Case Study: Tabs and Tyrants

Marauder06 said:
“Um… what happened?” Faith asked, looking at Sherman’s collar insignia. He knew Sherman had been commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry; Faith was present when Sherman received his gold bars and recited the Oath of Office. Going from an O1 to an E4 was career progression in the exact wrong direction.
Click to expand...

I was 100% convinced (and likely would have wagered cash) that in this scenario, Sherman's response was going to be:
Sherman paused for a moment, glanced at Faith's missing Ranger tab, then at his own tabbed sleeve and replied to Faith, "Um...what happened?"
 
As several people mentioned, the military has a "dual component" program wherein one can simultaneously hold one rank in the Reserves and another on active duty. I found that out though a situation very similar to the fictional one described in this case study. One of my classmates from Georgia Military College received an early commission when we graduated, we went our separate ways, I saw him again about three years later when I was a PL in the 101st and he was a specialist in an adjacent company. He explained the dual component thing to me, but I didn't completely believe him until I talked with my dad about it. At the time, my father was in command of a unit that later became known as "Task Force Orange," and he told me one of his master sergeants was a major in the Reserves.

Fast forward a few (ok, a lot of) years later, and the JSOC CSM was also dual component. He was a CPT in the Reserves. When I asked him about it, he laughed and said he was literally the oldest CPT in the Army. I don't think he was kidding.
 
Ooh-Rah said:
I was 100% convinced (and likely would have wagered cash) that in this scenario, Sherman's response was going to be:
Sherman paused for a moment, glanced at Faith's missing Ranger tab, then at his own tabbed sleeve and replied to Faith, "Um...what happened?"
Click to expand...

I haven't decided if Sherman is Ranger Qualified or not. Should he be? It wasn't common in that type of unit for a young SPC to have gone to Ranger School at the time this story takes place.
 
Marauder06 said:
I haven't decided if Sherman is Ranger Qualified or not. Should he be? It wasn't common in that type of unit for a young SPC to have gone to Ranger School at the time this story takes place.
Click to expand...

Your story, and I did not intend to derail it by inserting my own scenario. Faith appears to be taking his "non-Ranger" lumps at every turn, and then you introduce Sherman being from the same school, commissioned as an infantry officer, and now seemingly an enlisted man.

I thought you were setting us up for Sherman being out of line with an officer, an officer who he has history with, and then going to ask, "how should Faith respond...."
 
Ooh-Rah said:
Your story, and I did not intend to derail it by inserting my own scenario. Faith appears to be taking his "non-Ranger" lumps at every turn, and then you introduce Sherman being from the same school, commissioned as an infantry officer, and now seemingly an enlisted man.

I thought you were setting us up for Sherman being out of line with an officer, an officer who he has history with, and then going to ask, "how should Faith respond...."
Click to expand...


That would probably be a better story line. Maybe it will be in the remix ;)
 
Marauder06 said:
As several people mentioned, the military has a "dual component" program wherein one can simultaneously hold one rank in the Reserves and another on active duty. I found that out though a situation very similar to the fictional one described in this case study. One of my classmates from Georgia Military College received an early commission when we graduated, we went our separate ways, I saw him again about three years later when I was a PL in the 101st and he was a specialist in an adjacent company. He explained the dual component thing to me, but I didn't completely believe him until I talked with my dad about it. At the time, my father was in command of a unit that later became known as "Task Force Orange," and he told me one of his master sergeants was a major in the Reserves.

Fast forward a few (ok, a lot of) years later, and the JSOC CSM was also dual component. He was a CPT in the Reserves. When I asked him about it, he laughed and said he was literally the oldest CPT in the Army. I don't think he was kidding.
Click to expand...

As an aside to the dual enrollment bit, it's pretty difficult to pull off. I've never seen it, and it's been a bit of an urban legend. Any numbers one how many folks are in active service under that?
 
