Posted on Feb 18, 2016
I have an issue with an NCO that disrespects subordinates. How can I maintain my military bearing when talked to inappropriately? Tips?
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Posted 9 y ago
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Ok... I'm going to play this straight.
When an NCO emits an aura of disrespect - remember, Respect is an Army Value and reinforced regularly at all levels - there is one of two probable causes:
1. The NCO does not, in fact, respect YOU. Without any backstory, I cannot assess if this is the case, but if it is, you can bet that you did or said something along the way to draw his/her ire. It is still unprofessional, but if you want to be on the high road, it is incumbent upon you to sit down with the NCO and work to remedy the situation. If he/she just got bent at you once upon a time and is carrying the grudge, making it right will be a mighty large feather in your cap.
OR
2. The NCO is just angry at the world and lashing out at Soldiers because he/she does not respect him/herself. Maybe the home front looks bad. They got passed over for promotion. Didn't go to enough Sunday school. It doesn't really matter.
If the NCO is disrupting the unit, it is NCO business to fix it. Start low with a team or squad leader and lay out what has been going on. If there is something going on in the NCO's life to turn them into a bellicose and belligerent tyrant, it is not necessarily your business to know about, but more importantly, the NCO needs to get their head right. A good SNCO will be able to sort this out.
Can you tell me more of the story? We are going pretty much in the dark here.
When an NCO emits an aura of disrespect - remember, Respect is an Army Value and reinforced regularly at all levels - there is one of two probable causes:
1. The NCO does not, in fact, respect YOU. Without any backstory, I cannot assess if this is the case, but if it is, you can bet that you did or said something along the way to draw his/her ire. It is still unprofessional, but if you want to be on the high road, it is incumbent upon you to sit down with the NCO and work to remedy the situation. If he/she just got bent at you once upon a time and is carrying the grudge, making it right will be a mighty large feather in your cap.
OR
2. The NCO is just angry at the world and lashing out at Soldiers because he/she does not respect him/herself. Maybe the home front looks bad. They got passed over for promotion. Didn't go to enough Sunday school. It doesn't really matter.
If the NCO is disrupting the unit, it is NCO business to fix it. Start low with a team or squad leader and lay out what has been going on. If there is something going on in the NCO's life to turn them into a bellicose and belligerent tyrant, it is not necessarily your business to know about, but more importantly, the NCO needs to get their head right. A good SNCO will be able to sort this out.
Can you tell me more of the story? We are going pretty much in the dark here.
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SPC Nathan Huff
I don't think I ever handled things the right way. I expected respect to be a two way street. That's what the motivational poster in our battalion said. I had an incident when I was an E3. An E5 and I had a pretty heated back and forth and I couldn't take another second of it. This SGT wasn't even in my chain of command. I turned to walk away from the situation, damn the consequences, and he grabbed my shoulder to turn me back around. Wrong. So, I turned around to engage when another SGT stepped between us. The sad thing, I got a company grade and lost a rank, he didn't get a talking to.
Long story short, once the truth of the situation came out, I ended up getting my rank back and also promoted to E4 faster than I probably should have. Still, it was the final straw. When given the option to either follow through with my med board or take my OIC's advice and go Green to Gold, I took the med board and bailed. I saw entirely too many things done wrong to want to stay and try to make a difference.
All that said, everyone here is on point. Listen to Top. I just wish there had been more senior leadership in my chain of command like the folks that have posted here!
Long story short, once the truth of the situation came out, I ended up getting my rank back and also promoted to E4 faster than I probably should have. Still, it was the final straw. When given the option to either follow through with my med board or take my OIC's advice and go Green to Gold, I took the med board and bailed. I saw entirely too many things done wrong to want to stay and try to make a difference.
All that said, everyone here is on point. Listen to Top. I just wish there had been more senior leadership in my chain of command like the folks that have posted here!
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SPC Jonathan Fretwell
I had a similar problem. The NCO was a new E5. I just took his smokings and kept my mouth shut. He made a lot of mistakes and I always stepped in to help him. Finally, I had enough and just let him make the mistakes. Finally, he ruined a 2 million dollar transmission. That was the last I ever saw him.
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Good lord, Specialist. Fix yourself. Be professional, first of all. Cussing an NCO out is real bad juju. Take it from me. As quick as you got that Spc, is as quick as you can lose it for disrespecting a non commissioned officer, and it only takes your commander to remove it. Now, that being said, is this one of your leaders, and you know that he is disrespecting troops, or are you just hearing the fallout of a royal butt chewing? Get all of the facts before you decide to talk to him. If he's a team leader, you talk to your team leader and bring it to their attention, unless you are a team leader. But for God's sakes whatever you do, do not go in there, guns a blazing all hotheaded, because it's going to turn in to rock paper rank. You need to exude calm and professional. Not hot head. He still out ranks you.
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SPC (Join to see)
SSgt (Join to see) That's the problem. He didn't say any of that. Frankly I find it quite offensive the way you put it. If that's YOUR interpretation. Then you have an issue. Wow. SMDH
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SSgt (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) Yeah he did. He said something to the words of Ayo Imma gonna go and cuss this NCOs azz out for talking down to the junior enlisted if he says the wrong mofugging thing to me!" hence my comment of much better title. Check yourself, Specialist. Learn all the facts.
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Step one....read what 1SG (Join to see) posted.
Step two....re-read what 1SG (Join to see) posted.
Step three.....maintain your military bearing/professionalism.
Step four.....see steps one and two.
Step two....re-read what 1SG (Join to see) posted.
Step three.....maintain your military bearing/professionalism.
Step four.....see steps one and two.
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SGT Richard H.
Step three should have been step four, and step three should have read:
"DO what 1SG (Join to see) Posted."
"DO what 1SG (Join to see) Posted."
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