Posted on Sep 19, 2022
SSG Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic
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I am in the Army Reserve and this past weekend my unit and I went to the range. While at the range, I was told that one of my AGR E5 NCOs was being very disrespectful and unprofessional towards other NCOs and Officers while he was a range safety. Afterwards, my SFC supply sergeant asked him if he cleaned his weapon and he stated that he was not going to clean his MFing weapon. The SFC brought this to my attention and I said I would handle it. Later on, when I saw him again, I has him put away some items he was carrying and instructed him to bring his weapon while we walked to a secluded area. I had my LT platoon leader come with me. While I was doing this and trying to talk to him, he continuously interrupted me and was not treating me like his senior. I put him at the position of attention then told him to get in the front leaning rest position and he said he wasn't going to effing do that. I said great, let's go see the CSM. The CSM sided with him and said I escalated things too quickly (he said this with my E5 right there). He then said that he hold his AGR Soldiers at a higher standard than just a regular reservist. My brain was boiling... Doesn't take any consideration to my prior active time, my deployment, my rank, my leadership history.

I understand I might have escalated quickly but don't demean me in front my my Soldiers. I was going to have him in the front leaning rest while I calmly talk to him. I just wanted him to be uncomfortable while I explain what professionalism is and what the NCO Creed stands for and that I won't tolerate one of my NCOs disrespecting other NCOs or Officers.

Was I wrong in what I was doing? Am I too old school for today's Army? How could I have handled things differently? Now he probably thinks he is untouchable...

Update: So that individual got promoted and is awaiting transfer. He and I talked about what happened and he apologized for how he reacted. I just left it at that. I understand where I went wrong and if something like that happens again, I will be more prepared with having paperwork ready to escalate.

To give a little more insight on my unit, we are essentially the command part of a larger unit which we oversee. Similar to an HQ or HHC. It's hospital unit and we're the hospital center. Those of you who've been in a hospital unit, you probably understand the unique dynamic. With that being said, my position is basically the 1SG but with a squad sized element. My next higher up is the CSM, which is why I went to him instead of a 1SG.
Edited 2 y ago
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A1C Beverly Briscoe
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I believe you did the right thing by having someone else with you when you approached the individual who was wrong for disrespecting anyone. The CSM was wrong in every way, and that individual should not have been promoted. The CSM owes you a huge apology.
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SP5 Michael Lewis
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Absolutely you were not wrong. It sounds like the service member should not have even been in the military. I had to do a lot of things that I might not wanted to do, but in the military, I called it ODAA (other duties as assigned). That is just the way it was and hopefully still is. There are some in the military that are not cut out for service. For the good of the service, they should be discharged. If they did nothing wrong, incompatible, it should be honorable, (with some of the things listed in the problem above) he should have been discharged under other than honorable! Just my opinion. If you don't have cohesiveness, then you have troublecoming!
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SFC Byron Perry
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You have a poor chain of command.
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SFC William Sutherland III
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As a Senior Platoon Leader, I generally would side with you. But since your CSM noted this behavior in front of the soldier, I would have told the CSM later that this decision grossly undercut yours. As an E7 or even MSG, you are leading those soldiers, and discipline is destroyed by him siding on behalf of the other. Even if he did side with that E5, it should have been between the two of you.
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MSG Asp Manager/ Warehouse Supervisor
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In my experience most AGR soldiers think they are untouchable. Hell they hold NCO positions and 99% of the time they don't even work with in their platoon. They forget they have positions in a platoon and they should train and work within that platoon while at drill not sitting at their desk like it's a weekday. Your not wrong the CSM is wrong if he felt u were unprofessional or out of line he should have pulled you aside
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SPC (Other / Not listed)
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Doesn't the CSM have a superior? Couldn't you talk with this person about the incident and how the CSM handled things? especially the dressing down in front of the E-5 that you received? it's inappropriateness?
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that crap would not have been tolerated when I was in.respect...that's a no brainer
SGM G 37 Sgm
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The military is not the appropriate career path for individuals who refuse to execute the lawfully directed orders of their senior NCO’s. Your CSM was wrong in correcting you in front of the SGT, he has diminished your ability to effectively lead and direct your subordinates. I am more than certain that your E-5 was more than happy to share with his buddies on how you got corrected by the CSM. Ways to move forward, learn from the poor example your CSM provided and ensure that you don’t repeat those very mistakes.
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SSG Carlos Madden
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This is pretty messed up. From the SGT and especially the CSM. Hopefully the CSM sided with the SGT behind closed doors but still messed up. Sometimes AGR soldiers think they're above their pay grade because they're AGR and have a different standard. It's pretty crazy but I've seen it more times than one.
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SPC James Fitzpatrick
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Sorry, sorry state the Army has come to. Back in THE DAY, that guy would be in the stockade in a blink!
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