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You can hold a dual commission in the NG & RA, but you cannot serve in both components at the same time. So no, he would not be able to be an RA SPEC4 and a NG 1LT. I'd agree he probably didn't finish his degree and had his commission pulled. I'd agree with talking with his PL once you have settled into the unit, then confront the derp, once you have established yourself. Do it in private, and let him know you don't want to hear anymore bullshit stories about being a 1LT still, etc. He is probably thinking he can get some form of favoritism or special treatment by doing that, better to nip that shit in the butt.

Introduce yourself to the company commander and follow his advice to the "T". Be humble and eyes and ears open, mouth shut.

Talk to the PGS, be humble and let him know you are open to learning from his experince, let him set up the intro to the troops as he knows the schedule and formation time lines, keep it short and sweat. Stay humble, and follow your PSG and SL's advice and experince. Obviously double check, and assert your athourity and command as needed, but the NSO's have the experince and knowledge, and you are currently behind the 8 ball.
 
Faith approached the front of the Delta Company headquarters building, a single-story brick building that was unremarkable in pretty much every way. Everything looked dark. He tried the door and found it locked. Perplexed, he tried the door again. Same result. Faith took a step back and looked around. People were moving in and out of the other three companies, but Delta seemed eerily quiet. Faith checked his watch. 1730 hours, past normal “close of business,” he supposed.

At first Faith thought that this was some kind of new-guy hazing, that at any moment everyone was going to leap out yelling “Surprise!” But then he realized how ridiculous this thought was. There was simply no one there. He’d have to try again tomorrow.

A small space between Charlie and Delta Companies was designated as the “Bulldog Gym.” Faith saw some people in PT clothes going in and out, and figured if he could at least get a quick lift in, this day wouldn’t be a total bust. His truck, holding his gym bag, was in the parking lot behind the row of company buildings. Faith made his way behind the Delta Company building. As he rounded the corner, he saw a freshly-washed HMMWV parked directly the open rear door to the company area. It was a “gun truck,” a four-seater slope-backed machine with a rotating open turret suitable for mounting various machine guns and grenade/missile launchers. It was painted in the same “woodland” camouflage pattern as Faith’s battle dress uniform. “That’s going to be a lot better than walking everywhere,” Faith thought.

Clustered near the driver side wheel, in a place that could only be seen from the position Faith was now in, was a group of men dressed in Army physical training clothes, hard at work at something on the ground. At first Faith thought that they were scrubbing the wheel. But then he noticed that the subject of their attentions was another Soldier.

Armed with scouring power, green abrasive pads, and long-handled brushes used to clean off the undercarriages of military vehicles, they were applying these tools, and a high-volume water hose, on a drenched and miserable-looking private.

At first, Faith thought nothing of it. He had gone to a military college and was a fraternity man, and experienced his fair share of “initiation rites” and the “wetting down” ceremonies that celebrated military promotions. This might even be something that the unit does for peoples’ birthdays. He saw it before. Faith started to walk past. But then something about the look on the young man’s face gave him pause.

“What’s going on here?” he demanded.

Startled by his sudden appearance, the group paused for a moment. “NCO business,” one of the older men replied before remembering to grudgingly add “sir.”

It certainly didn’t look like “NCO business” to Faith, unless NCOs were now responsible for physically mistreating their troops. No one wears rank with PT uniforms, but from their apparent ages Faith guessed there were no more than 1 NCO, most likely the one who just informed him that this was “NCO business,” and the rest were junior enlisted.

“No, really, what’s going on here,” Faith pressed.

“Private Pigpen here,” said the probable-NCO, “won’t take a shower. Hasn’t taken a shower once in the month he has been here. He is also a colossal fuck-up, which is why we’re here at 1730 on a Friday, after a week-long field problem, when the rest of the company has been released since noon. Private Pigpen is now getting a lesson in how things work in Delta Company.”

That didn’t sit well with Faith. He clearly didn’t know the whole story, and it was generally a bad idea to jump headlong into something when the facts weren’t clear. This was his first day in a new unit, and these Soldiers might even be in his platoon. What he did here next could have a long-term negative impact on his chances for success here in Delta. But…

“OK, I think we’re done here. The point has been made,” Faith said. “Send Private Pigpen back to his room to get cleaned up and I’ll help you get all this stuff put away so we can all have a good weekend,” he offered.

