Posted on Mar 15, 2016
SSG Carlos Madden
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NOTE: Member wished to be disassociated from this subject so it has been reposted here with the original comments.

Thank you,
-RP Staff

Recently was involved in an one way exchange with a CPT in which she directed towards a Senior NCO (SFC) in a derogatory, belittling and denigrating expressing her personal feelings toward such SFC. Since this is to get get a general consensus of what should be done, I would like to leave out names and places out but can include that the CPT's comments towards the SFC included: "you are a sorry a$$ excuse of an NCO", " you are the biggest piece of $hit I know" and continued to go on not just about such Senior NCO but included the family members.

Considering that if this was a lower to an NCO doing this, the Soldier would be crucified. If this was an NCO to an officer?, someone would be out of a job.

I heard one day that the moment you lose your bearing you lost the argument. So the SFC did the right thing by keeping professionally quiet and bringing up to the supervisor. Situation is now: such CPT has gone around telling Soldiers how "she ripped in to this SFC with a grin"...

What would be some appropriate ways to handle this situation?
Posted in these groups: F9fb8d7b Chain of CommandPhoto JAGIG
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Capt Jeff S.
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Always start with your chain of command.
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SSG Johnny Daniels
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Go with the IG. Chain of command is exactly what it implies; chain! Who wants the link in their chain broken? There's always a chance that you won't reach the top of that chain if necessary. Go with IG, or Jag!
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GySgt Jon White
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Edited 9 y ago
Nothing's going to happen to that witch, not in today's military, she's a member of a protected class, she's bullet proof, and she knows it. Hell, she'll be the champion of the rest of the coven for striking a blow against the patriarchy, or some other such horseshit.
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SFC Ncoic
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9 y
This is very true.
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SSgt Joseph Petrie
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I would have beat the living shit out of that Bitch the moment she mentioned my family. I know that my career would have been over but NOBODY talks about my family, NOBODY!
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SSG Majdi Tannous
SSG Majdi Tannous
9 y
You have a bad temper and take your useless family where the sun doesn't shine. You be a crying Biiitch locked up in Leavenworth.
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CPT Robert Boshears
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Use the chain of command or you are jumping the Bn. Commander and the person with the influence, the SGM. Keep your EER's good, I imagine the CPT's OER will reflect her inappropriate behavior.
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CW4 Tim Claus
CW4 Tim Claus
9 y
As an NCO, take up the chain to the CSM, then to the BC.
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PFC John Villarreal
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What led up to the ass chewing?
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MSG Unit Supply Specialist
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Staff, unfortunately in today's Army or better said, in the Army I have known for the last 16 years. Unless the particular CPT you are referring to is not well liked by their chain of command. Nothing you do or the SFC does is most likely going to resalt in any significant disciplinary action towards that CPT, no matter who you report it to. Furthermore, by reporting it right away to the chain of command or IG, all your doing is giving them a head-up to get a bigger rug to sweep it under. Now, maybe if the situation involved a Male CPT and a well connected female SFC, you might have a shot at a slap on the wrist.
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SFC Rice Stephen
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Any good Senior NCO, should be able to hold his or her own with an out of line Captain, without having to to run to the IG with his or her tail between the legs. At this point in in his/her career, maybe the Captain's comments were understandable. Although the attack on the soldiers family is out of line, it's even more reason the Senior Sergent should have put the Captain in his/her place, and got on with NCO business of running the Army.
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MSgt John McGowan
MSgt John McGowan
9 y
SFC. You are correct in saying a good senior NCO could handle this on his own. As a Branch Chief and later a 1st SGT I have had my dealing with several ranks. I had a Capt. jump on me because of one of my power units and he was pissed. One of the Wings Col's walked in but that was one I missed.
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GySgt Ascencion Gomez, D.S.L.
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Maybe there's a reason this captain was able to do this. .. the senior NCO has no balls... if he stood there and listened to it. I bet had he said, Capt. we can talk in private or I walk. The capt continues, walk and see if that capt is willing to take it to NJP>
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SFC Battle Command Nco
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Well if that SFC was me I would have went straight to the BN CDR and CSM and if that didn't work just keep going up the chain. There will come a time when that CPT needs help from the NCOs of the unit and they should just let the young officer fail once or twice. That usually brings humility to them really quickly.
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CMSgt Mark Schubert
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You should ALWAYS use the CoC as the first course to resolve ANY problem - skipping the CoC and jumping to the IG is a huge mistake - trust me.
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SFC Richard Giles
SFC Richard Giles
9 y
Agreed, This is what we tell our troops. Why would this situation be any different? I would have unseated myself from my chair and went right to my 1SG.
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PO3 Erik Jensen
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I had a similar, but very different situation happen, to me. Ships store had just opened and the guy on watch called me to see if I would pick him yup a bag of chips. Sure, no problem, I said. As I was entering the radio room, the XO (female-Commander) was exiting. She saw what I had in my hands and proceeded to give me a hard time about it. A really hard time. Yes, I was heavy, but under the weight standards. As she ripped into me, she made me feel about 2 inches tall, which pissed me off. I did not yell back or anything, I just sort of stood there, dumb founded at being yelled at because I had a bag of chips in my hand. The only reason she stopped ripping into me was that the 2nd class petty officer, of whom the chips were for, told her that the chips were for him. No apology, no by your leave, she made another snarky comment about my weight and then left the radio room. I was pissed, in shock, dumbfounded and confused because I really did not understand what had just happened. The 2nd class, he was shocked too, which prompted a lengthy discussion with my Chief. I decided that I needed to protect myself somehow, so I wrote a paper/memo concerning harassment and submitted it up the chain of command. Each step of the way, I was counseled about how this might be really bad for my future. At that point, I did not care. From my Chief, to the Chief of the Boat, to the Ops Officer. I was told it was given to the Captain but he never addressed it with me, not that I expected him to. I just wanted him to read it, which the Ops Officer said he did. The XO did not come down to the radio room for a long time, which made most of us there pretty happy.
So, yeah, going up the chain of command is what I recommend.
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PO1 Javid Benson
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I don't know how the Army get done but in the Aviation Det community that's a closed door discussion with the biggest man or woman coming out on top. I seen a few officers get their butts whipped for thinking they was big and bad. When they say ship underway if u disrespect me you better be ready to meet me so we can handle this like men
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CW2 Stephen Pate
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Someone in this thread was saying that the top brass will usually dictate to the lower commands what kind of action to take...isn't it illegal for a higher up commander to do that to a subordinate command?
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SFC Ncoic
SFC (Join to see)
9 y
very legal and the way it is done. If not EO, IG, and others have no stroke. As noted here earlier Agreed IG has no "authority" however, IG, EO have stroke as to when Commands support them. keep in mind the IG is not bringing it its the command above the other command and usually done with a phone call and discussion of the younger officers rating............follow?
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CW2 Stephen Pate
CW2 Stephen Pate
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SFC Terrance Mallory, no I'm tracking that what I meant though is when someone goes to IG, then IG calls the higher command, that higher command cannot dictate what UCMJ action will taken by the lower commander, but can of course take it on at his/her level. Sorry I didn't clarify that before. I hear what you're saying and agree with you.
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MSG Civil Affairs Specialist
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Just be happy it's not a navy O3. They can murder someone with witnesses and you as a sinior nco in the army have to go through the accused to accuse them. if you don't and manage to get to someone with a higher rank the navy won't give a shit they talk it over wilst having some tea and then you can now call yourself a jonior nco. I'll never do joint duty again.
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SFC Keith Frain
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All, bottom line is this; a conversation which takes place between "2" personnel, becomes a difficult "He said, She said" scenario. However, once a credible 3rd/4th party can collaborate said conversation....game over.
If I may share something really quick, I started off as an Infantry Soldier, very rarely did I every speak to anyone higher than my PSG; officers were just not part of the equation.
When I switched to the Medical Field, Officers and Enlisted of all ranks intermingled on a daily basis; on many occasions "the Thin Red Line" wasn't even apparent. It takes both Officers and Enlisted to remember we all have our jobs to do, no matter how close the work area is. It sounds easier than said, but it will never be an easy answer.

