Not allowed to address IET Privates by their rank.

Here's my take on it and the thought of this sickens me. Since when did rank, any rank become demeaning? Last time I checked, you were proud of your rank. When a Soldier comes to me and says "excuse me sergeant" the last thing I think of is this Soldier is demeaning me. That is ridiculous. This statement, act, or policy, diminishes rank. The policy is demeaning, not the rank.

The problem was that many would say "Hey Private" or even drag out the "Priiiiivvaatte" somehow in such a way that it was deemed inappropriate. It would be similar to a few Sergeants First Class and Staff Sergeants to refer to an E-5 as "Buck-Sergeant".

It's too easy to just refer to a group as "1st Platoon" or "2nd Squad" . . . or an individual as "Private Jones".

I see no problem with it.

Compared to some of the things that I was called in OSUT way back in the "Dark Ages", call me private all day long lol!!

Dumb, dumb, and dumb! It's the rank! TRADOC doesn't want the military to use their rank as their title, then come up with a new title for the entry level ranks. IET's are NOT warriors and until they successfully complete their training, they aren't Soldiers! They are Initial Entry Trainees; or better yet PRIVATES. Don't want to be called Private? Then don't enlist or bust your butt at your first duty assignment and get promoted.

Total BS. Once again, the Army and the Military is becoming completely pussified. This sort of crap just ticks me off to no end.

If a private is about to have an accident, and his back is to you, how in the hell will you know his friggin name? If they're facing you, you may not necessarily see their name right off the bat. Their rank, is quick, visible, and nearly instant. What are you supposed to yell? "HEY! HEY! YOU! STOP THAT BEFORE YOU KILL SOMEONE!" Yelling "PRIVATE! STOP THAT SH*T BEFORE YOU KILL SOMEONE!" is much more effective - every private out there will hear you and think you're addressing them and stop in place - almost instantly. Yelling the former, they're going to look around to try to figure out who you are yelling at, rather than immediately thinking you're addressing them.

I won't go into the full psychology of it, but the latter sentence being yelled out is much more effective.

Can you see the future?...."Excuse me Private Smith, but if it wouldn't be any trouble, and let me know if I am offending you, but if you feel like it, I would respectfully suggest you take cover. You see, the enemy is now shooting at you, even though I am sure you are aware of that and I don't want to insult your intelligence. Anyway, if you elect not to take cover, there is a good chance you, Private Smith, will become injured by the incoming rounds and I am not allowed to touch you, so I would be unable to render medical aid. It's your choice, however, and I would respectfully urge you to decide quickly (no pressure.")

We have been conditioned over the past 12 or 14 years to treat these young Soldiers with kid gloves because we needed them to fight a war. It is way too easy, when a kid gets his first dose of real world Army, to get out of an enlistment contract and leave IET. Now that the Army is drawing down, and it will be more difficult to enlist, I say we should start treating them all like shit again. The weak will wash out and the strong and resilient will thrive and overcome. Those are the guys and girls I want serving alongside me. Our new slogan should be "US Army. Crybabies need not apply."

Oh snap!! When i was a AIT PSG i called them all privates. lol.

My favorite saying to my privates was "privates gonna private" hilarious.

Now i had to fix myself, i since i had so many privates and did know their names i had a bad habbit of calling them "guy" lol. Im laughing now because i still say it in forscom sometimes lol.
Male or female i would say "come on guy" lol.

But yeah you can call them private because that is their rank. I havent had any private upset about it or report it to my COC while i was an AIT PSG. They were upset about guy, well the females were so i had to stop saying it.
In 88m it was just my battle buddy and myself and 90-112 privates for 8 weeks then the cycle started over, you will not learn all of those soldiers name and by the time i knew most of them it was graduation time.
I can see why your 1SG said that though SSG McCulley those AIT and BCT dear sir/ma'am letters and those end of the cycle meetings with the BN CDR/CSM and BDE CDR/CSM are no joke. Those privates will say anything. I had one private tell the BDE CDR the barracks were substandard because we didnt have any wifi lol.

As the frustration grows in my mind I wonder when the insane crap will stop.......
Many have said what was on my mind. Grow up or get out. We are losing ground with keeping up with resiliency and pushing out cry babies.

I'm going to find out tomorrow at work because I'm taking command of a basic training unit in a few weeks.

It's an urban legend/rumor. Here is the policy, straight out of TR 350-6:

2-4. Treatment of IET Soldiers.
a. All Soldiers will be treated IAW Schofield’s definition of discipline and acceptance, understanding, recognition, and appreciation principals (see glossary sec II).

b. Address IET Soldiers by the appropriate grade and last name, "Soldier," or "Warrior."

c. Do not address Soldiers by gender (such as "you females").

d. Treat initial entry Soldiers with the same fairness, respect, and regard for dignity
accorded to all Soldiers. IET Soldiers will wear rank, if authorized, IAW AR 670-1.

e. Create a rigorous environment that places stress between the Soldiers and their ability to
accomplish the task to standard.