“I don’t think we will,” said one particularly-surly younger soldier.

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Faith asked. He had just offered to brush this whole thing under the rug and to help them get out of here for the weekend. And now this. His first day at Delta Company was definitely NOT going as expected.

“You know, Lieutenant,” another man said standing up and facing Faith, “It’s been a long day. It’s been a long ten days. We don’t have time for this, or for you. You might want to just move on out. No one comes down to this side of the battalion area, no one sees or hears anything down here. You never know what might happen.”

“Wait, did that guy just threaten me?” Faith wondered to himself, startled.

Faith fought a sudden and barely-controlled urge to plant his giant MGMC ring squarely in the other man’s forehead. Four years ago, a situation like this would have terrified him. But that was four years ago. Few things set him off more than being personally disrespected, and that was someone doing something cruel to another person. It seemed that both things were happening right here, right now.

At Middle Georgia Military, it was a tradition to scratch a notch in the back of one’s ring for every fight the wearer was in, win or lose, while wearing the ring. Faith’s ring only had three notches, but it looked like he was going to get another one. It had been a long time since he fought more than one person at once, but he normally didn’t worry about things like odds, or even consequences, when it came to issues of principle. His only regret right now was that he was about to scuff up his highly-polished jump boots. After a scuffle like this one was about to be, it would probably take him hours to get them back up to standard. Longer, if his eyes where black and swollen.

“Okay, game on,” Faith said. He held the folder containing his orders and inprocessing documentation out to the side and dropped it. It made a “smack” when it struck the concrete. Faith began to undo the buttons of his uniform top; it would be too restrictive once he starting swinging.

The eyes of the man who threatened him grew wide.

(end)

Discussion Questions

1) What do you think is happening here?

2) What action, if any, should “brand-new-to-the-Army, first-day-in-the-unit 2LT Faith take?
 
I get from the camo pattern this is 15-20 years ago but I find it difficult to respond without today's standards. I can understand some things were more 'acceptable' in earlier periods - but I think that's mostly just a euphemism for not enforcing standards.

With that said LT Faith's reactions here are causing me to lose faith in his potential as an officer. He's ended in more-or-less the right spot but it took him way too long to get there and for the wrong reasons.

1. Hazing, that is what is going on. Hazing is the most pernicious form of toxic leadership and must be stamped out. Upon LT Faith's arrival gross insubordination, conduct unbecoming, dereliction of duty, and threatening of a superior officer ensued immediately.

2. Faith is right to be prepared to engage in physical violence to protect this Soldier and maintain military authority. This is no-shit life or death for Faith. But, he waited way too long.

He should have immediately ordered a stop to the behavior, sent the Soldier to the medics, gotten the names of the Soldiers and NCOs involved, and removed the senior NCO for a private 'discussion' to be followed immediately by his putting everything down in a sworn statement. If the Soldiers involved had cooperated Faith could have given the information to his CDR for localized discipline at the company/BN level. As soon as resistance to his orders was met - and especially the implied threat of violence - he must send for the MPs. The only way this ends is with the guy bowing up on him and the NCO in charge of this crime in MP custody - whether it's on their own two feet or after Faith has beaten them unconscious.
 
I agree with everything @Il Duce said. This is clearly hazing, and a fairly extreme form of it at that. I can't fault a brand new LT, at his first CO, for being slightly unsure of how to handle such a complex situation with multiple troops. I think he has handled it well up to this point. I like that he is showing how far he is willing to go to protect a junior soldier, especially with bullies like these. It's no wonder the BN CC mentioned WEP PLT chewing up a lot of LTs. Faith needs to keep in mind that he is still an officer though. He called their bluff, but he can't throw a first punch. However this incident plays out, Faith needs to present a clear, concise synopsis to the chain of command afterwards. No sugarcoating, no trying to cover little things up to make it look not as bad, nothing like that. This is bullshit of the highest order, and these troops have clearly gotten away with this sort of bullying for way too long.
 
