Most challenging person you have ever served/worked with?? (no name dropping)

2015-09-22T09:49:57-04:00

Let's vent

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 9:53 AM

2015-09-22T09:53:57-04:00

Me. I was a pain in the ass as an enlisted medic and continue to be a burr in the saddle. I am my own best friend and my own worst enemy. I am not sure what we benefit from by discussing the runner-up for this category.

Response by CSM Carl Cunningham made Sep 22 at 2015 10:05 AM

2015-09-22T10:05:09-04:00

Brigade CSM's. I had one that just did not know what was going on, nor did he care.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 10:11 AM

2015-09-22T10:11:40-04:00

A few another spc in my last unit came from division in Korea to my infantry battalion and had a big head about everything finally got it through when we did the woodland walk. Now would be some others who in my current unit I won't name but I tend to just do only what's told then play stupid, amazingly it works

Response by SGT David T. made Sep 22 at 2015 10:35 AM

2015-09-22T10:35:40-04:00

Me after I was stop lossed.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 10:57 AM

2015-09-22T10:57:32-04:00

Ah. Been waiting for this or a similar thread but now I need to collect my thoughts to not out anyone.

I have had a boss, let's call him Ben, who seemed intent on my failure. It probably stemmed from me publicly disagreeing with him in front of his own boss. To be fair I shouldn't have done it, but our Commanding Officer specifically asked my opinion on something I was a subject matter expert in after "Ben" had given his (completely incorrect) opinion as if it was fact. I chose (possibly unwisely) to be honest. I was not rude in any ways and I even gave him an out regarding why he may have though differently.

The long story short is that as a result of this encounter, Ben looked for ways to make me publicly look bad, including chastising me in emails that he copied our senior enlisted advisers, other officers that were his peers, my peers, and my subordinates. Luckily for me, none of them took it seriously, but it was very hard not to lash back. He was even telling me I had failed to do things that were sitting in his inbox (email or physical) waiting for his signature. I tread lightly and survived his reign, but it was a VERY difficult 11 months. I spend approximately 13-14 hours a day at work during that time, for a job that really only took me 5-7 just to make sure that he didn't have any grounds for complaints. Our Commanding Officer confided in me that he kept asking for me to be fired, so I wanted to make sure that there was absolutely no grounds, ever, for this to happen.

The end result was that his replacement (I hadn't switched jobs yet) was the complete opposite and actually valued my input and experience, even asking me to take on some of his responsibilities.

We must be careful not to give people who are out to get us, reason and validity to their complaints.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 10:58 AM

2015-09-22T10:58:22-04:00

Mine is all the contractors I have to work with.. No matter how you break it down to them they still will not admit they are wrong or did anything wrong. Some of the DAC's too. Its crazy we are all supposed to be on the same team but its a never ending fight all the time..

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 10:59 AM

2015-09-22T10:59:52-04:00

Oh man. Where to begin. Let's just say this CPT(P) (just merely waiting for his number to be called to pin MAJ) was sent to us from his previous assignment because he and his family received death threats and his car was set on fire.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 11:24 AM

2015-09-22T11:24:49-04:00

My Squad Leader...She was so Hot...It was Hard (no pun intended) being professional!

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Sep 22 at 2015 11:49 AM

2015-09-22T11:49:34-04:00

Ah... yes. Capt "Miller" - MP CoCO. Let's say his Company kept my maintenance guys overly-busy. Seems his Marines didn't like to obey the rules of the road when driving their Hummer's like Mad Max. To this, his equipment readiness was always below acceptable --mostly as most of his vehicles where in my maintenance bays. Overly worried that this was "popping" on the BnCO's reports, he made it a habit to go directly to my wrench-turners and prod to "when" his vehicle would be back to ready. I had to repeatedly explain to him that his interference with my Marines work would only serve to delay their repairs. He spent more time in my office than I did! I could go on with this character. He was a 2ndLt trapped in a Captain's uniform.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Sep 22 at 2015 11:54 AM

2015-09-22T11:54:29-04:00

Three ships I served in were hard. In the first, the Chief Engineer was extremely hard to work for; he had been a junior officer on the same ship, and had a chip on his shoulder besides. I heard from folks on a CG where he was CO that he hadn't changed one bit...

The second one, it was the CO. He was unhinged, and it showed. A lot of officers got fired or otherwise hurt by him (careerwise) including myself.

In the third, as Radiological Controls Officer on a repair ship, we went through a Naval Reactors audit (the toughest inspection for a nuclear repair facility). The CO and Repair Officer were not nuclear experienced or trained, and they thought I was horrid, because of the report we got. When informed that we were the ONLY tender in a two year period to get a full one year ticket from NR (the others got six month or provisional tickets) they were unmoved...

