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

Familiarity breeds contempt and lack of respect ultimately breeds disrespect. Fix it now or fix it later...your choice but doing it later will be much more difficult for you and on him. Take him aside now in private and fix the problem.

The guide lines are already set, Lt. Jeff R.

Absolutely must correct him. Consider it a teachable moment to make him a better soldier. Failing to do so will result in him thinking that kind of familiarity is the norm. And someone else will jump down his throat for such behavior. So consider you doing him a favor. You don't need to jump on his case, you don't need to punish him. Address him as "Specialist" when you call him over, perhaps put him at Attention and then At Ease, and educate him as to the "rules" of conduct. Not difficult or confrontational.

It has been my experience coming up from E2 to recently retiring as a major that young officers tend to focus to much on 'being an officer' and not enough with leadership or their job. Rather than correct this soldier directly, respond with their rank and name every time. How are you dressed, how are you conducting your business, and representing the officer corps? Is the soldier truly wrong or is there something in the situation that makes them believe speaking to you like this is acceptable? Everything you do from the moment you awake to the moment TAPs is played people are looking at you. This soldier is in the wrong but why?

Ya Think?!?!?!

Yes, you need to make a correction. It's not a "just when we're at work" kind of thing.

CPT (Join to see) I don't know if this issue has been resolved, but I hope that it has. That said; it seems that this SPC likes you, and shows respect in uniform, so I doubt that he intended to disrespect you. Seeing you out in public, and not working directly with you, he may have realized he knew you, but forgot that you were an officer. Of course that is pure speculation on my part, but I saw it happen when I was a young A1C (E3).

You want to correct this sort of thing early, though. My advice is to approach him and remind him that you are an officer, and that he needs to remember that even when you are in civvies proper protocol is required. I wouldn't lock him up the first time. I would be polite, but firm, as though you are giving him instruction. You would be doing him a favor.

Good luck in your career, I hope that you become a successful leader. Seek advice from senior officers and NCO's who exhibit the effective leadership qualities that you admire. Become the leader that you would want to follow, not a boss that just gives orders, and you will go far. The officers that I served with that did these things became generals - and darned good ones!

Sir,
It has absolutely no bearing if he works for you directly, or indirectly Sir. It has no bearing if it is in, or out of uniform Sir. Though absolutely none of my business, do you refer to your superiors by "hey man" while outside of work, or in the office? The fact that you allowed this one time while in uniform is a failure on your part Sir. You have set the tone for anyone, and everyone that you allowed to see that happen the first time without doing anything about it. If you did say something about it the first time, and allowed it to occur several times after the fact is another failure on your part Sir. If you allow this type of insubordination, what else is being neglected?

Please feel free to reach out to me Sir. This recently retired U.S. Navy Master Chief would be more than happy to provide some pointers on how to set the tone on day one.

Officers refusing or failing to demand the respect their rank is due was often a problem I had prior to my retirement. I would even have general officers act embarrassed and tell my troops that it wasn't necessary to call the room to attention or otherwise acknowledge their presence. I would find myself having to correct these actions and explain to a high ranking officer that if their authority was to be ignored, what did this mean to mine or other senior NCOs? I agree you are definitely setting a new (lower) standard. Wake up instead of being woke!

hell yeah, and you dont have to be an asshole about it either, but yes