Marauder06 said:
Faith approached the front of the Delta Company headquarters building, a single-story brick building that was unremarkable in pretty much every way. Everything looked dark. He tried the door and found it locked. Perplexed, he tried the door again. Same result. Faith took a step back and looked around. People were moving in and out of the other three companies, but Delta seemed eerily quiet. Faith checked his watch. 1730 hours, past normal “close of business,” he supposed.

At first Faith thought that this was some kind of new-guy hazing, that at any moment everyone was going to leap out yelling “Surprise!” But then he realized how ridiculous this thought was. There was simply no one there. He’d have to try again tomorrow.

A small space between Charlie and Delta Companies was designated as the “Bulldog Gym.” Faith saw some people in PT clothes going in and out, and figured if he could at least get a quick lift in, this day wouldn’t be a total bust. His truck, holding his gym bag, was in the parking lot behind the row of company buildings. Faith made his way behind the Delta Company building. As he rounded the corner, he saw a freshly-washed HMMWV parked directly the open rear door to the company area. It was a “gun truck,” a four-seater slope-backed machine with a rotating open turret suitable for mounting various machine guns and grenade/missile launchers. It was painted in the same “woodland” camouflage pattern as Faith’s battle dress uniform. “That’s going to be a lot better than walking everywhere,” Faith thought.

Clustered near the driver side wheel, in a place that could only be seen from the position Faith was now in, was a group of men dressed in Army physical training clothes, hard at work at something on the ground. At first Faith thought that they were scrubbing the wheel. But then he noticed that the subject of their attentions was another Soldier.

Armed with scouring power, green abrasive pads, and long-handled brushes used to clean off the undercarriages of military vehicles, they were applying these tools, and a high-volume water hose, on a drenched and miserable-looking private.

At first, Faith thought nothing of it. He had gone to a military college and was a fraternity man, and experienced his fair share of “initiation rites” and the “wetting down” ceremonies that celebrated military promotions. This might even be something that the unit does for peoples’ birthdays. He saw it before. Faith started to walk past. But then something about the look on the young man’s face gave him pause.

“What’s going on here?” he demanded.

Startled by his sudden appearance, the group paused for a moment. “NCO business,” one of the older men replied before remembering to grudgingly add “sir.”

It certainly didn’t look like “NCO business” to Faith, unless NCOs were now responsible for physically mistreating their troops. No one wears rank with PT uniforms, but from their apparent ages Faith guessed there were no more than 1 NCO, most likely the one who just informed him that this was “NCO business,” and the rest were junior enlisted.

“No, really, what’s going on here,” Faith pressed.

“Private Pigpen here,” said the probable-NCO, “won’t take a shower. Hasn’t taken a shower once in the month he has been here. He is also a colossal fuck-up, which is why we’re here at 1730 on a Friday, after a week-long field problem, when the rest of the company has been released since noon. Private Pigpen is now getting a lesson in how things work in Delta Company.”

That didn’t sit well with Faith. He clearly didn’t know the whole story, and it was generally a bad idea to jump headlong into something when the facts weren’t clear. This was his first day in a new unit, and these Soldiers might even be in his platoon. What he did here next could have a long-term negative impact on his chances for success here in Delta. But…

“OK, I think we’re done here. The point has been made,” Faith said. “Send Private Pigpen back to his room to get cleaned up and I’ll help you get all this stuff put away so we can all have a good weekend,” he offered.

“I don’t think we will,” said one particularly-surly younger soldier.

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Faith asked. He had just offered to brush this whole thing under the rug and to help them get out of here for the weekend. And now this. His first day at Delta Company was definitely NOT going as expected.

“You know, Lieutenant,” another man said standing up and facing Faith, “It’s been a long day. It’s been a long ten days. We don’t have time for this, or for you. You might want to just move on out. No one comes down to this side of the battalion area, no one sees or hears anything down here. You never know what might happen.”