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 11:59 AM

2015-09-22T11:59:50-04:00

The jelly-spine G6 that never fully understood things once we went from circuit switch communications to IP. He tried to micromanage, made his Majors fight one another, and took me along everywhere he went so no one could pull the wool over his eyes. I didn't undermine him and did my best to translate tech speak to idiot but at what point did the world realize that this was an effective Signal officer and promote him to LTC?

Response by MSgt James Mullis made Sep 22 at 2015 12:01 PM

2015-09-22T12:01:04-04:00

I once worked for a Lt Col who, for 28 days out of the month was a brillant, thoughtful, dynamic leader. But for one or two days out of the month he would just go crazy and attack someone. I could never tell if he was actually insane or just liked to keep people on his toes (his call sign was Rude after all). One day, upon returning to the office from a training course which I was co-teaching, he marched me into his office where he had two Security Policeman standing by to read me my rights. The jist of his accusation was that I was malingering and should have stayed in the office to answer the phones (FYI: We had a civilian secretary and active duty admin person in the offive to answer the phones). What he did not realize was that I had been told to help with the course by my direct supervisor a GS-12. The next morning, I returned to work and he had "forgotten" the entire previous day. Not "oops sorry about that", to him it never happened. On the other hand he put me in for two MAJCOM awards (which I recieved) and an MSM (which was downgraded to an AFCM).

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 1:20 PM

2015-09-22T13:20:20-04:00

I once had a Squadron CSM that, while my company (the ENTIRE company) was in the field for a week, he decided to do a barracks walkthru and when we got back we got our butts handed to us because we didn't clean his barracks.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Sep 22 at 2015 2:02 PM

2015-09-22T14:02:45-04:00

Chesty Puller January 1955 - August 1955..

.We all loved Chesty but he did institute changes to our training regime at Camp Geiger that were very tough. We were all pissed at Chesty and looked forward his retirement. But then he issued orders that Staff NCOs were invited to his Retirement Party at the Camp Lejeune Staff NCO Club...then we thought Chesty could no wrong..
We also watched his testimony at the Congressional Hearings about training at Parris Island after the Ribbon Creek tragedy when an alcoholic Staff Sergeant McKeon marched his platoon into a river that was much too deep for them with weapons and full field transport packs..

Chesty warned about making too many changes at Parris Island because he thought the Marines in Korea in 1950 were not in the best of shape after Boot Camp.. Or in the shape he wanted, lean & mean ..

Response by SGT Christopher Churilla made Sep 22 at 2015 2:37 PM

2015-09-22T14:37:16-04:00

A co-worker insulted me on a personal level EVERY SINGLE DAY in the four months we worked together. If there hadn't been a chaplain on base I could talk do, I might have hurt myself or him or maybe both.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Sep 22 at 2015 2:55 PM

2015-09-22T14:55:35-04:00

A-BOLC Classes '11-'13.....friggen butterbars!!!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 2:58 PM

2015-09-22T14:58:11-04:00

Had a Soldier keep getting in trouble for being late, DUIs over the counter meds, not working, sleeping thru work after lunch, ect ect ect. Chain of command did nothing g about it. All counselings were done, tickets police reports ect ect but they allowed the medical personnel take over and they kept him there for over a year. Flicked him on the back of the head one day and they reported me (I know I should have not done that), but chain of command said it was my fault. OkY that's fine but they should have moved me or him before when I asked but they said no one wanted him. Stressed bilt up having to deal with daughter with cancer, and this kid. Lucky I only flicked him. Really wanted to just punch him.

Did my corrective training and they still did not move him or my self. They said just deal with it.

Sorry that's my vent.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Sep 22 at 2015 3:18 PM

2015-09-22T15:18:07-04:00

OOOOOOOOOps Sorry SSG Schell I missed the (No name dropping)

