Is it appropriate to confront a higher rank when they are blatantly disregarding regs?

Always be tactful, friendly and respectful. Also remember to check your complaint first. Make sure you are right. Remember, you should always be respectful, especially those with higher rank.

I would wait and talk to her away from people and ask her respectfully If its CSM then address to rank and ask. SSG MARK A FRANZEN
USA COLD WAR VETERAN

Using tact and diplomacy is the way to go but always point out and make correction regardless of rank. I once asked a Major General to please button his pocket as there were over a hundred basic trainees watching him. I actually placed a 1st Lt under apprehension for violating the UCMJ for which she was later court martialed. If you are ever corrected by someone who is of lesser rank, make the correction, thank them and go on your way. After all it's a two way street.

Years ago I had a Bn CSM that used to tell us, "Every time you walk by a piece of trash, cigarette butt or a violation of any kind, if you do NOT address it, YOU just set a new standard." Best advice I ever heard and used it myself for the rest of my career. So yes, I would have addressed it TACTFULLY AND RESPECTFULLY then I would move on. For what it's worth I was told once I was as tactful as a rusty nail, LOL.

Yes. Been there, seen this, done this. That being said, be prepared for what comes next as your "superior (officer)" [borrowing a line from "Down Periscope" - " ... No, merely a higher ranking one ..."] is going to come down on you like stink on crap. Having grown up a working and rodeo cowboy I've always enjoyed a good fight so for me the choice has always been easy. Most of my commissioned career [I was both enlisted and commissioned] was spent in Intel'. I came to DMA from DIA and was "blessed" with the additional duty of Security Officer. Like the shot monitor, nobody likes the Security Officer. We had an international incident with the Israelis due to a stupid 2d Lieutenant [am I being redundant here?] who sent out Israeli classified as UNCLASSIFIED. Our commander, a "telephone colonel" deliberately kept me totally out of the loop as he knew from experience I took security seriously and gave no slack. Cutting to the chase, I learned by chance of the incident from said 2d Lieutenant and laid out the specific reg's and consequence options. I was told "... THE GAWD DAMN REGULATIONS AREN'T ETCHED IN GRANITE, YOU KNOW!" to wit I told el Comandante if he didn't take appropriate action I would forward it directly to our parent command, Defense Mapping Agency, in Reston VA. He ordered me not to. His "order" was illegal and I forwarded everything I had. The coverup went all the way to a BG in DMA. What nobody anticipated, however, was before working for DIA I flew with SAC where you live and die by the reg's. Further, being your basic sneaky shit by nature, I RECORDED all our conversations concerning "the incident". The aforementioned BG flew to Cheyenne to tell me personally he was "...considering charging you [me] with ''mutiny'". When I was enlisted, I was an Army "!! Bravo" and my area of operation was the A Shau Valley. General officers did not "intimidate" me because they were and are not the entire North Vietnamese Army trying to kill me. Due to my background in "tradecraft", I was able to see justice done. The BG "retired" along with el Comandante, a GS-14, two GS-13's, several lower lowlifes and our IQ challenged 2d Lieutenant who was transferred to Minot, ND. So here is what you need to do: There are numerous digital DVR's you can buy that are in such innocuous things like fully functional ballpoint pens, wristwatches, key fobs, digital voice recorders and the like. I used a micro cassette recorder in a three ring binder with my security reg's but that was back in the mid-80's. Technology has advanced tremendously and the prices are "give away". Buy several different DVR's and keep at least one on you at all times; preferably two. If and when the repercussions begin, contact the JAG with your transcribed recordings. BE CERTAIN TO MAKE BACKUPS OF EVERYTHING; MULTIPLE BACKUPS. That's just in case things get "lost". DMA hadn't expected that when my desk was rifled one weekend. What they took ... excuse me, what was "misplaced" was one of the backups; not the original. So again, YES, when an order violates regulations and laws like, in my case, the Espionage Act, confront said "higher ranking" person(s) with the regulations in hand. Good luck.

Yes you can. However, when confronting a person of higher rank. you must use tact and be PROFESSIONAL. Be prepared to quote the regulation as well.

I worked for a Senior Commander who wanted to relieve a subordinate commander. Admittedly there were issues with this young officer and the challenges well documented. In doing my research for procedures and docs, I found neither of us had the authority to initiate the relief, but that it had to be the first General in the chain of command. He was furious when I told him he didn’t have the authority. Thankfully I told him in the phone and not face to face. I got called several names and was threatened with relief myself. Two days later we had a conference call with his SJA who had looked it up and admitted I was in fact correct. The SJA recommended a potential solution and the boss did eventually thank me for saving him from a whole lot of potential legal problems if had he fired the subordinate.

Be direct. Be tactful. Be professional. Be armed, in this case with the correct reg. Body armor optional.

Of course! No one is above rules/regs. Be respectful, but don't be bashful or timid: you know the rules and so do they. Before you approach the person in question, make sure you're squared away to prevent unneeded flak. Most times you will walk away with both parties just fine. Don't let them bully you, just kindly inform them and depart.

Yes but do it tactfully. Corrections can be made above or below. Being respectful & professional about it is the key.

Sure just be careful. Probably best to ask to speak with them privately and address the issue. Just make sure you know what you’re talking about so you don’t look foolish.