What do you do when a soldier refuses to listen to your directions?

I had a soldier not follow orders once, and only once... I believe he didn't want to follow my orders because I was a female NCO in charge. I basically told him he could follow said orders being that I'm being "nice" about it ( I took him off to the side to speak with him) and if he didn't like it I could get someone else (higher ranking) to give him the orders and they would not be so nice about it! Now it took him less than a second to think about it and follow thru w orders. I could make a big stink about him not following orders and go thru to the paper work shuffle or we could handle this like adults...

That this is even being asked as a question makes me so glad I am no longer in.....

Well in my day of the Army, there would be some wood line wall to wall counseling. In today's new Army I can't say much for what should be do. It seems that they want you to write him/her up. I can't give the best advise, but I know when a private told me no on deployment, let's just say a medic had to be called to aide the young private.

Where the hell is Gunny Highway when you need him?

Write him up and smoke the whole platoon for not squaring away their battle with special attention to said soldier.

First of all I would put it on paper and then proceed to put this pvt on every shit detail that 1SG needs done. I would then let my plt off early everyday for a week except for pvt disrespectful and myself would stay late doing corrective training...

I love to talk about giving him the bat but the truth is much more simple and much more non violent. For starters extra duty and take money but finding somewhere else to dwell is very close. We were always very laid back but when an NCO or an O said do something by God it better get done. If this was an issue it would be a new guy because anyone else already had a firm understanding in our line of work we did not have time for silliness. I explained to some of my JR guys that problems dont get better in a combat zone. I would tell the guys our business is deadly serious, time is not a luxury we had. Luckily we did not have those problems however that individual would not have lasted long. I would have done my best to get this person a job at the local donut shop or shoe store because the Military did not need people like that and I did not like sending my problems to someone else.

Run him till he pukes, then run him some more

He is the problem, you are an E-5 Sergeant in the United States Army and you need to ask people on social media how to control your soldiers. If you can't control your soldiers, then your Squad Leader Platoon Sergeant, Platoon Leader or Company 1SG and Company Commander should not only back you up with UCMJ type action, but also need to teach you how to do your job.

I am pretty sure this would qualify as a lawful order. In fact, the only orders they have the option of not following are orders that are expressly unlawful. The UCMJ always leans toward following orders, not ignoring orders. If this troop wants to openly refuse an order in the presence of the command, then you really have no choice to but step on his neck, for the betterment of the unit. He needs to get the concept that in formation the guy standing in front is in-charge of the formation and you do what you are told, even if it's just a matter of your appearance not standing out among the rest of the formation. If you don't, then plenty more will start doing their own thing as well and you don't have all day to deal with people doing their thing. That goes doubly for combat operations. At least that was how things went in the Corps.