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Sep 22 at 2015 3:31 PM

2015-09-22T15:31:42-04:00

Arrived at Ft. Stewart from RoK in late '99 as a SSG, shortly after arriving got a new CO, CPT "Pistachio" in the company. He instituted a new plan of attack on our weekly motorpool maintenance which in and of itself made sense and worked well. Bout 5 months into his "reign of stupidity", I was acting PSG and made the mistake of not looking at the training schedule to "know" what week of maintenance we were on that day. In the mp that morning, he asked one of our new SGTs that had transferred from one of the other companies the past week if he knew what week we were on, I interjected myself and reminded the CO that he hadn't been there long enough to "know" the system yet, and the CO asked me. I was totally honest and said "Sir, I didn't check the training schedule this morning, so I do not know." His response was "Well how can you conduct proper PMCS then?!", I informed him "Sir I have last weeks 5988-E and the -10 from which I merely start at check one and go from there." . He responded "There's no way you can perform a proper PMCS in 4 hours that way, you must be one of them maintenance gods I hear about!" I said "No sir, but I have been doing this for 12+ years now and know how to properly PMCS my tank!" That afternoon my brand new PL says that the CO will probably be down in the morning to go over your tank with you to see if you properly PMCS'd it, no problem I said. Well the next day at 1130, just as we are getting ready to depart for chow, he shows up with the maintenance team chief from another company and informs me that I will remain in the mp until the maintenance chief is done "checking" my tank out. Turned into the team chief conducting a TI of my tank as opposed to a regular PMCS, so he comes out of the tank around 1530ish with 2 full 2404s and a third one half filled out. 1630 I get called into the COs office with my PSG and PL, along with the 1SG as well and begin to get reamed by the asshat as he waves the 2404s in the air and I don't know how to do my job, yadda yadda yadda. I ask to speak and he shuts me down with "You'll speak when I am done.", jumps on the new PL about me blowing smoke up his fourth point of contact about not checking the training schedule and the PL could only say "Sir, if SSG Swartz says he neglected to check the training schedule, I have to believe him in that he didn't check the training schedule!", for that he got the "You are in trouble for not backing me 2LT stare." Finally I was allowed to speak and I pretty much let loose without losing my bearing, totally, "I asked him how I was blowing smoke up his ass first off?!" and he blathered on about the training schedule, I said " Yes sir, I fully and freely admitted to you I was wrong in that aspect, so again how did I blow smoke??". No response. Then I tore his world apart as far as maintenance goes, "Sir, what you had done to my tank today by SSG Davis was a TI, totally different from a -10 PMCS, for instance, by the -10 check #3 that he has written down as a fault is not, the check states, check the quick-disconnect pin to ensure that you can not pull it out without depressing the button on the pin. He has it written up as a fault because it is missing the retaining chain, not a fault by the -10. Check #8 that he has written up because the external fire suppression handle doesn't have lacing wire and lead seal is no longer a fault because the handle has been changed and has a "claw-like" clip that no longer requires the lacing wire and seal." I told him, 80% of what he has written up as being a fault is not a fault per the -10 for PMCS, for a TI which is a -20 level check yes, but not for the operator level checks. The other 20% are items that either were already noted on my previous week's 5988-E or I discovered during my PMCS the day before." At this point he proceeds to tell me, even though I have shown him that by Army Maintenance Standards, IAW the -10 for my tank that I know what I am doing, "That in the case of the pin for check #3 that because there is no chain, in his eyes it's a fault and I am wrong, and must be one of those 60% Soldiers, that does just enough to get by." At this point I stopped talking altogether because I knew at that point that it didn't matter that I was correct and I knew what I was doing, in his eyes and his mind I was wrong, regardless of the fact that Big Army standards were followed. Guy was that biggest asshat I ever had the displeasure of serving under, and when I was offered the opportunity to interview for an SGL position at PLDC the next week, I jumped on it with a quickness. 7 months later when the company was deployed to Bosnia, he was relieved of his command and banished to the DIV G3 as a flunky, because he was that incompetent and not trusted by anyone.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Sep 22 at 2015 4:17 PM

2015-09-22T16:17:04-04:00

My Dad. I could not do anything right or fast enough. He could be a SOB sometimes. He taught me much as a result. Made me the stubborn person I am today.....

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Sep 22 at 2015 7:51 PM

2015-09-22T19:51:04-04:00

The first female 1SG in a Division MP Company. I was a PSG and we butted heads for a bit. She was TRADOC and I was FORSCOM. She wanted to give my platoon a mission and tell me how to do it. After a while she figured out I was going to do the mission how I wanted to (unless mission dictated how to do it). We ended up working great together once she accepted me doing it my way. I messed up a few times but she let me learn from my mistakes. She was my best 1SG.

Response by CSM Michael Poll made Sep 24 at 2015 11:45 AM

2015-09-24T11:45:05-04:00

When I was a 1SG, I had a Company Commander that basically told me that she did not need me and I was to stay out of her way and she would run the Company. I did my job and she would go behind me and berate me to the Soldiers and told me to stay in my office. One day the BN CSM came to me to "destroy" me because I was not "engaged" as the 1SG. When I showed her my notes and emails from the CO CDR, her eyes opened really wide and she left. Within a few HRS, I had a new CDR.... funny how things work out sometimes....

