"I didn't know you couldn't do that." The joys of being a butter bar.

2013-10-26T14:50:08-04:00

There is nothing quite as entertaining as a 2LT. This is fact.I thought this would be a good place to share some stories about the 2LTs in your lives. I'll start by saying I am currently a 2LT. I also am prior enlisted. I assumed that my experience as an NCO would absolve me from making stupid mistakes as a 2LT. Turns out I was wrong.Here is my quick story to get the ball roling. I showed up to my old unit (XVIII ABC) straight from OCS, freshly commissioned. My job was to clear post and go to BOLC. But first I had to meet the new BN CDR. Turns out, the new BN commander was going to take all the LTs for a run. In my infinite wisdom, I turned to my fellow LT and said, "Looks like the old man is going to take us for a jog. Hope he can keep up." He chuckled and turned his head forward. A few moments later the BN CDR was out and called us into formation. The LT I was speaking to fell out towards the rear of the formation. Next thing I hear is the BN CDR calling for the SGM. What do you know, that fellow LT turned out to be the new SGM. As any good NCO would do, the SGM let the LTC my concern about his running ability. Turns out the LTC was a marathon runner. We found that out the hard way that day. Lesson Learned: A LT should be seen but not heard.

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Oct 29 at 2013 1:28 PM

2013-10-29T13:28:03-04:00

Being currently in OCS I have come to know that I don't know anything. Humbly, I just try to keep an open mind, a closed mouth, and ears open to absorb everything possible.

Response by SFC James Baber made Dec 22 at 2013 5:50 PM

2013-12-22T17:50:20-05:00

That has been a known fact for many generations as you should have already known that as your a former NCO who has seen all the 2LT 1st time mistakes, always sit back and observe to learn you should have that ingrained by now.

I have many friends who were E6/7s that went to OCS and did the new 2LT mistakes fresh out the box, I think they remove the smart NCO brain cells at OCS during training. LOL

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jul 8 at 2014 11:35 AM

2014-07-08T11:35:56-04:00

A lot of us former butter bars had to learn the hard way because we had no prior military experience so, yeah we did the "dumn LT" things. Walking into a new unit and mistaking the CSM for someone else, that's an all ranks mix-up and not reserved solely for LTs. Now saluting specialists, or said CSM - those are LT bonehead blunders. The other thing you have to look forward to if you make O-4 is the FGL - the field grade lobotomy!

Coming soon LTC Private RallyPoint Member !

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 8 at 2014 12:10 PM

2014-07-08T12:10:07-04:00

The best 2LT I had was my PL. He came to me in private and said, "I don't know what the **** I am doing. So I need you to teach me."

I never in my life imagined that a butter bar would say this. Now he is about to make CPT and I recently asked him about that. He said his ROTC NCO told him that after commissioning that if he wanted to succeed, he would do just that.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 8 at 2014 12:27 PM

2014-07-08T12:27:46-04:00

So there I was...a 2LT deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Posavina Corridor, jsut south of the Sava River. This was back in the day when you'd actually be a 2LT in a unit for quite a while. We lived in GP mediums and used pot-bellied stoves for heat, which if you're young...runs off of diesel fuel that runs from a 5-gallon can. As a brand new LT, one of my glorious and soul enriching jobs was to be on fire watch at night. So, when the steel drum of hell-flame went cold, I went outside and changed out the fuel can (I'd seen this done numerous times by other people...not that hard of a task). What I failed to realize is that there is a carbuerator which governs the flow of diesel (or MOGAS if it's set properly...that's a different story) and that thing has to be CLOSED when you swap out the cans. Otherwise, the fuel builds up in the metal canister of death and fumes waft up and out of it. I came back in the tent, everyone blissfully unaware of the impending explosion, and lit a piece of the Stars and Stripes and waited for it to catch properly. Once I had a small conflagration going (the only light in the tent in the dead of a Bosnian winter at 0200-ish), I opend the port on the top of my soon-to-be life changing experience device and dropped the flaming roll of doom into the stove. As it slowly descended as if in slow motion, I saw swirling inside the stove and thought to myself...'Well...that's strange," and then the explosion engulfed my face like a python grabbing onto monkey. This sudden shock and ear splitting roar, sent me (with my eyebrows and hair on fire) back onto the bunk of one of our interpreters; a large man who was easily startled. As he sprung to life, he began beating me on the head screaming something in Croatian, which I believe was, "There's a flaming American on my crotch!!" After the flames on my nugget were extinguished, the aid station rubbed some white cream on my face and then took pictures to hang throughout the Battalion area. My only saving grace, was that earlier the same day, another 2LT had also set himself on fire with a pot-bellied stove...but he was wearing an easter bunny costume when he did it.

Response by SSG Jeffrey Spencer made Jul 8 at 2014 1:55 PM

2014-07-08T13:55:55-04:00

Sir - I would rather have a platoon of those that don't know what they can't do over a brigade of those that do.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 8 at 2014 9:51 PM

2014-07-08T21:51:54-04:00

I would say that I was robbed of my dumb LT moments. Being in the Guard we drill one a month. I spent most of my time at schools before being promoted. I made a couple mistakes but nothing noteworthy.

But once, when I was a 2LT, I was walking up to a 1LT........ and the rest is RP history.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2014 7:53 PM

2014-07-09T19:53:00-04:00

We had a new fellow who was quite capable, but had the misfortune once of thinking on his feet and missing. It seems he was training as a night-shift Battle Captain and I dropped by to inquire about Significant events in the area of operations. I was informed that enemy activity was "down fifty percent."

"Down fifty percent from what," I inquired. The now legendary reply:

"Fifty percent.... down from... one hundred percent."

If I had smoke grenades I would have thrown all of them.

Needless to say, this exchange quickly became the challenge and response. It is common whenever one of our Soldiers sees the word percent to ask "up twenty percent from what," to which a chorus will immediately reply "up 20% from 100%."

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 11 at 2014 3:51 PM

2014-07-11T15:51:11-04:00

Certainly being a senior at the Academy, the idea of "will I be ready as a Platoon Leader" always comes into play as I get closer to commissioning. Of course coming into my first unit will be all new to me, in which case I do feel it is appropriate and important to have my Platoon Sergeant get me on track, not more so depend on him, but more of the idea that "If I want to lead these soldiers, I need to understand exactly who is in my platoon and what kind of culture/standards I am working with".

Response by SSG Walter Corretjer made Sep 30 at 2019 10:37 PM

2019-09-30T22:37:03-04:00

Just remember.There isn't to much difference between a 2LT and a Private in almost all cases.