My Navy and CG SNCOs out there. How do you respond to a service member mistakenly calling you the wrong rank?

It's masterchief , I'm sure I've earned it

I earned this star. It was not given to me in a Kollege

It has happened to me, and I sternly advised the sailor that Chief was my last name and Senior was my first and I would allow him to always use my first name when addressing me.

Nothing . . . unless it was an introduction to a public gathering, then I would reintroduce myself. But in the Navy, at least the Submarine Navy, a Chief is a Chief.

It doesn't change a thing you're still a Chief Petty Officer, you just have a star and more pay!!

The best response I ever got from a Senior Chief that I called "Chief" by mistake when I was a junior Sailor: "That's ok, you can call me by my middle name." It made me think for a moment, and then laugh. He corrected me without being brash or negative, which I appreciated.

My friends call me Senior short for senior chief...

In the old days I would have yelled, but now I understand we have to worry about their feelings.

Agree with responding to greeting and moving on. Besides, to get to SCPO/MCPO you have to 1st become a Chief about 7-8% of the total enlisted are CPOs with <2.5% SCPO and < 1.0% MCPO. Just being able to make Chief was hard enough. What remains important is that you are ALWAYS a Chief!

SCPO Petosky is VERY CORRECT, as Chief's we are here to teach. Once at the CPO level ,teaching officers or junior enlisted is our mission. I hope my Navy has not yet set that duty aside. When educating is done with a little levity (depending on the scenario) and honor, then how we teach those in other service branches about the honor and history of Chiefs or how we educate civilians and others is always a good thing. We should always build on the special level of trust the CPO has been blessed with and always willing to share that the SCPO or MCPO is blessed with these additional ranks precisely because they are always Chief's 1st, always willing to pitching to get the job done. They know their rank, and only those with fragile egos make a big deal out of it.

The best SCPOs or MCPOs I worked with never experienced, in my direct observation, others regardless of service branch, including civilians, any breech of understanding regarding their proper rank. How they carried themselves with those senior to them, those in their peer group and those junior allowed them to "Command Respect" and not Demand it. Part of that earned "commanded" respect was knowing their proper rank without having to be told!!!

As a CHIEF, I had always witnessed SCPOs ad MCPOs of quality always seeking to make their actions about the "WE", especially as they lead their fellow CPO's, and not setting themselves up as the "I" and revealing how untrustworthy that made them.

http://www.goatlocker.org/resources/cpo/anecdotes/chief.htm
http://goatlocker.org/resources/cpo/history/creed1.htm

SN Neff, "Seek FIRST to Understand and then to be Understood." Think about this means in terms of your question! Then develop a plan to help people better understand you, understanding them! Building respect 1st begin with understanding the problem and being will to learn from each other.

There is a right way and a wrong way to respond. If it was,and honest mistake then a simple polite yet definite correction is in line. If it was spiteful or a repeat offence then it's may be time to stop that person and explain to them in a manner more fitting of the position and respect you have earned and deserve, ya, givem hell.