army seems to be kinder and gentler,
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SGT Gifford Allaire
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Wall to Wall counseling. That bullshit from an E 2 is completely unacceptable. He is not gonna have that shit fly
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SSG Douglas Shaffer
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Edited 8 mo ago
Like a "Ball of Fire!" first, he would be doing pushup until he moved the base to a more pleasant area. Then there is remedial training/extra training, that can be conducted on off duty time so long as an NCO is present and conducting this in the area of their failure, and you can do this for as many days as you wish. You are allowed to do this under the regulations that gives you the power to do so.
The training has to be with in the area of the infraction. Like out to address a superior and how to conduct the task they are assigned like mopping the hall. Then repeat the training how to address an superior and carry out the task they are assigned. you can repeat this as many times as you wish so long as an NCO you are present, and you are the one conducting the training.
This is what Real NCO's do. You don't hand out recommendations of ART-15s like tickets on the speedway. Your job is to train them in their short comings. When you do this, things in your squad or team start changing, the whole starts to work as a team, you have to train the people you get for these are the same people you're going to go into conflicts with. Plus, your command will have more respect for you. Because you are willing to take your time to train your people. So, I say, "Smoke their ASS!" like you are "The Fire Ball from Holy Hell!"
Remember You are an NCO and NCOs have no off duty time!
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SGT Jim Giffin
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Burpees until they puke and then have them do the task
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SPC Ray Rigsby
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Immediate article 15, and if it happened again, dishonorable discharge! When I served that was the result of disrespecting a superior officer no matter the rank! That kind of nonsense in combat can get people killed!
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SSG Utilities Equipment Repairer
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not in my Army back in the day we done it another way, . he would have some wall to wall counseling , I don't know how they do it these days I got out in 1999. The first time he tells me to shove it I will do that very thing I will shove my foot so far up his ass he will see stars for days.
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SSG Ed Mc
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punch him square in the jaw.
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SGT Lorenzo Nieto
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In my day you would be dead meat,no mercy.now you have to feel for their feelings.you enlisted to defend this country not to cry when things don’t go your way.
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SFC Retired
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I only have one comment: I'm glad I didn't have to spend my 26 years in "today's military". Too much bullshit for my taste, as I believe in following legal orders first and directly, and asking questions later if mission permits. Oh, I will add that AR15's should be a last resort IMO. Too much time spent on attitude alignment through channels/on paper can cost lives in a pinch.
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LCpl Kenneth Heath
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This E2's assignment for the day would be explaining his actions to the 1st Sgt and the C.O. while I busied myself adding pages to his SRB for his Article 15 hearing.

(and this is just because they'd probably wanna bust me if I smoked the turd)
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SSG Bob Robertson
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Get all the E-5s in the platoon and take way out in the woods and "have a attitude adjustment party".
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MAJ Steve Daugherty
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I recently spoke with a medically retired E5 who was injured in Iraq and he told me horror stories of Enlisted folks showing their "Stress Card" which denies you of interacting with them for 30minutes. I had BCT in 1971 and the DI's didn't have any problem maintaining discipline. If you were having a hard time adjusting, you were put in a special training platoon that gave you a lot of attention. But they produced some good soldiers. We had some physical punishments such as extra PT or uncomfortable physical situations, Article 15's and deprivation of pay. You could be arrested by the MP's for significant insubordination. We have coddled our youth so much and expected so little of them that we are getting the harvest of the seeds we have sown. Compassionate discipline without accepting whining and crying as excuses is what we need to get back to. When I first started Basic I thought the DI's sure were assholes, but after a couple of weeks I discovered that they had all been to Vietnam and had lost friends and comrades there. They were determined that they would loose noone else on their watch if they could help it. My attitude changed with thjat epiphany. Discipline saves lives literally.
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COL Ray Arment
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Straight up E-2 or former E-6?
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SPC Paul Eiden
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In my time there never was a doubt that someone would not react to a command. Disrespect has no room in the military!!!!
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