From speaker's corner: Respect of The Ranks

Silenthunter SG

Super old saying:
Rank is what you get, Respect is want you earn.

For me, regardless whether you are an commissioned officer or a warrant officer. I respect them equally with they deserve it.

But the trend is Officers are usually respected for their welfare to troops, charisma and abilty to make sound decision in the mist of a chaotic admin/training scenario..... while the warrant is usually respected by their experience, methods and the ability to protect and care for their troops....

In my NS stint...... The only officers I respect is my unit CO and ex-S2. The rest of the people are usually specialists or warrant officers.

wuming78 SG

even if u do not respect the person wearing the rank, the rank has itself has to be accorded the due respects. tt is the cornerstone of all militaries.

but of course rank is dead while the person is alive, and men will follow a person to war willingly if he is able to win their respect regardless of his rank. tt is how some specialists or even men have been able to perform in dire circumstances in military history.

IAF SG

When it comes to respect, my money is on those who lead by example and care for their men.

As for warrant officers, i really admire those 'old salt' enchiks who came up from the then SAF education center in the 70s & 80s. They were the pros..the real backbone, even officers look to them for advise. But sadly, that generation is slowly fading away

BaKa NeK0 SG

Haiz Neutral but still there's some 19 yrs old punk. Just a 2 LT and lecturing the CSM in front of the whole platoon. is this the respect specs and warrants should get? imagine the CSM nodding all the way silently even through its not entirely his fault?

Arena SG

care to reveal some details which unit it happened in? btw some wo r really good...

wuming78 SG

i dun think we really need to noe the details of such acts.. nothing honourable and nice to talk about. end up disgracing the csm and the unit as well.

Silenthunter SG

junior officers scolding warrents, specs and CSMs.......sounded like my 2nd PC.....sucks man......

on the end, nobody treat him as a friend after ORD and all lost contact of him liao......

wuming78 SG

please be rest assured that such cases are the minority and the majority of the junior officers are humble and willing to learn and work with their csm and specs and men. anyway i always believe how a person behaves is really his character and the little power that becoming an officer (and a junior one at that) will do little to corrupt him.

IAF SG

Actually such young know all's will soon know better than to cross a CSM. An experienced enchik worth his salt has subtle ways to make sure that life for such a person will not be a bed of roses...Often the enchik has the ears of the OC or someone higher

Atobe SG

An OC, who is worth his salt, will not engage in petty politics.

A CSM, who is worth his salt, will respect the rank and the person who has the rank, despite the character of the person.

An Officer, who is worth his salt, will respect all whom he lead, and treat everyone in an even handed and fair manner.

To lead is to make a decision - any decision - to resolve a situation that demands a decision to be made.

If time permit, it is wiser to think before one leaps into a decision.

Experience is accumulated by the number of decisions one makes in Life - no decision will result in no experience.

The quality of the decision - good or bad - will contribute to Life learning experience, and will make or break the person in the process.

BaKa NeK0 SG

Yeah! the CSM actually just apologize and walk away looking cool Cool He respect the officer by not arguing and actually that earn the respect of many men!

Icemoon SG

I wonder, how many of you enlisted fellas and specialists actually salute (pay compliment) your PC?

According to SAF protocol, is our CSM supposed to pay compliment to our PC or not? I know CSM is supposed to call him "sir", but does he salute him when passing by?

I think we never salute or even chap our OC when walking past him. Mr. Green

wuming78 SG

supposed to.

Parka SG

friend friend lah.

clarencebk SG

Normally officers will call the CSM encik and the warrants in return will call them sir, but in a friend friend manner. If they are closer, maybe just call the name as the officer might also feel paisei having an older guy, more than 2x his age, calling him sir.

Icemoon SG

I know even officers are supposed to salute officers higher rank (or appointment) than them right?

So the pc should salute the 2IC (same age, batch as him) and his OC. But friend friend la, no need to salute. Hahah ..

Arrrgh, freaking hell, why can't the RSM salute our PCs? It's the best way to set good example. Just calling him sir makes him no different from a warrant officer.

kopiosatu SG

PC?

RSM is a higher appointment than PC leh.
For example, if the CO doesn't want to have the GP Car for personal use, the next person entitled to it is the RSM, not the PC, OC, 2IC.

Within officers, even if you 2 are the same rank, but one holds an appointment like, S3, the one who isn't S3 will call the S3, Sir.

But in the end, so what if you salute ppl, IF you don't respect him at all? Its all actually respecting the person.

wuming78 SG

rsm still calls pc sir. saluting.. dun think so.

and in the end, still need to respect the rank even if u dun respect the person. tts wat the military is all about.

kopiosatu SG

yah lah, but what i'm saying is that, we still go through the motion

nismoS132 SG

doesn’t SAF have any place where you could lodge complaints of abuse of power?