Posted on Sep 25, 2014
1SG Company First Sergeant
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More than once we all have likely had a leader come back after a meeting and say something along the lines of "the commander/1SG said we need to do this".

I was always taught to take superiors orders as if they are your own. If you relay in the way posted above, then many of your Soldiers might take it as you are not supportive of the higher leadership. I have seen it time and time again, I have even witnessed fellow PSGs briefing their platoons saying "I don't agree with this men, but this is what we need to do".

So my question is, how do you deal with this? Are you guilty of it?
Posted in these groups: D2d98f7c OrdersDiscipline1 DisciplineCommunications mastery Communications
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Responses: 10
CW5 Desk Officer
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The way I deal with it myself is to "own" the order, even if I disagree, with something like, "Here's what we need to do ..." I don't think we should ever fall back to "higher said," because that clearly sends the message that I disagree with higher, but I'm forced to follow their orders. If I do have a problem with an order, I need to voice that disagreement (if appropriate) to higher, and not to the people I lead.
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CW5 Sam R. Baker
CW5 Sam R. Baker
10 y
Exactly, having a day or two in the Army now, I have become much better at "OWNING" it and I have always been okay with rebuttal but with solutions and another COA.
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
10 y
Same here, though I'm sure I slipped once or twice.
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CMSgt James Nolan
CMSgt James Nolan
10 y
CW5 (Join to see) Yes sir...you bitch up the chain, never down. If my troops ever think that I have lost faith in my command, the whole place goes to hell in a hand basket.
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
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Edited 10 y ago
These days, verbally, from the customer side of the counter at Subway. :-)
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CPT Public Affairs Officer
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I rarely relay where orders come from. I take the orders, review my plan, and issue my order. It's that simple. If I have been ordered to do something that does not violate the legal, ethical, or moral test...then I carry that order forward in the best manner that I can. My job is to try to influence the order before it is given or shortly after if I feel it does not meet my criteria or may result in other issues. Once the order is issued and any debate is resolved, that becomes my mission, even if I lose the battle on what the appropriate order should be.
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CPT Public Affairs Officer
CPT (Join to see)
10 y
Why do I see I blank screen in your head that says "Comment Loading..." with an hourglass constantly spinning?
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1LT Platoon Leader
1LT (Join to see)
10 y
Then again I don't know if LTC (Join to see) could possibly be shocked by anything that we say at this point.
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CPT Public Affairs Officer
CPT (Join to see)
10 y
He's probably more shocked that we did a funeral honors together without something crazy happening.
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1LT Platoon Leader
1LT (Join to see)
10 y
Hey, that actually went very well. We were completely professional during the funeral. Even when you got stung by a bee in the back of your head. And during the bugle incident
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