Similar to the E-2 question, how would you react to a young 2LT who is being unprofessional with a strong sense of entitlement?

Obliviously I can assume every answer would be lock his ass up and on.....but at same time even salty SGTMAJ are required to render salutes to the boots. Therefore the correct action depending on your rank, to grab your superior and allow the chain of command to handle it. 1st Sgt was my last line of defense before captain so I'd grab a witness Marine and get a plan. This can really bite you in ass depending on chain of command attitude at higher levels.

I think that every enlisted soldier has had problems with butter bars. I was in for only 2 years but had to deal with 2 of these assholes. but I have had good ones too. In Nam the bad one got good when he realised that he needed to work together with the rest of the squad. After returning to the states I had a real asshole. The only way to remedy the problem was to ETS, which I did. Now no more asshole butterbars in my life. I'm glad to have served But the military life wasn't for me.

I HATED CHEESE DCKIN' BUTTER BARS THAT THOUGHT THEIR DOODOO DIDN'T STINK AND I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TACTFULLY TELL THEM WHERE TO STICK THEIR PEDESTAL ATTITUDE. I WASN'T A SPC 4 3 TIMES FOR NO REASON OR WAS IT 4 I FORGET. THERE ARE JUST TIMES WERE YOU HAVE TO JUMP ON THAT GRENADE FOR THE SANITY OF THE REST OF THE PLATOON OR SQUAD. YOUR RANK MEANT NOTHING TO ME SO AS LONG AS YOU TREATED US WITH RESPECT AND MADE SURE WE TOOK CARE OF YOU AND YOU THE SAME. I HAD NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR THE RANK BUT NOT THE INDIVIDUAL DEPENDING ON HOW THEY CARRIED THEMSELVES. YOU COULD TELL WHO THE ONES THAT THEIR WIVES RAN ALL OVER THEM WERE BECAUSE THEY WOULD TAKE IT OUT ON US OR TALK TO US THE WAY THEY WISHED THEY COULD TALK TO THEIR SPOUSE OR PARTNER. OR THE ONES THAT HAD THEIR EGOS FAR UP THEIR BEHIND. WE ALL PUT ON THE UNIFORM ONE LET AT A TIME MAYBE 2 IF YOU ARE SITTING DOWN. SO DON'T CAME AT ME SIDEWAYS EXPECTING RESPECT IT IS EARNED. I HAD ONE NEW BOOTY BUTTER BAR THAT DIDN'T LIKE HOW I SOLDIERED HE WAS THE ONLY ONE THT DIDN'T TAKE A LIKING TO MY 8 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OVER HIM AND HOW I BUILT UP A REPOR WITH THE NCOs THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE, I MEAN HE WAS A MONTH IN AND HE HAD HIS RICH PREP SCHOOLBOY ATTITUDE WITH HIM STILL. REGARDLESS THEY MOVED HIM FROM OUR PLATOON BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER HE STILL RAN HIS MOUTH AND I PROCEEDED TO RUN IT RIGHT BACK CONSEQUENCES BE DAMNED, BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE I HELD MY COMPOSURE EVERY TIME WHILE HE LOST IT AND MADE SURE HE LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT HIS RANK WAS AND WHAT MINE WAS. AT THE END OF THE DAY ALL HE DID WAS BARK, IF HE WOULD HAVE PURSUED THE PAPERWORK ATTACK THEN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN SORRY FOR I HAD WITNESS AFTER WITNESS THAT COULD BACK MY STORY UP AND MADE SURE HE HAS POINTED A FINGER TOO. IT WOULD HAVE BROUGHT A BLACK EYE TO THE UNIT SO MUMS THE WORD.
I LEFT THE SERVICE WITH MY BACKBONE IN TACT BECAUSE I WAS A TACTFUL SOLDIER WHEN IT CAME TO RESPONDING TO UNPROFSSIONAL SOLDIER(S), NCOs AND or OFFICERS.

An O-1? Give the 2LT enough rope to strangle his career. I never hesitated to do that no matter the rank. The highest one I toppled like that was an O-6.

The first thing to remember is who you are. That sounds strange but when you address anyone of a higher rank, it is best to approach them never raising your voice, but possibly after you have saluted them say something like excuse me Sir, he or she will most likely respond. With their response you can judge what you should say next! If you find a uniform deficiency, or something that may possibly embarrass the individual, look at their name tag. You are going to use their name to your advantage! As an example: CPT, Staff Sargent etc., their name used, I have seen you before and you are very attune to Army Regulations. Others are looking at you for how they wear their uniforms. We are all professionals are we not? They will give you a quizzical look and may be ask what is up. This is where you can say something like can make a comment to you without upsetting you? Or Would you like to know something is wrong with your uniform? If they say sure, you can say we all have made minor mistakes but example " Your rank is upside down, would you like me to fix that" and if you can go ahead and fix it. If you cannot then they will probably tell you "Thank Your" and go to a tailor or whatever needed to be fixed and get it fixed. If they do not have time to talk with you, then you can casually say your rank is upside down, but just keep on walking, do not yell, do not make a lot out of it! WHY? You tried, You, were Professional, they have supervisors who will pounce on them and not be so kind as you were. The upside is if you plan to stay in the service, that person you tried to help may be your next CSM, Platoon Sgt, your commander, your Chief Warrant Officer! They will remember a voice that gave them a chance to fix an issue, who took time to help another professional. If that individual in the future is your evaluator and decided on whether you get a promotion or not ..... it goes on. As an Enlisted, Private to SFC, then became a Warrant Officer - Chief Warrant Officer. I always made an extra effort to salute those who outrank me according to my situation, I'm I in a professional school, In the Pentagon, I think you get the idea. If the mood of your organization makes it know that you are not to salute then at specific times or specific people then you do not have to salute as this may be combat situations, war games etc. Your series of rank may also hold a special value within a select group. You as a private do not have to salute CSM, but sometimes a good handshake is really appreciated and that personal acknowledgement "Good Morning CSM" it can bring a smile, Check Regulations for changes. Never, even when you are in a leadership position, yell at someone. Exceptions are very rare, but be were what you seed you feed and what you feed and come to haunt you another day! Good Luck!

