Posted on Feb 17, 2017
MAJ Company Commander
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Here's the background. You are an experienced Soldier. You walk in to the commissary to see a young 2LT shopping with a headset on. You professionally and politely get the 2LT’s attention and address the deficiency. They blatantly are rude, dismiss your comment, and tell you that those rules do not apply to him as an officer. Whether you are an Officer or Enlisted, how do you react?
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SSG Guy Gould
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Edited >1 y ago
Provided the lieutenant was in uniform at the time, my response, at the point where the lieutenant became unprofessional and he forfeited his position and authority, would have been, "Sir, I appreciate your candor. However AR 670-1 applies to you just like it applies to everyone else" all the while noting his unit patch, name, and shooting a video on my cell phone for his commander.

Apparently, this Second Lieutenant had not been properly run in. The last Second Lieutenant that was welcomed into a platoon that I was a part of found his desk chained to the outside of the company area per orders of the platoon sergeant. When the lieutenant asked about his desk, the platoon sergeant said he could move it back in to the office when he provided evidence that he would be a welcomed asset to the platoon (a team player).
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FN Charlie Spivey
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We picked up a newly minted Ensign out of the Acadamy while we were in Vietnam. On the way home, we were coming up on the International Dateline. We had also picked up a couple of Enlisted personnel as well, none of which had crossed the Dateline before, or at least while aboard ship. They were considered as having sneaked in the back door and would have to unbdergo the initiation as we all did. It went fine for the Enlisted guys, there were two I think, but the Ensign decided that he was above all of that and really pitched a fit. It go so bad, that the Captain secured it ( the two enlisted had been done ). When we got home, it wasn't long before he got transferred. Word had it that it was to some Isolated LORAN Sta. in the middle of no where. Hopefully the one outside of Thule Greenland.
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SSG Terminal Operations Nco
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NCO here. Be polite, respectfully remind him that he is setting a poor example for his soldiers, and carry on. If I could get his name and unit, I would tell my Sergeant Major, and let him handle that; as I work at a battalion, our Sergeant Major as direct access to our CO, a Lieutenant Colonel.
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
CPT Aaron Kletzing
4 y
Love this answer!
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SGT Jim Arnold
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my thought is this. mentoring Pvt's and 2lt's, you do this by being courteous and polite without being confrontational or as others have stated being professional. You get more from honey than vinegar. You dont have to be an asshole to make corrections. With the 2lt you tell him that I as a NCO enforce the standards he as the officer sets the example. If he doesn't get it, its on him/her, its their career.
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SPC Daniel Rankin
SPC Daniel Rankin
8 y
Is that why you are hiding your identity? So you will not hurt your carreer? Part of your career sgt is carrcting errant 2lts also. Now sit on the egg and see if it does not crack. A lazy sgt does not get anywhere fast.
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SGT Jim Arnold
SGT Jim Arnold
8 y
SPC Daniel Rankin - its not hidden if you get verified. Your post would have some meaning if it was in coherent English
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SPC Daniel Rankin
SPC Daniel Rankin
8 y
I do speak coherent English sgt. it is a disease that makes it hard to type correctly at times. You do not believe maybe in integrity? I do. so watch your self okay? I do not like my intergrity questioned. I has hurt badly in the desert Storm and have a nerve disorder to show for it. Now please show respect for your elders if nothing else.
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SGT Jim Arnold
SGT Jim Arnold
8 y
SPC Daniel Rankin - chill out I was there also I never questioned your integrity. All I said is get verified and you can see my profile. I'm not going to change my options for anyone. As far as 2lts you cannot correct the same ways as you can enlisted , they are officers which are afforded respect as such. you must use tact and reasoning with both to accomplish your goals
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MSgt Brian Williams
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If he out ranked me and didn't respond to my comments, I'd find the first officer senior to him and ask, Sir, when were headphones authorized to wear in uniform? See I didn't think so. I tried to tell 2LT Dumbshit over on aisle 2 because he's walking around this commissarry right now wearing headphones. He doesn't want to listen to me so...
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SPC Sean Martin
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First of all, I would not have said anything because it doesn't directly effect me. During my job, while in, I had a few 2nd and 1st LT's question whether I was doing something correct, or if I tried any certain way to correct whatever I was doing. I would always respond with, " Sir with all do respect, If you have thought of it chances are I have too; Thank You" ...and continued on. I found that most just wanted to learn what I was doing, and how I thought.
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CW3 Tim McCarthy
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It's very easy to give the text book answer here, but as a good leader,, it is our responsibility to find out why he has this attitude. He may belong to a poor led unit which condones this type of behavior. If true, is it his fault he's been trained by the piss poor behavior of his superiors? Remember, he's a 2nd LT, not worldly, nor wise. Maybe his NCO support chain has neglected their responsibility by ostracizing this young LT because they think he's an asshole. I've seen it before. More times than I'd like to count. It is important to remember that most, if not all, of these young officers held "BMOC" (Big Man On Campus) status just a few months ago. It takes time to adjust to being low man on the totem pole. Some rebel. I've known plenty of young cocky lieutenants who I would have bet a dime to a doughnut wouldn't amount to a pile of crap, that I was proud to salute as Colonels and Generals when I retired 21 years later. So, here's the answer: Correct, train, follow up. That's all that can be asked of a good leader. It will be up to him to toe the line. His success and failure is fully on his shoulders if we, as good leaders, do our job. Oh, one more thing, the military is not for everyone. Don't take it personal if he elects to fail.

RESOLUTE
CW0 (Retired)
Timothy McCarthy
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SGT Byron Labadie
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I would roll him out like wholesale carpet. ( I am 60 years old now, and short on nom-sense). In reality, I would probably go on about my business and let a flag officer notice him. It will be at that point that he will learn. I was a enlisted member, I doubt I could help the man get his synapses to fire correctly.
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SGT Randall Smith
SGT Randall Smith
8 y
We used to call that a Mickey Mouse Reg. and I really would not care or take the time to comment on it. It would not be worth the hassle or the head ache. Every one hears about the E-4 Mafia? There is also one for 01's and 02;s. This Lt says thank you Sgt and goes on his way. He calls his buddy 1Lt John and says, "you know what one of your soldiers did to me?" And now the shit details start. You are going to pay and pay for what you did.
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SrA Sheri Wooldridge
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I'm retired. So I tell him to kiss my...!
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SFC Caretaker
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In my experience in having to deal with un professional CO (not just butter bars), usually the attitude and unprofessionalism can be carried down from the upper chain of command.
No disrespect to higher ranking COs in this thread, but a lot of them "toy" with butter bars just as much as NCOs mess with new incoming PVT, PVC so on and so fourth.
Every soldier has someone above him/her who they have to follow orders from. Some times their privileged attitude is purposely incouraged to test their readiness to be a leader of the unit and not there to make friends.

But, there are a few of those hot head that come in swinging old Lucy on a stick who think their shit don't stink!... lol... that's just my thoughts on it. Thanks for sharing MAJ (Join to see)
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