What Was Your Best Experience With a Superior While Serving? Share and Be Entered to Win!

When my EO called the cutter while I was on duty and had me relieved from duty at midnight to join everyone in downtown Ketchikan, AK for my 21st birthday knowing we were going to be at sea for a while. She was the best Officer I ever worked with.

In Okinawa, 1974, a SSGT, me, and several L/CLP's worked together to turn around our Platoon. We became the #1 platoon in the company. As a result the entire company caught the "Gung-Ho!" we started and the "Esprit De Corps" grew exponentially. The company followed our platoon's example. Many of us got meritorious promotions.
We were the First platoon to March In Formation for the 3-5 miles to our work building 'Across the Highway' from the base. Yes, we even stopped traffic for the platoon to march across the highway.

Having my COL tell to shut up and sit down in a staff briefing- that it was His turn to be an Asshole!

Checked into a new unit and I was trying to fix the mess the previous person in my spot left. It was the middle of the second week and the CWO I worked for said "MSgt, I'm bored...". I couldn't believe it. I definitely wasn't bored. I was trying to fix everything. I said "OK, Sir. I'll play your game, why are you bored?". He answered "because you're doing all the work I was doing". I sat there dumbfounded because he had so much of his own work that he should have been doing but was doing the MSgt's work because it wasn't being done and things were far from where they were supposed to be. It was great because we got to set boundaries and lanes of effort and I got to mentor an amazing Officer and we (and the unit), were all better for it and we made great advances at that unit. We are still great friends to this day and there were many more great adventures that were had.

Although he was not much higher in rank than myself, he was nonetheless, my superior in 1963-1965. He was the squad leader of the weapons squad of which I was a member. Cpl Gartman was unique in the sense that he was one of the newest members of the company and one of the oldest. Cpl Gartman had served 16 years in the Marine Corps, had a break in service and came back to finish his 20+ in the Army. Cpl Gartman was a member of the 1st Marine Division and participated in and was wounded in the battle of Iwo Jima. He was one of the most decorated members of 1/51st Infantry, 4th Armored Div. He was always on the reviewing stand during parades, the Battalion Commander, the XO, the Battalion CSM & Cpl Gartman. Anyway that's the back story. As far as experiences, there are way to many to cover here but suffice it to say he was an experience just knowing him. Later, as my time in the Army moved forward , the one person who was always right there guiding my actions, especially in Vietnam, was Cpl Beazel Gartman. I learned more about the military & life in general from him than anyone else during my 9 years of service.

I was stationed in Alaska as a young TSgt/E-6 (pinned it on a few months after arriving). A few months after returning from a very long deployment, I was selected to go to a conference at Hickham AFB, Hawaii with one of our squadron SNCO's (MSgt Ski. At least that is what everyone called him because nobody could pronounce his name). It was great TDY. I learned a lot from the conference, but in reality, I learned more from MSgt Ski. Every night after the conference, we grabbed dinner and had a few drinks on the beach. We would sit back and talk about various things. He gave me a lot of great advice. After we got back, I would swing by his office for some mentoring from time to time. And he would come out and see me. I learned a lot from him.

My Capt. Richard Gregg & I became good friends-about as close as two army guys can be without Fraternization. But he showed me how to be confident in myself and to stand up for what's right. I was reassigned to another base and we lost contact; but I'll always be grateful for the trust he always showed to me, both personally and professionaly.

Sitting on top of a bunker, smoking a cigar with my Master Gunnery Sergeant, watching a poorly executed rocket attack on our position, talking about his time in Vietnam.

Finding out that most them were "regular" people and didn't think they were better

Hunter Army Airfield, more than a couple years ago, I had a younger Captain that had recently fathered a child. Being the Supply Sergeant I was working late trying to get things in order for our upcoming deployment. The orderly room lights were on and upon investigating I found the Captain still working. I looked at him and him and said 'kid, go home and spend time with your new baby before we deploy.' The Captain looked at me and said 'old man, I don't take work home.' We had a good laugh about it and went home to our respective wives. I kept his books straight and we got along pretty damned well.