How would I react to a 2LT being unprofessional with a strong sense of entitlement? Not very well I'm afraid. Once I made the on the spot correction, and the butter bar just blew me off, I would then remind said butter bar that he/she was setting a piss poor example of a soldier. Then I'd walk away, so as not to lose military bearing with an arrogant ass. Only once have I ever lost it with a 2LT, and that was when he told me, and I quote, "If NCOs were as smart as officers, then they'd be commissioned, too." It took a minute to realize this little shit was serious, and that's when I lost it. My response was "We are called the backbone of the Army for a damned good reason, and that reason is to keep our troops alive when dealing with an asshole like you. If NCOs were as stupid as 2LTs, then the casualty rates would be ten times higher" Got one of the most thorough and deserved ass chewings of my life for that one starting with the 1SG, then the Company CDR, then the SGM, then the BN Commander. Each one ended with that was completely out of character for you, and it better never happen again. I was lucky I didn't get NJP at minimum. It wasn't too long after the LT in question was "strongly encouraged" to resign his commission and find alternate employment.

I've had to correct a Major at a civilian/Federal training facility. He was in uniform, I was not. I identified myself, cited the somewhat blatant uniform issue. He made a lot of excuses, I stopped it right there and offered corrective actions. I later heard from a friend in his class that some asshole Colonel was giving him shit about his uniform. Even field grades can be unprofessional.

Although this should be an easy answer, it is not. My first urge would be to stifle my laughter at this arrogant little kid, as this would accomplish nothing of value. I would politely get his attention and explain my concern to him in the most respectful manner possible, while trying to mentally get him name. If he blew me off with what was stated in the question, I would then thank him for his time and move on. I would then take this to my chain and start the climb until I found someone who cared about this. I was in for 34 years and saw so many individuals who really should not have been in but sadly they somehow made it. I was not an officer, I have respect for them and the job they do, but would not want to be one. I have seen many like this with this type of attitude, and sadly many in the senior NCO ranks as well. My experiences with 2nd Lt's is much like; I would listen to their comments, orders, or whatever, thank them and then go do my job, my way, the way that works correctly, not what this untrained, inexperienced little kid told me how to do it. I have the pleasure of seeing CSM's flat out ignore them on many occasion with great delight. Not the right thing for the CSM to do but we all know how those pesky CSM's can be. I don't have an answer as to why they are like this other than they must be getting this air of superiority from the Officer training schools, is my only guess here. I have worked with and for officers that I would follow without question into hell and back, and with those whom I would almost vomit trying to listen to. You get all kinds in the big world of the military and you have to learn early on how to deal with them or just ignore it and move on. The one thing you must always remember is Be polite, Be respectful, and Be professional in dealing with these types, that way you will always come out of the encounter the bigger man.

Working in Communications and knowing that LT usually means L (OS) T ... The given the scenario, I would hinder/obstruct him in such ways that it looks accidental and when he opens his Mouth to say a disrespectful remark (let it not be Rap Music he is listening to). I would state, "Sir, unless that is an online course you are reviewing because you were too busy, I high recommend you take time off and re-evaluate your self centrist circumstances you just put yourself in. Every Field officer is the biggest liability on the war field, and forbid you are polluting your mind with RAP, "(AS)" Corrupt RAP is (CRAP), Try a different Operating System, (saying the sound "Oooh, Sooo") OS, you not so LOST. (If it is a West Point Grad), Sir, it makes no point to be the example you are, the concern liabilities within your Demonstrated Representation is like, What's the Point? Not even a Course Compass could save you from the Reprimand you so well deserve. So here is the Real Acronym of LOST, Lost On Stupid Thoughts, .. so you say, "Liability of Stupid Thoughts? Need help? You need us more than we really need you, is there a translation error? " ...

If a green butter bar latches onto your hide,and you don't submit, you're toast! He has no idea about the consequences and neither do you of what is allowable! Dont make eye contact and be professional as a soldier should be. Stand straight and don't make any gestures but be sure to only answer a question when asked in the quickest shortest manner possible. Maybe seeing you're willing to take a verbal beating without trembling will gain traction and he'll leave. Never try to explain yourself because it's not in his interest to allow you!