When an E-4 calls me "hey" or "hey man" knowing that I am an officer, should I bother to correct him?

Do your job LT correct the young soldier so as he learns the correct way to conduct himself and same goes when you speak to them, first name is rank. It always infuriated my when a ranking soldiers and officers said call them by their first name. You are never off duty and never use first names only causes trouble down the road for all concerned. I worked hard for every rank I got in 22 years of service and I gave and wanted in return respect from all my soldiers and officers I served with.

This wouldn’t happen in the MC, we would get an ass chewing from hell.

So, would you have corrected his behavior if he worked for you? You are a Lt in the U.S. Army, the whole U.S. Army, not just in your work center. If this SPC hasn't figured out that the Customs of Service when addressing a senior are service wide, hell Armed Forces wide, then I think you missed a golden opportunity to increase the SPC's professional knowledge. Yours as well.

In the Marine corp you would have corrected him. Your are still in the military even when you wear civilian cloths, Officers are leaders. Leaders are respected. I'm sure he is not a home town buddie so correct the person. When I was in the Marine Corp 59-63, on okinawa I worked in the Ammo Dump office so I knew the 2n Lt. I worked around him every day. We would talk about many things, he called me stud because I went on liberty every chance I got. I always called him Sir when we were joking around. I Think He respected me because I respected him. I was also in the Army and I saw NCO.s arguing with officers. The Army discipline was more lax. Semper Fi.

Correct him, professionally.

Correct him on the spot. I served in Viet Nam as a helicopter pilot, and we got very close to our crew members. I saw some get too close and had to be corrected. Once while internally hauling new rotor blades in their boxes, I had a crew chief try to tell me had to fly the aircraft. I promptly took him aside (out of hearing of the rest of the crew) and had him come to attention and corrected him as to who was in command of the aircraft. Never had that issue again.

I was enlisted for 7 years (in the AF) before becoming a Warrant Office and later Commissioned Officer. While enlisted I always knew where the friendship stopped. As I was never their friend. I worked in a fighter Sq and got to fly back seat T-33 missions with all most all the IP's in the Sqrn and I never forgot to add sir while in the cockpit.

The fact that you are asking this question only represents the decadence of where our Military Strength now resides....

Yes. The military isn't a "job" job, it's a 24/7 way of life. Courtesies and deference don't cease to exist off-hours. Would it be okay for an officer to go out drinking and chasing skirts with "the troops" off-hours? I would imagine not.

Of course, the culture differs across service branches. I'm a former Jarhead, and given the Corps' slavish love of adherence to tradition *and* policy, I assume the way it was is largely how it exists today. Back in "The Old Corps" (which for me was 1987-1991...but it varies, depending on who's talking ;-) ) NCOs and officers were known to not only expect proper deference regardless of time and place, but it was not unknown for off-duty Marines to get corrected for "unsat" civilian attire.

My Dad was career, "old-school" Army. My cousins used to jokingly call him "Mr. Clean" because he'd show up to family cook-outs all cleaned, pressed, and well turned-out even when he was chillaxin'. A couple of older SNCOs in my day would expect Marines to show up looking proper to company keggers...though even they would often relax standards a bit after awhile (like to the point of having to be carried somewhere by junior enlisted).

A lot of guys used to gripe about stuff like "Why do we still have to shave in the field? We're out here in the dirt, we look like hell, be we gotta shave our mugs even when it's freezing cold! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?!?" It's about discipline. There are always plenty of excuses to let it slip, best practice is to try and police up as many as is practical to do so.

As a senior member of the "Mafia" I will say that that is uncalled for and should be shut down. Possibly if there is a close connection and off duty and off base, with the understanding that military decorum needs be followed at the appropriate time and place. NOT knowing the officer, that is OUT of bounds! Now that said, the "Mafia" is a bit looser with the NCO's, we all know how that works!!!!! :)!

I would suggest you identify his first line leader and mention the lack of customs and courtesy.