Response by CW3 Eric W. S. made Sep 24 at 2015 11:45 AM

2015-09-24T11:45:48-04:00

Had a young 2LT come to my unit, just out of Military Intelligence Officer Basic Course. This young man decided to inform me that "I was a squad leader at West Point, I know everything an NCO should do." Needless to say, this young LT did not win me over from the start.

Next would be a VERY close second on that list would be the Platoon Sergeant that decided, when I was a young E-3, to put me at the position of parade rest, religiously "lay hands on me", and pray for me. I will tell you, it was all I could do not to throw him out the window of his office.

I have had others, typically while I was assigned to multi-component units that did not like my active duty style of work, particularly when the Reservists had to work during the week. I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing people, but just as many need to be on this list.

Response by SSG Ricardo Marcial made Sep 24 at 2015 1:06 PM

2015-09-24T13:06:46-04:00

Cpt, Oklahoma National Guard, Ego the size of HETT hauling an Abrahms , mind the size of a peanut

Response by SSG John Erny made Sep 24 at 2015 1:10 PM

2015-09-24T13:10:56-04:00

SPC Stinky! This was during my guard time, SPC Stinky did not have a car, an needed a ride to drill and home. For some reason I got the job at times. This being more true during the very cold winter months. Many times I would make him ride in the bed of my pickup because I could not have him in the cab and still function. I would get him to the armory and make him go to she shower and wash him self while still wearing the uniform that he likely did not wash from the drill before. I made him use what ever was available as soap be it real soap or cleaning supplies. Counseling statements were of no use on this special needs soldier as he had been allowed to fall through the cracks for so long that he was pretty much locked in for retirement. Yelling, ridicule, and peer pressure were of little use with stinky. Even the misery of a wet uniform on a cold day did not phase him! The only thing he could do right was his job as an 88M, for some reason he had a knack for driving trucks of all kinds.

Response by 1LT William Clardy made Sep 24 at 2015 2:47 PM

2015-09-24T14:47:00-04:00

SFC Private RallyPoint Member, my first choice would be the section sergeant who once told me that I could piss him off just by walking into the room, and who typed my last name as "Clarity" on my NCOER.

On the other hand, I don't know how long the list would be of folks who would put me at least in their "top ten" -- even my best friends have told me that they were intimidated by my reputation.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2015 4:04 PM

2015-09-24T16:04:44-04:00

id have to say it was when I picked up my first team in V24. i took command of 3 marines 1 of which i went on a previous deployment with. the other 2 were straight out of training. one of which, we'll call him Joe, comes up to me about 3 days after i picked up the team and asked if i could pay for his marine corps ball ticket... that threw up red flags, i said i would but we were going to get his finances in order. so we looked over his bank account and between the time that he got out of school and the time he came to the unit he had bought a motorcycle, no motorcycle endorsement on his license but still got the bike... he paid 12k for this bike which was only worth 3k and at a 16.7% interest. i had asked them if they had any debt when I got them and all had said no. so integrity violator there. looking over it more he had a payment for a jewelry store, he bought a thousand dollar watch also. and he hadn't paid his phone bill since he was in training so that was also stacked up. pretty much ever since then he hasn't had any money...
and on top of all that he was a heavy one, who couldn't PT at all. how he got that way a week after SOI I don't know.
He was slow to the pickup at every lesson and most often needed me to go back over everything with him alone. this I didn't mind so much but it was a time eater that I really didn't have the extra time for.
So between the lies the financial headache and the long hours trying to get him to learn the basics of his job I'd have to say he was the most challenging person to serve with.
He came out a better once I got done working on him though. I'd have to say he's my best success story.

Response by SGT Curtis Earl made Sep 24 at 2015 4:17 PM

2015-09-24T16:17:18-04:00

Story Time: I had a 1SG that asked me a hypothetical technical question about some gear I'd assembled for a mission. We went back and forth and I finally told him that what he wanted done absolutely could not be done. He waited til I left the building for chow and ordered a random SPC to take a screwdriver to my equipment. Guess what?? It didn't work and they ended up damaging my set up. So now it's 1 hour before mission go-time and I don't have what I need to do my job. I angrily (and silently) looked at all the senior NCOs in the room that stood by while a SPC - with zero expertise with switches or routers or sound boards - disassembled my equipment. We're talking about over 100,000 worth of nearly new equipment. No one would even make eye contact. I ended up having to do my job with broken gear. I never got so much as an apology for the Charlie Foxtrot or praise for improvising. This was not the first, nor would it be my last, TOP TALE.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 24 at 2015 6:01 PM

2015-09-24T18:01:48-04:00

a young female airman who had terrible grooming habits. It took much counseling to get her to use deodorant.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2015 6:03 PM

2015-09-24T18:03:04-04:00

All I have say is $%:&-!+!!!!!!!

