Senior Leaders and their opinion on the "E-4 Mafia"?

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 21:47:10 -0400

Just looking for Opinions, keep it clean please, this post is just for fun

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2014 11:56 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 23:56:04 -0400

I think the LT mafia is the officer version. However, do SPC wonder if they have to stand at ease for CPLs?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2014 1:27 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 01:27:58 -0400

It is a real thing, and a senior leader needs to take heed. One of the best things I ever did was enlist key members of the SPC Mafia - I like to call the ringleader the "Silverback Specialist" - as a back up information channel. Not to subvert their NCO leadership, mind you. More like making sure my intent and long-range plan made the rounds at the lower levels. One of my better ideas, and very effective.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Oct 28 at 2014 7:49 AM

MSG Wade Huffman — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 07:49:10 -0400

Yep.. it exists, and most likely always will. It's pure sociology. We have 'segregated' the military by rank (for good reason) and by doing so we inadvertently created the root of the issue. In the junior enlisted group, the senior specialists becomes the 'leaders of the pack' or 'alpha dogs' for those who work AND play together. In my experience it seldom comes to a 'battle for the top' at this level, but rather, these individuals band together and share the role, hence, the SPC Mafia.

Response by SSG Tim Everett made Oct 28 at 2014 11:54 AM

SSG Tim Everett — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 11:54:26 -0400

Having been part of the E4 Mafia (twice lulz), and what NCO back in the day hasn't been, I can safely say a smart senior NCO would figure out this little microcosm and make it work for him/her in the same way a family support organization or NCO support chain can do its own thing.

Response by 1SG Steven Stankovich made Oct 28 at 2014 3:06 PM

1SG Steven Stankovich — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 15:06:17 -0400

Ahhh, the E4 Mafia. Absolutely a real thing and one that can be both most useful or most unbecoming. As a Platoon Sergeant, I looked to the SPCs in my platoon to keep an eye on things in the barracks...in between leaders checks and such...and to also reiterate different instructions, do's and don'ts, etc. A very effective tool. On the flip side, if you have a few who are all about pushing the "Sham-Shield" to the max, the influence that they carry can resonate to the lower enlisted of the unit and create chaos. I have never personally witnessed the latter, but have heard stories from peers and friends.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2014 6:34 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 18:34:01 -0400

According to legend, U.S. Army Ranger specialists formed an unofficial, secretive organization in the 1970s. They called it the “Spec 4 Mafia,” and its purpose was to administer corrective action to deficient privates—making those privates better soldiers. It was created by Rangers, exclusively for Rangers. That was most likely the original Spec 4 Mafia, but during the 1990s, a new mafia was born.

This new organization did not exist only in Ranger battalions. It was, and still is, Army-wide. The modern Spec 4 Mafia (S4M) quickly became an underground network of proud U.S. Army specialists who, as rumor has it, provide quality assistance to fellow specialists before providing for privates, NCOs, or officers. These new mobsters will occasionally “motivate” young, under-performing privates, but their primary mission is to take care of their own in their own way.

Supposedly the new origin of the E4 mafia started in Bosnia (Operation Joint Endeavor) during the spring of 1996 with four Military Police specialists. They were known as “The Four Horsemen.”

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member AD, USAR or NG, the Spec 4 Mafia is all the same, just depends on your environment. When I was that SPC, I was a driver for BG Claudia J. Kennedy at the time. All the other drivers, would gather and exchange 'Intel' while the GO's would have their meeting. Once completed and the GO's & Aide-de-Camp both back in the vehicle, they would get a back brief on any pertinent intel.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Nov 7 at 2014 1:12 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 01:12:58 -0500

NCO's are the backbone of the Army. The E-4 Mafia are the spinal discs! Couple good SPC's under your belt and you could concentrate on mentoring the LT even better.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2014 1:20 AM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 01:20:45 -0500

It's awesome. There is no rank in the army that has more meaning then specialist. Did you ever read they Specialist creed? Look it up on google.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2014 9:44 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 09:44:10 -0500

You gotta have the E-4 Mafia! I was a proud card carrying member until I got promoted. The E-4 Mafia are those troops that school the new boots on the R.O.E's and expectations before the NCO's even get ahold of them. Helps make that section/squad/team leader's job a little easier. Oh....and what happens in the mafia....stays in the mafia....lol.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2014 11:45 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 11:45:11 -0500

Without the E-4 Mafia or the LCpl Underground...NCOs can not be the greatest of leaders. Listen to them, you were once in that category and everybody knows thats where great solutions/ideas originate.

Response by CPL Ashley Gochneaur made Nov 7 at 2014 5:11 PM

CPL Ashley Gochneaur — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 17:11:13 -0500

The E4 Mafia, when properly organized, is a self-policing structure. They know that successes and defeats alike are shared equally among the lower enlisted. Mentoring and guiding other lower enlisted in order to properly accomplish the goals/duties laid out to the organization prevents negative encounters. This, in turn, makes the NCO chain's job easier. Making their job easier not only makes the organization look/perform better, but it also allows the NCOs to deflect said negative actions that would otherwise fall onto the lower enlisted organization. If toxic soldiers enter the mix, those "silverbacks" (mentioned above) can usually get the issue corrected and get rid of any disinformation and bad information to prevent the issue from spreading and infecting others.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2015 10:00 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 10:00:15 -0500

I was a proud member of the E4 mafia (and may have been a ringleader)...until I was commissioned!

For the entirety of my career as a commissioned officer, I always respected the E4 mafia and believed in my leaders co-opting them. It can be a very positive group and their is plenty of junior leadership going on. It can also go haywire, so when mistakes are made, a leader can't overreact.

Concurring with 1SG Private RallyPoint Member , make this group part of the solution and not allow them to spearhead as part of the problem.

I made plenty of mistakes and was somewhat misguided with my thoughts in the mafia, but I think there is something to be said for taking care of the little things at the lowest level.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 31 at 2015 7:12 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 19:12:12 -0400

In one of my prior units, the "E-4 Mafia" was responsible for maintaining the discipline within the platoon and keeping operations running smoothly. Collectively, all Specialists would get the dog shit smoked out of them if they couldn't work as a team and accomplish the mission. This type of mentorship helped prepare us to become future NCO's.