Officer/NCO Animosity: Have you experienced it? How did you handle it?

I've had an amazing experience working with my NCOs. I had some fantastic PSGs before I commissioned, as well as a great one when I was PL. It made me confident and it makes planning and executing missions enjoyable. When I first commissioned my mentors were mostly NCOs and some warrants. Now I have a good network of both. A room of NCOs with decades of experience have probably encounter more problems and scenarios then you could think of off hand. I've always felt comfortable asking questions and for clarification. Bottom line, Take pride in what your doing and show appreciation toward others who help you and everyone's more willing to help out. Team work gets the job done that much smoother!

SSG Jason Cherry, Really? I had not encountered that personally, lately. Thank you for sharing your wisdom on the subject with them and for your advice to them especially the book, which one are you referring to? I know that young Lieutenants can at times come across as Privates with too much rank, but generally they are very moldable and trainable and respect you as you show them the same. I believe it is beneficial to speak to the spreader of this false info as well. Once, I had 2 young Lieutenants, in a Company I was in (one that was prior enlisted), tell me that a Staff Captain was telling them that there was no such thing as NCO business and I had to explain to them that there truly was and that even though I respected the CPT, he was misinformed and they proceeded to tell me that the BC had told that CPT this info and he was just passing it on(Now, I don’t put a lot of stock into third party info and the COL has since retired. So, I won’t go there). I had to break it down to them and then I also contacted the CPT, whom I knew as well and explained to him where duties and responsibilities over lapped and where they separated. Based on your post I believe you are doing the right thing, but no, I have not seen anything like this recently. I recommend that you contact the Officers training NCO or Senior Non-Commissioned Officer in order to handle it at the lowest level or someone who knows the Captain personally to speak to him as it is harmful to spread bad information and it is detrimental to esprit de corps or the shared pride, loyalty, and fellowship of the US Army.

After reading some comments from below, I wish to add that, yes, it is possibly this Captain had a very bad experience with an NCO and it has soured his feelings towards the Corps, but some mentorship will go a long way. It's unfortunate that some enlisted are disrespectful to Officers and there is no place for it here, either.

SSG Jason Cherry This may be a service difference. As a trend I've got nothing but good things to say about the NCOs I've worked with even in the joint world, but especially in the Corps.

The attitudes of many enlisted have changed from the time I was a new private to the time I was a 2LT and I believe much of it stems from 'NCOs, backbone of the Army.' We have won battle after battle with the system we have set up and both officers and enlisted have to have the other; one should never be taught as better than the other. A significant problem in my eyes is lack of learning and understanding the other's lane. I find my job as a field grade officer much easier when I understand the role of the NCOs around me and trust that I do not need to do their job and that they will get it done. That trust must go both ways and it seems more today than 23years ago that is not always the case.

I've seen a lot of finger pointing (to include here on RP) I see where officers use their rank to justify their position. And that is not an accomplishment or "correct answer", any more than an NCO who has to dish out punishment on a subordinate because they didn't train a soldier right to begin with. We are failing each other with that type of relationship. Every young officer, to include those who are new to an assignment should receive the best any NCO has to offer. Officers cannot accomplish the unit mission without the total support of their NCO's. Equally NCO's cannot accomplish the same without the authority and direction of selfless serving commissioned officers.

I really think it comes from some officer that forget NCOs are people from all backgrounds too. Many with degrees before joining. But they judge by rank. Some that could easily be officers but chose a path based on passion. I have been asked many times why won't I become an officer and not because I don't respect them or not because I wouldn't enjoy more money, but I don't because I like to train and mentor Soldiers. That means young officers too.

Not really a problem in the Guard. It's not unheard of for a lieutenant to have his plt sgt be his boss on the civy side of life. Kinda puts things in perspective.

I have been at Fort Gordon now for over eleven years and haven't really experienced what you're referring to. While I'm in the Navy and not the Army, I know that our JO's here NEED the knowledge and leadership of the senior NCO's.

My recommendation would be to inform those JO's who have received poor advice from NCO's chalk it up as those NCO's not being given proper mentorship and to call them out on it. Have those JO's take the NCO's to their leadership and express how they feel to their leadership. I'm 100% sure one of two things will happen. Either they will sing a different tune or they will notify their leadership of how they feel and it will get addressed.

JO's require training from senior NCO's. As a Chief, it's not only my job to train the junior Sailors, but also the JO's and it MUST be done both in a professional manner and with genuine interest.

I only saw this once, but it was from an OCS candidate, I was given permission by the CO to have a little heart to heart talk with young man. One year later the young officer thanked me for setting him straight on talking to NCO's.

At Coast Guard OCS, Cadets have an Officer and an Enlisted (CPO+) sponsor, who stop in a couple times and give them advice - no instructors involved. Every Chief I spoke to - and in the class I sponsored - the O sponsoring the class told them exactly the same things: Enlisted personnel are not to be trusted, they will scuttle your career every time they get a chance, they are always up to shenanigans...

In the maritime services, there have ALWAYS been rivalries between O and E - but it seems to be getting petty and vindictive nowadays. I always tried to deal with it on a case by case basis... and make sure I could point to examples of "blue-on-blue" acts of ass-hattery, where O's screwed over O's, and E's Blue Falconed E's.