Response by SSG Theodore Scherer made Sep 24 at 2015 11:27 PM

2015-09-24T23:27:02-04:00

I had the misfortune of serving with a Captain in Hawaii in a BN S-2. This particular officer had never served as a 35 series in anything lower than Joint/Division level their entire career and to make matters worse was prior enlisted so you would have thought they would have known how to treat enlisted. As a security manager you are required to be certified as such in order to fulfill certain requirement to be able to function. This officer adamantly refused to be certified because they felt that because they were a an officer, a captain, and OIC of a BN S2, they had all the required training necessary and it showed day to day they did not, even with help and refusing advice. I had tried to explain to them they had to be certified to be able to function within the regulations but, the type of person this officer was was that they knew everything and everyone else wasn't smart enough. Don't get me wrong, this officer was completely book smart, just had zero common sense when it came to being a leader.

For almost 7 months up until I left that place this officer was operating as a security manager and performing their duties unlawfully, refusing any advice I or anyone else would give them. When I mentioned this to our BN commander they did nothing about it and continued to act as if noting happened and I was treated as the bad guy for speaking up by my OIC, and it reflected on my NCOER. Of course I could have acted better and I will be the first to admit I did not in some circumstances with interactions with this officer, I talked back several times because I was getting upset at how both I and my Soldier were being treated by them, but it just goes to show the lengths some officers in the army will go to help own of their own succeed. Not to mention this officer had zero people skills and did not know how to talk to Soldiers, they treated everyone like they were children.

Last I heard the BC recommended her for company command, only reason they were in a S2 in the first place was for time there to advance their career. Go figure right.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2015 5:27 AM

2015-09-25T05:27:15-04:00

there is one individual that sticks out in my mind, but I will not mention any names. This person took a professional relationship and turned it into a purely personal hatred towards me and tried to knock me down every chance he got. It went on for a few years and I finally made the move to leave the unit. Thankfully, it never escalated to anything worse, because it could have.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2015 10:52 PM

2015-09-25T22:52:44-04:00

SFC Private RallyPoint Member .....whoops name drop...

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 26 at 2015 4:25 PM

2015-09-26T16:25:23-04:00

Most challenging Pearson I've worked with was a Sergeant Major that literally didn't do anything but dictate veglly what he wanted, would get upset because it wasn't exactly what he wanted, then would make veg adjustments, and once again get upset again. Then would blame you for his short comings to his peers and superiors and claim full credit for the amazing/creative benefits to the unit. Then has the adasity to try and give me a 3,2 on my NCOER. Needless to say I took that one higher and came out with a 2,1. Not great but still better!

Response by SSG Leo Bell made Sep 26 at 2015 4:30 PM

2015-09-26T16:30:49-04:00

My Top Sgt and CO right before I left Bragg the first time. I had to show up at the Shirts office for a butt chewing and another NCO walks in and they start speaking Spainsh in front of me so I walked out.

Response by SGT John Rauch made Sep 29 at 2015 3:53 PM

2015-09-29T15:53:37-04:00

usually somebody with 3 chevrons, 3 rockers and and a diamond. one in particular comes to mind, 0500 to 2200 was an ordinary day serving under him. and never for any good reason

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 29 at 2015 3:56 PM

2015-09-29T15:56:42-04:00

Had a Soldier that I had to help get divorced, it took me 4 months. He was only married for 3 if you don't include the time we spent getting them split.

Response by 1stSgt Eugene Harless made Nov 28 at 2016 9:31 PM

2016-11-28T21:31:07-05:00

I had a Battery Commander who was such a prick that I thought if he ever took his boots off instead of feet he'd have balls.
He averaged about a dozen office hours every other week. I think over half the battery Including me, received Office Hours during his time in command.

Response by CW3 Charles Morris made Mar 31 at 2024 11:41 PM

2024-03-31T23:41:33-04:00

I was a warrant officer in the G2 CM&D shop. My boss, a Captain, and I never saw eye-to-eye, so much so that I never had a desk, a clip board but not a desk. When invited into her office I was never offered a chair. Instead, I up ended her trashcan and sat on it. In the end, I was given my OER, with what seemed to be an inflated rating. When asked, she offered, "Well Chief you're an arsehole, but an effective one." I thanked her and left.