God Bless, and good luck
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SFC Brian Ewing
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You are always, I mean always supposed to handle any conflicts at the lowest level of command first. It is not a good look for the overall unit if a Soldier feels he/she has to go outside of the unit to handle problems, it spells out a problem either with the Soldier having no confidence in his Leaders to get it done or a problem with Toxic Leadership in general.
Even if a unit has Toxic Leadership it is still our duty to inform them of incidences and give them a chance to correct the problem and if they don't and you have ran it all the way up the flagpole properly and your/the problem hasn't been addressed/fixed then you have every right to contact the IG, seek out a Congressional or however you want to try and resolve the matter as long as it isn't illegal or immoral.
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SFC Motor Sergeant
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>1 y
I tend to believe that if you have a grievance with your superior the first bet is to COMMUNICATE it to your superior, now if that doesn't work then COMMUNICATE it to his superior and so on and so on... thus utilizing the chain of command.
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SFC Ncoic
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>1 y
Usually this is the correct line of action. Just remember, if you do this chain of command way always if you are going to the next level if you will, respectfully let the prior level know you are. No blind sides in this way.
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Sgt Comm Center Operator
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Edited 9 y ago
Always be careful, institutional corruption runs very deep. So high there are people 2 or 3 fold removed from the actual matter. But they will interject and it will most likely be against you. In todays day and time, the game is played out like this. * Your tagged as being a problem and your attacked from behind any way they can get to you. No - No not with fists but with administrative action. And stonewalling which could lead you or any person to spend 2 years or even 5 years of you mental energy expecting an outcome that will never be.
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SFC Ncoic
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Sgt Comm Center Operator
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9 y
SFC (Join to see) - Go down one comment, read and re-read the reply from Julie Miller. This is a complex matter, there are silly stupid involved. And a person with nothing more in mind than looking to do the right thing. Will be short changed and end up DEAD - (DEAD) No Kidding. Checking to see if your reading and understanding. Point being that your up against a WALL of corruption and sometimes it's better to go along in order to get along. If that's what your BOSS is advising you to do, think that over. At times Big-Boss, Higher and Higher level management are forced to do things a different way in order to get the job done. As long as you don't have to take all the blame if something goes wrong. Think twice or 5 times before you try to change a corrupt system. SFC (Sir.,) I really want to know if your understanding me , at least a little bit - OK. Let me know, Prick
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SFC Ncoic
SFC (Join to see)
9 y
I dont think we are commenting on the same post. or you need to check your meds. BTW, watch your fucking mouth.
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SSgt Jim Gilmore
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Unprofessional behavior is not acceptable in any circumstance. It should be handled when seen...even if the "offending party" is of higher rank. If you are afraid of reprisals, you run it up the flagpole first. If that yields no positive result then by all means take to the IG. That is why it exists. If you want to make an issue of the conduct, you must be able to "man up," stand up and make sure you have your big boys pants on securely. Actions have consequences and unprofessional acts by anyone are never acceptable and doing so publicly instead of behind closed doors makes it even more egregious.
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CSM Battalion Command Sergeant Major
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Always go the chain-of-command route first. If this CPT is a Company Commander (and you want to be a dick) send a congressional to both Senators, Congressman, The President IG, CG's hotline, and the BN and BDE CDR at the same time. Stand back and watch the hilarity.
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