“Wait, did that guy just threaten me?” Faith wondered to himself, startled.

Faith fought a sudden and barely-controlled urge to plant his giant MGMC ring squarely in the other man’s forehead. Four years ago, a situation like this would have terrified him. But that was four years ago. Few things set him off more than being personally disrespected, and that was someone doing something cruel to another person. It seemed that both things were happening right here, right now.

At Middle Georgia Military, it was a tradition to scratch a notch in the back of one’s ring for every fight the wearer was in, win or lose, while wearing the ring. Faith’s ring only had three notches, but it looked like he was going to get another one. It had been a long time since he fought more than one person at once, but he normally didn’t worry about things like odds, or even consequences, when it came to issues of principle. His only regret right now was that he was about to scuff up his highly-polished jump boots. After a scuffle like this one was about to be, it would probably take him hours to get them back up to standard. Longer, if his eyes where black and swollen.

“Okay, game on,” Faith said. He held the folder containing his orders and inprocessing documentation out to the side and dropped it. It made a “smack” when it struck the concrete. Faith began to undo the buttons of his uniform top; it would be too restrictive once he starting swinging.

The eyes of the man who threatened him grew wide.

(end)

Discussion Questions

1) What do you think is happening here?

2) What action, if any, should “brand-new-to-the-Army, first-day-in-the-unit 2LT Faith take?
Click to expand...


I'm just going to echo the great answers @CDG and @Il Duce have given. He needs to nip this in the butt immediately, if he wants to affect change and set a precedent for his time in the unit. I may not have had military experience but I have had a lot of management experience, and if his subordinates demonstrate a complete lack of respect and disregard for his rank it shows that there is an deep and ingrained lack of discipline in the unit. Especially if this occurred in something as hierarchical as the military.

It's intimidating to go into a new command and have to affect change immediately if you're not used to it. But this event is a sign of other possible underlying issues in the unit when it comes to respect for command and needs to be addressed immediately through Cox. Once the proper authorities have been notified and Faith has demonstrated his ability to lead without being intimidated is whem he can start to practice effective leadership and can be a quality addition to his new unit/organisation.
 
Great answers so far.

Il Duce and I served together in real life, in a different unit, a few years after these fictional events. We had a real-life petty tyrant bullshit bully field grade officer in that unit. Might have to be its own case study later on.
 
Marauder06 said:
Great answers so far.

Il Duce and I served together in real life, in a different unit, a few years after these fictional events. We had a real-life petty tyrant bullshit bully field grade officer in that unit. Might have to be its own case study later on.
Click to expand...

In some ways I think a lot of those lessons and case studies from the unit we were in are more difficult - because a lot of things weren't as clear cut, or when you're not in the middle of it what do you do afterwards. For example in this case study - what if you're another company commander, PL, or field grade LT Faith comes to about the incident? If the BC and/or CC aren't taking care of their unit and enforcing standards what is your role? Do you serve up a big bowl of martyr-roni going IG or making a stink - what happens to the unit you're running when you make a stink and those above you don't do the right thing? If you're a new LT in the first place and things aren't so cut and dried how do you figure out the standard - you could just be learning about the 'real' Army. What I'd be worried about in the situation here is not the E-6 that bows up on you - it's the PSG or 1SG who's tabbed out, decorated, and sidles up to the LT with an arm around the shoulder saying 'sure, I know it feels wrong but don't worry, I'm going to take care of you - you can win my respect if you fall in line with what I want.' High potential leaders are in more danger from the devil that comes at you sideways than the one that hits you head on IMO.
 
1. Obviously hazing and clear disrespect to his authority, and a clear threat to his life. That said, I agree 2LT Faith should have given a clear order to stop immediately and taken the hazed private straight up to Btn Staff duty to fill out a sworn statement.

2. He is in it now, get to whipping ass. Speed and pure violence of action. Better hope they back down, because shit is about to get painful.

However, 2LT Faith is IMHO bat shit crazy to take on a couple of Infantrymen by himself, he had better be one fighting SOB.
 

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