Re: Our Military is Like?
You mean would I get a pouty look on my face, or are you asking what I would do?
I already have Salmoned, TimKona, and TuNnl on my "Ignore Poster" list, and I'm not sure where these one-at-a-time questions are headed. But to answer this one, I'd do what I was trained to do (aside from the pouty face). I'd make sure that I understood what it was that I was being asked to do, and if it was unjust/illegal then I'd do my best to offer just/legal alternatives. And if none of those alternatives were judged acceptable then I'd explain why I was regrettably turning down the original order, which would usually result in my being relieved of that particular duty... and possibly of my billet. Sometimes the ensuing discussion would help me clear up my muddy thinking (along with a program to requalify for that duty), other times the chain of command would come up with a different way of doing business. Of course the person giving the order was usually aware of all those ramifications, just as I was, and we usually worked out an acceptable compromise.
Once in a great while I'd get away with not hearing the order. But that only works if your plan succeeds before someone officially notices that you're deaf.
Sometimes I knew that I should've called the boss and I didn't. Sometimes I'd get told "You shoulda called the boss", and other times no one would say anything... which is different from not noticing.
Of course the UCMJ is always there to handle the issues, although having to resort to that is frequently an admission of failure on both sides of the chain of command.
In the 1980s, when the submarine force used to regularly practice launching nuclear weapons, even with a valid & authenticated launch order only two-thirds of the launch crews would comply with the directed action. On a later tour I had a CO with whom we department heads would regularly squabble like cats & dogs (behind closed doors). So your question isn't exactly unfamiliar territory.
If you care to share a little more explanation about the questions you're asking then I'd be happy to engage in a discussion. But this feels more like a deposition.
Originally posted by matapule
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I already have Salmoned, TimKona, and TuNnl on my "Ignore Poster" list, and I'm not sure where these one-at-a-time questions are headed. But to answer this one, I'd do what I was trained to do (aside from the pouty face). I'd make sure that I understood what it was that I was being asked to do, and if it was unjust/illegal then I'd do my best to offer just/legal alternatives. And if none of those alternatives were judged acceptable then I'd explain why I was regrettably turning down the original order, which would usually result in my being relieved of that particular duty... and possibly of my billet. Sometimes the ensuing discussion would help me clear up my muddy thinking (along with a program to requalify for that duty), other times the chain of command would come up with a different way of doing business. Of course the person giving the order was usually aware of all those ramifications, just as I was, and we usually worked out an acceptable compromise.
Once in a great while I'd get away with not hearing the order. But that only works if your plan succeeds before someone officially notices that you're deaf.
Sometimes I knew that I should've called the boss and I didn't. Sometimes I'd get told "You shoulda called the boss", and other times no one would say anything... which is different from not noticing.
Of course the UCMJ is always there to handle the issues, although having to resort to that is frequently an admission of failure on both sides of the chain of command.
In the 1980s, when the submarine force used to regularly practice launching nuclear weapons, even with a valid & authenticated launch order only two-thirds of the launch crews would comply with the directed action. On a later tour I had a CO with whom we department heads would regularly squabble like cats & dogs (behind closed doors). So your question isn't exactly unfamiliar territory.
If you care to share a little more explanation about the questions you're asking then I'd be happy to engage in a discussion. But this feels more like a deposition.
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