On the spot corrections in public; when is it appropriate?

I'm no longer in the army but I think people who wear their uniform in public is wrong unless they have to. I use to go home and change right after I got off duty, not because I was ashamed to be in the army but that I didn't join for recognition from anyone... But if your going to wear the uniform then respect it and as an NCO I feel it's your duty to in force the rules and regs... Remember you represent the army either on or off duty...

As an nco by not correcting her you just set a new standard. She needed to be corrected.

A standard not met is a new standard set

You handled it appropriately

I'm retired and wondered the same thing. I sometimes travel for business and noticed some young Marines out of uniform at the airport. I wondered if would be appropriate to correct since I was retired. I contacted the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps who not only told me to make the correction, but to also let him know. I think that answers the question. But I also agree that the best approach is to pull the person aside. Our troops are "active" 24/7/365, so yes, they should be corrected.

You are a better man than me.. As soon as she told me that she knew she would out of Regs and rolled her eyes it would have been game on.. I would have asked her to fix herself and if she continued with her attitude from that point forward I would have requested her unit information and called her chain of command at that moment. I have pride in everything I do and boy does it get under my skin when I see Soldiers disrespect what we do my wearing our uniform any way they want whenever they want.

I had a Soldier walk into a 7/11 store with his boots untied, pants un-bloused, hanging half way down his ass, no top on just his tan t-shirt and his head gear was on but tilt up towards the sky. I politely asked him if he was in the Army and he replied yeah what does it matter to you... So, I had him step back outside and I expressed my concern of disrespect no just to the uniform but to everyone else that wears it along side of him. He stated to me that he didn't have time to deal with an overpaid policy police so I asked for his unit information. So happens I knew most of the members in his chain of command. So due to the fact that he was continuing to be disrespectful to me I called his 1SG and he met me at the 7/11 to retrieve his Soldier. Needless to say, I don't have an issue with on the spot corrections in public. On the spot corrections are a requirement in the military. It doesn't matter what branch, rank or surrounding area. If a Soldier is wrong they need to be corrected.

Your situation was difficult and wanting to correct this person's dress code is important, but doing in private usually yields better results than confronting her in public. I realize I was not there and I am sure you did the very best in the situation. I am generally speaking and certainly not wanting to accuse you of anything other than being honorable. Just trying to help base on my experiences with similar situations. Thank you for your desire to make things better.

correct response..id yourself and advise the violator of the offense. then if her attitude is belligerent ask for military id, if she refuses then she puts herself in violation of multiple UCMJ, you could turn the info. to her commanding officer....Take a stand or do not get involved.

JD

I was once given an on the spot correction. I stopped at our local mini mart in the housing area of the base. The post had put out that it was officially a no salute/no headgear zone since it was technically inside the housing area. I had my headgear on, put some stuff in the trunk and took my headgear off and put it in the trunk, as I walked to the driver's door a MSG walking in asked me if my headgear belonged on my head or in my trunk, rather than tell him about the post regulation regarding it, I apologized, retrieved my headgear and went on my way. To me it was just easier to comply no matter who was right or not. He did it in such a way that it wasn't demeaning or rude and I was certainly not looking for an incident with someone of his rank.

Yes, make the correction but have her step aside. Also identify yourself to her as a fellow service member.