Posted on Oct 21, 2019
When you’re a PVT or PV2 in charge of soldiers who rank higher than you, does it get frustrating?
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I’m only asking because I don’t know if I might be put into a leadership position early on in my military career. I want to prepared as much as possible by asking you guys.
Team Leader
Squad Leader
Leadership
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 26
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Usually this sort of thing doesn’t happen, but occasionally it does. What my old 1SG use to do was, some days he’d step to the side and allow his junior enlisted soldiers to take charge of the formations during battalion and regular company formation. Some didn’t like it, but at the end of the day YOU HAVE TO RESPECT THE POSITION. It may be frustrating but think about how the person that’s in charge at the time may feel. You’ll hear some folk say this true statement “it’s not about the rank, it more about the position one holds that gets the most respect”.
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SFC (Join to see)
I was put the section sergeant SFC position as an SPC 4. The 3 SGT', all E-5's, didn't want to do the paper work that involves food service. This was back in 1992. I did it for 1 year until we reorged to a Battalion Mess. The Company CO gave me an AAM for the job I did.
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SSG Armand Caron
Fielding new equipment (signal) a Wobbly 2 told a young Corporal to get some troops and do a police call. Three of us sitting there doing paperwork and this Corporal came up to us and told us we need to come with him and do a police call. We were all Sp6's, I outranked the SSG Plt Sgt. It wasn't so much that the young man was only an E4, it was his attitude that he was considered an NCO and we were only Specialists. I politely suggested this young man find someone he outranked and complete his mission.
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CPT William Jones
SSG Armand Caron - You said E-4, Sis you mean corpral? I was in when we had specialist all the way to E9.And specialist regardless of which one are on the same order of warrants and commissioned officers The lowest hard stripe NCO outranks every Specialist in tne army. The newest )-1 outranks the most senior warrant in the Army That is the facts. Now a very Jr nco Or commissioned officer might choose to listen and maybe learn something but specialist you do not nor did not outrank anion commissioned officer. Also just for kicks this new 2nd LT outranks every enlisted or warrant is the US Army.This has lead some new 2 lt into a little trouble but it is a fact.
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SSG Armand Caron
A 2Lt outranks a SGM, what do you think the outcome of this butterbar trying to get a SGM to do something that wasn't in his preview? It's not the perceived authority it's the respect. Is it legal, sure. Should you do it, no probably not a wise decision.
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Don’t expect It to last forever. Don’t go on a power trip. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes to remind more senior soldiers that they’re being slackers. Sometimes because you know more about the task at hand(ie construction or carpentry experience before the military). Remember toes you step on can be connected to a butt you will have to...well you get the idea.
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SPC (Join to see)
I was in charge of my fellow 91B's when I was a PV2. It was because I was more experienced and was more knowledgeable than even our E6's.
Sometimes rank doesn't mean ability to lead. I joined late in life. I've held higher positions in the civilian world.
Sometimes rank doesn't mean ability to lead. I joined late in life. I've held higher positions in the civilian world.
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