Duty over Rank, have you ever been in that situation? How have you worked it?

As an Intel Guy, I was often in charge of Classified, or the Vault.

There was MANY an occasion when I would see a combination (passcode, as we used double combos) written down on someone's desk, and I would change every combo in the building, send out an email, and get blowback.

My response would often be "Sir, I wouldn't have to change it so often if people would follow proper procedures. I'm not going to jail for anyone. As long as I've got this letter of appointment, I'll change these locks every time I even 'think' there's a compromise. That said, you might not be the problem... but one of your peers is. I can't write him up, but that doesn't mean we can't police our own."

SGT(P) (Join to see) In every unit (4) I served as 1SG (6.5 yrs) and one HHB....I made it a point that every OFFICER, NCO, and SOLDIER in the unit knew and understood, that if my armorer (ranged in rank from PFC to SGT) would not accept your weapon and he got any BS from anyone, the next attempt to turn it in was "after I inspected it". I didn't care what the rank was, Officer, Sr. NCO, I didn't care.....and it worked.

Did I have to actually re-inspect weapons, yes in the beginning, but it only took one time for offenders regardless of rank to learn that was law. When it came to weapons...the Armorer was Hercules and I was his King.

It was only an issue twice, one was a 2LT in the S3 Shop and a MSG also from the S3 Shop. For the LT, the armorer came and got me after the LT said he out ranked the 1SG and he would take the weapon. Upon arriving at the arms room door, the LT started to say something. I held my hand up and yelled out..."Everyone out of the damn area, now, move your asses...you stay right here LT. I then told my training NCO to get me the S3, the Bn CSM and tell them I needed to see them over here immediately, before I went to jail for killing an LT. The LT (been in the unit about 30 days)looked at me like was insane. 5 minutes later in walks the S3 and the CSM. I said, "OK, now let me explain how it works around here SIR! I'm the HQs 1SG and this is MY ARMORER, MINE, NOT YOURS...now you see this CSM and this Major, whom both out rank me.....Now, MAJ. XXXX what happens if the armorer does not accept your weapon when it's turned in?" MAJ XXXX said, "The weapon has to be inspected by you 1SG before the armorer can accept it for turn in." I looked at the LT and said, Now SIR, since you have heard it from the S3 and wittnessed by the CSM who is here to keep me from going to jail...let me tell you this...don't you ever argue with or try to give my armorer an order that will violate an order he has been given by me! You don't have to say anything, only leave and go clean your weapon. And oh by the way, I will be doing my weapons inspections for turn in at 10 PM tonight. I fully expect you to be the only one I will be seeing! I hope we understand how it works in this unit. You may out rank me with your no time in grade ass, but I run this company which you, the S3, CSM, and even the Bn Cdr are assigned too. There are 4 folks in this company you better never get on their wrong side, my armorer, my supply sgt, my training NCO and last but not least me. Now have a nice day. Both the CSM and the S3 could not stop snickering under their breath.

The S3 said, come with me LT, we're gonna have a little chat in my office....the CSM said he needed that good laugh, cussed me out (again) and I gave my armorer the next day off......because I made him stay with me till 10PM, just to prove a point. (Yes, I did pay for his evening meal he picked up for both of us from BK).

For the MSG, it was easy... I cussed him out, told him if wanted to be the 1SG and run things his way, go see the CSM, otherwise he would be here all night, no one would be released to go home until I personnally inspected his weapon after he went back and cleaned it and my armorer felt my inspection met his standards. After he left I passed the conversation on to the CSM, who then had a one on one closed door session with him. I never had another problem with him again either. I could have handled that one different with other Sr. NCOs, but this particular one had been relieved as 1SG in a sister unit, and was camping out in the 3 shop....worthless!

Everywhere I grew up in the Army...Armorer's word was law when it came to weapons turn in. If I found a dirty weapon in my arms room, I made the armorer clean it...as he should never have accepted it.

Hang in there! Good leaders will back you up, if not,they have no business putting you in that situation and also make me wonder if they deserved to be in their position if they didn't support you 100% of the time.

Yes I was an ass at times when it came to Officers and Sr. NCOs, but the bottom line there is that the SOLDIERS needed to know there was only ONE STANDARD and the rules applied to all. That they will respect and have no complaint when it comes to them continuing to meet that standard!

Remember that when you put Sergeant stripes and 1SG stripes on one day...Good luck!

Lets take this one step farther and remove any possible issues. Ill take my Platoon as an example. My directive to them is simple. Squad Leaders you inspect your Team Leaders weapons. Team Leaders you inspect your Teams Weapons. Squad Leaders will also spot check the Team Leader's team. I will be at the door to the Arms Room and spot check everyone.

Guess what. No issues and everyone is happy. Well a few haven't been happy...

But as far as your question goes. No it shouldnt be a issue. You are the Unit Amrorer so in reality you are a spokesman for the CDR (it is his property book), and your responsibility is to ensure his equipement is looking good and servicible.

Good question.