Should PFCs stand at "Parade Rest" for a SPC?

According to the reg, you do not have to go to parade rest. If you are in a formal formation, you will come and go from the position of parade rest! The specialist could be in an acting NCO slot and the highest rank in the formation. Just use your commen sense with this.

When I first came in the Army, we we trained to go to parade rest to any rank above tour own!

The practice of doing so is, in my opinion, a sign of respect, and if those junior to me do so, I appreciate that respect. I find myself, often, standing at parade rest simply to show the person speaking to me that s/he has my undivided attention. I would never require it, but I recommend, like I do myself, that those juniors who don't get into the habit of doing so, start because it fosters the discipline of naturally and automatically doing it for NCOs. Too many times, I've had to step up and correct a PV2 or PFC for not automatically going to parade rest for our NCOs. This discipline should've been drilled in Basic, and enforced in AIT. It makes our Army look like the professional force it is supposed to be.

First let's put on the record that no one is below you because you outrank them. They are junior to you. As for juniors standing at parade rest for a SPC its not just black and white. If a specialist has been entrusted to a leadership position such as team leader or squad leader then I say yes. This is where position overs ones rank. Specialist is easy to obtain, getting put in a leadership position isn't quite as easy. You have to express you authority in that position and that requires respect and discipline from your subordinates. This doesn't justify getting a big head about it at all. I also agree that if there is a lack of discipline in your ranks an NCO can make the call that all soldiers will stand at the position of parade rest while addressing anyone their senior. Example, pv1 speaking to pv2. This is to express the importance of customs and courtesies and to drive the point home. The army has gotten to lax over the years and it's just finally starting to get back to old school tradition. It's something we've needed back for a long time

Been there, done that. My answer: No, no, no and hell no.

When I was a Specialist we had a Platoon Sergeant (may have originated with the 1SG, I'm not sure) who wanted the Privates to stand at parade rest for us "Sham Shields"--most team leaders were Specialists, so that's my theory as to why he wanted to do this--and the idea was almost universally hated. Privates thought it was dumb, Specialists felt it was outright wrong (WE'RE NOT NCOs!), but we played the game when higher links in the chain-of-command were around; but ONLY when they were around.

Funny thing, as I think about this, I believe I was even more against this back then as a Specialist as I am now as an NCO.

LTs saluting each other? The only time I heard of that was at Maxwell AFB. I was there for a Lt PME course they just started in '99, a fellow 2Lt (Ryan) from my ROTC Detachment was there too. Well, Ryan was walking down the street when he passed a 1Lt OTS Flight/CC marching his OTs down the road. Ryan said something to the effect of "Hey, what's up?" The 1Lt halted the flight, ripped into Ryan (who, BTW, was a prior service E-5) about customs and courtesies. Ryan response was "You're a Lt, so am I. I don't salute LTs at my base, and I'm sure as hell not going to here!" At which point, Ryan walked away. End of story? NOOOOOO! 1Lt Stickuphisbutt complained, and by the end of the duty day, word came down that all 2Lts would salute all 1Lts...something all the 1Lts insisted not happen. Long story short, the order came down, was ignored, and we didn't hear anymore of it in our last couple weeks there.

The language is clear and unambiguous, Specialists are not NCOs thus there is no requirement for them to do so.

Hell to the No! It only takes two years to become a SPC, its also entry level as well...

I once had a SPC team leader that I stood at parade rest for even when it wasn't needed because he was respectful in every way, smart and humane, he did not have to give an order twice or even have to think about it. I got sh1t done because of respect. He's now a SGT.

And there was THAT SPC, chubby, been in a little over 5 years... not going into any further details but hell, me and my battles were always trying to dodge this guy, taking our time with the PMCS, wont even look back. when he did got us to do something... you'd bet that was a long dragging day. I believe he's now separated when I PCS.

-When it comes to SPC and Privates, it's all on respect. You give respect, you get respect.

SFC (Join to see) so, I'm in my arms room and an SPC comes looking for a SGT, I'm behind the cage so he can't see my rank. As he is talking, I'm getting closer to him and he stand at Parade Rest, I told him, dude! you outrank me! And he answered me, oh! I thought you were a NCO, you are just old. #TrueStory He saw the future in me...

I have had privates stand at parade rest, but only if the specialist was the privates' team leader. He was there to supervise them, not be their friend. There has to be a separation. Having to stand at parade rest helped the Soldiers understand that Specialist Snuffy was not one of them and they had to treat him differently.

I once had a Cpt, (Ex-Enlisted) demand salutes while in field.... It's ridiculous and so is being at parade rest for a SP4, A Cpl, yes.