"Chewed out for challeging an officers authority" Topic

Another 3/1 old-skool USMC story.

We were deployed to Okinawa Japan, as was the routine for all infantry battalions eventually. The Supply shop was co-located with the armory taking up the last bay (suitably designed and built purposefully that way, this was not ad hoc.)

Weapons Company was conducting an inspection of their M2's outside the armory bay, while me and my guys were checking and restocking the First Aid Kits we had in storage (some of those component items expire & require replacement if not extended.)

Well, this is tropics in June, so heat and humidity are UP there, I've got both of the Supply bay doors open for ventilation. I hear some talking from inside the other bay, and go check it out.

It is the Weapons Company Commander and the First Sergeant, wandering around the back of the second bay, discussing something and touching/looking through gear that was stocked there.

"Can I help you with anything, sir?" I inquired.

"No, we're fine, as you were." the First Sergeant replied.

My reply, "Could you let me know when you are done and leaving the bay, First Sergeant?"

"Stand down, Seargeant, this is the Weapons Company Commander and he will come and go as he pleases, where do you come off?" The rather tall and imposing First Sergeant for Weapons Company does have an in-your-face reputation I had heard about… now I get the experience it.

"First Sergeant, with all due respect, this is my warehouse, I take the heat if anything comes up missing and I need to be aware who is in the area." At this point, the First Sergeant is crossing over the bays with a purpose, hoping to kow me through physical intimidation up close.

"First Sergeant," the Captain called him back, then addressed me, "I am a Captain of Marines, a Commissioned Officer, how dare you, Sergeant. I will be having words with Captain Xxxxxxx."

Fast forward about three hours, there I stand in front of the Supply Officer. I volunteered that I sure do not expect senior enlisted or officers to ask *permission* to enter the warehouse, it is not a trust thing with THEM in particular, but if they are going to walk about, to at least let me know they are there and when they leave so I can maintain control over access to the gear.

I was told it does not matter, to allow officers to come and go without challenge, they have earned that right. From that point on, I only opened the bay we are working in at the time, one bay no matter the heat, and put a barrier up to impede access from outside.

Ahhhh yeah!

Not being a Marine, I guess I should refrain from comment.

That said, if ANYBODY -- including the unit commander wanted to inspect my pharmacy setup without direct assistance / supervision by myself or one of my troops, there would be hell to pay.

All they have to do is ask to enter. IMO -- just courtesy. Never had anyone question the practice and that includes staff officers from Division and Corps.

mjc

"Earned the right" and has that type of 1st attached? Bad combo with lots of warning signs. Just because you go armed with a bigger NCO doesn't mean you should be ignoring the "smaller" ones.

He's in another Captain's territory, even if that Captain put a Sergeant in charge of it.

A few post scripts…

That arrogant Captain eventually was promoted to Major and within a year of that incident, we got along great; I was on better terms with him than any of the other Company Commanders. We even kept in touch via calls and I helped him out w/Supply advise a few times for about a year after he transferred and was Director of a school.

That 1stSgt was eventually promoted to SgtMaj, and I heard rumor a few years after that he was busted down to SSgt and drummed out for physically assaulting a junior NCO. This was the type of 1stSgt that early on while assigned, kept clippers in his desk. He felt any Marine in his Company that did not have a fresh-enough haircut, he would give them a high/tight personally. It happened twice before being told by the SgtMaj he could not do that.

The SupO Captain I worked for at the time had no spine. The SupChf (right out of DI Duty) had a seriously hard time adjusting to everyone around him not being recruits any more, and the SupO preferred the company of other officers and endless meetings. So the SupO avoided his own shop when he was able. In every single incident where any Line Company officer had an issue, Supply lost the argument.

At least you didn't throw an officer off an aircraft carrier!

That can lead to several months in jail, being thrown out of the navy, being penniless on release, and becoming a self-made multi-millionaire businessman a few years later.

Aircraft carrier, you say? Not "overboard," but… Hmmm, time to post a story relating to experiences from the MarDet of the USS Ranger (CV-61)…

First duty of an officer: Defend your chaps from other officers and NCOs (often while simultaneously bollocking said chap – but he's YOUR chap to bollock!).

The best officer/NCO confrontation/standoff I every saw was on my very last day in the service. I was waiting in the queue for the Station cashier's window, to get him to sign my chit to say that I didn't owe them anything, when a senior officer was trying to get an 'impress' cashed:

Sgt: "Right, if you'll just sign that Sir?"
Officer: "Where's my cash?"
Sgt: "You can't have the cash until you sign, Sir."
Officer: "But I'm a Supply Officer – I don't sign for anything until it's in my hands!"
Sgt: "Sir, I'm the Station Cashier and you don't get any money until you sign for it!"
And so it went on. And on. And on…