I’m trying to remember the things that pissed me off as an enlisted soldier, so that I can do my best to remedy them as an officer. If you have something that you hated (or hate), leave it in the comments and I’ll add it to the list.
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1. Not knowing where we were going, what we were doing, or how long we were expected to do it for.
2. Needless disrespect.
3. Not being able to wear snivel gear because someone in the chain of command didn’t think it was masculine to do so.
4. Waiting on “the word.”
5. Random PT that followed no principles of fitness.
6. Leadership needlessly withholding information.
7. Standing in formation without reason or holding multiple formations a day, needlessly. (h/t @SkipNgoGolfin and @perryjefferies)
8. “Regressive accountability” (thanks, Jay). As in, if a soldier messes up, he/she should be treated the same regardless of rank. Likewise, awards should be given based on service, not rank. (h/t @kwilliams101)
9. Treating people’s family issues as if having a family and military service were mutually exclusive. (h/t @J_Huntress)
10. The use of whimsical punishment for acts the violator couldn’t possibly have known to avoid. (h/t Jay)
11. Pulling rank to win an argument. (h/t Jay)
12. Politics as a litmus test for military values/competence. (h/t Jay).
13. Leaders hiding behind mysterious “regulations” that cannot be cited, displayed, or proven. (h/t @perryjefferies)
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Carrying the Gun 