Today's Respect in the military for seniors

Perhaps you should check out the moral values the general populace of the USA has today. We live in a "oh well anything goes" society and it's probably bleeding over into the military ranks as well.

The world has changed in the civilian world also. I don't see it changing back in my lifetime. Some of change is good some not so good.

I had one E2 talk to me disprectfully in my first assignment, I had another tell me, 'do you know what he said?, look at your rank man.' I then went back and he said 'I thought I told you..' I said,'uh, check your rank and mine, son' Then went to his superior. That was all there was to it. Today though? I would play it the same. If I got written up? Well that's another post.

I remember I got a little to "buddy buddy" with my platoon sergeant once. We spent a lot of time working together after 9/11, long hours, small office, we got to know each other pretty well. With the hours we were working, I'd let him shower and crash in my barracks room, he'd bring snacks and meals for me. As a young PFC, hell, as a young person, I mistook the camaraderie, mentorship and working relationship as friendship. I don't remember what I said or did, but I crossed the line one day, with witnesses. They looked at me, then at him. He pulled me aside and explained "life" to me. At the end he said to me, "we can be friendly, but we aren't friends. Maybe later in your career that can change."
It was a very important lesson that served me well.

SFC Boatwright, you just literally answered your own question with the last sentence of your post. Most Senior NCO's (and even some junior NCO's) are scared to do any correction because anything they do may be taken in a negative way and any complaint to highers can possibly result in QMP and their careers are done, and the Junior Enlisted are keying in on this like lawyers to a car accident. Self preservation.