How would you deal with leaders questioning authority like this?

This is definitely pull your peer aside time to have a discussion regarding insubordination and subverting the command before his behavior lands him in the brig.

There are often times that things simply "need to be done", regardless of the why. The Commander has probably already argued the value of the assignment and been given the "make it happen" look in "that tone of voice" that means there is no longer a choice in the matter. This is now about having faith in your Commander and having his back. Loyalty goes both ways.

SFC Butler,

I think we all have gotten orders that we disagree with, but what should never be done is, complain about it to your subordinates. I think regardless if we think it's stupid or dumb we have to still complete the task, so do it and do it to the best of your ability and if it is at all possible try to make the task meaningful to you, by trying to have fun with it. Now, if I seen a leader talking to a subordinate about a task negatively. I would pull the leader to the side and ask him or her do they honestly think that it is appropriate to talk negative about a order that was given, to your subordinate soldiers. I would do this regardless of rank. Because in today's army some of our leaders are young, and not to be mean or anything, they just don't know

I'd talk to the individual and let him know that sometimes we just have to do donething no matter how dumb we think it is. The trick is to get everyone else to do the it with us and like it. Complaining about something that our higher has us doing doesn't make it go away it only instills poor morale and possibly a half assed job. Vent to your peers off line but never to your subordinates!!!