Sir?????

[Cudadad]

Last night while attend a High School Christmas program I noticed a young Marine standing in the back. After the performance I went up and introduced myself as a dad to a Marine and thanked this young Marine. In my original greating the young Marrine said "Thank you Sir" this did not seem out of line to me. While we were talking another father came up and thank him as well, the young Marine responded the same "Thank You Sir". The other father drops what I tought was a out of line responce "Sir? I'm not a Sir, I've got no brass on my a**" and continues to drill the young Marine. The other father was not in uniform, did not "look" like a Marine, the only thing was, he was wearing a black hat with a USMC Eagle Globe and Anchor patch on it. Looked like one you might purchase at MCRD gift shop.
Now the question
Was the young Marine wrong to address me as Sir? He did not know me from Adam. I was taught to address senior persons with respect, and did not have a problem with it.
Was he wrong to address the other father as Sir?
If the young Marine was wrong, what should his responce have been

[davblay]

He just wanted to be an azzhole! He should have stopped when he said thank you for your service! The young Marine should have said F*ck of turd! I would have. But the old man probablt got a laugh out of this in from of his friends, at the Marines' expense!

Dave

[thewookie]

The other father drops what I tought was a out of line responce "Sir? I'm not a Sir, I've got no brass on my a**" and continues to drill the young Marine. The other father was not in uniform, did not "look" like a Marine, the only thing was, he was wearing a black hat with a USMC Eagle Globe and Anchor patch on it.

Dave's right and I would add that I'd have said to him "relax pal, it was out of respect for your age." And if he continued to act like a tough azzhole in public like that then I'd have asked him to talk about it outside or somewhere private where he might change his attitude, or I could change his attitude. Nothing bothers me more then disrespecting someone in uniform out in public like that, there was no need for that, unless it was followed by some healthy smokin and jokin, but IF he was a Marine, a good Marine and not just some sh*tbird on his own ego then he would have known or appreciated what that young Marine said to him.

[Buckeye]

I address all older people as sir or maam,even though you might not be an officer,you are still my senior....my drill instructors did not teach me that...my mother did!!...if you want to get smart after i thank you...i'll tell you,that your mother should have taught you some manners...sounds like an eago trip!...That marine,did nothing wrong!

[laceyhines]

I completely agree. That individual would have lost all of my respect for one, and I defiantly would have said “Well with all due respect Sir can you kindly F off”. That really was inappropriate. All of the things that the services have been doing together and to have to be in public and treated like that just goes to show you how some people in our society today are

[Sgt Leprechaun]

The kid was right, and the old fart was dead wrong. I've run into a few of those so called 'Old Corps' types who act all big and badazzed in front of younger Marines, and every single of one them, without fail, were turds in the FMF (if they even made it THAT far) in their 'former' USMC lives.

The young lad should have asked for a 'private moment alone' with the ignoramous, and then cleaned his clock.

What a 'tard.

[Marine84]

I'm with Buckeye on this one - my Mama taught me to say Sir/Ma'am.

[Phantom Blooper]

I say sir & ma'am and get sir back....because of respect........or bifocals...haven't figured it out yet!


There used to be a smart azz saying and I can't remember verbatim, "Don't call me sir,I work for a living."

Not sticking up for the older man but that may have been what he was trying to say to the young uniformed Marine. But,the concert setting was the wrong place to say it and I only heard it when a young Marine was coming to the fleet and kept calling all with a stripe,bar or bird ....sir.

The older "Dad" Marine was inappropriate in that setting IMO!

[hrscowboy]

Its your Bifocals there Phantom along with ole Jimmy boy them young men cant figure out what wars you guys fought in..... hahahahaha

[FistFu68]

RESPECT IS RARE,OUT ON THESE STREETS THESE DAY'S;FUC WHAT ANYONE THINK'S.IF APROACHED IN ANY KINDA FASSION,THAT AIN'T ON THE UP-UP.RESPOND WITH CRACKING THAT PUNK 'MUTHA FUCER IN THE HEAD!

[SlingerDun]

When somebody sets up a stranger with 'thank you Marine' followed by an insult, it sounds like an attempt at flexing long lost seniority muscles that have atrophied due to a dismal henpecked job hating existence. He might just be picking a fight, or simply a dimwit ass hole. If this Marine was older, Joe dad probably would have accepted the thank you sir and let it be. I hope the Marine didn't apologize

he was wearing a black hat with a USMC Eagle Globe and Anchor patch on it. Looked like one you might purchase at MCRD gift shop

Hey i bought an identical hat last summer 10 dollars at Andy and Bax. And i have a hunch in my back and walk a bit bent.

--->Dave

[Cudadad]

There used to be a smart azz saying and I can't remember verbatim, "Don't call me sir,I work for a living."

That was part of his rant. except is was "worked"

Thank you all, I did not think the young Marine was out of line. Glad to hear you think the same as well.

By the way that young Marines was a graduate of Lima Co 11/30/2007 MCRDSD. So Marine if you are a member of Leatherneck and reading this, I will say again "THANK YOU"

[jrhd97]

That young Marines " Thank you sir" was absolutely appropriate. You never know who your talking to. For all he knew that a@@ hole could have been a retired officer or Sgt. Major. Besides that, this Marine was being respectfull.
I commend that Marine for showing some discipline and restraint by not kicking his sorry a**.

[Adikt916]

There used to be a smart azz saying and I can't remember verbatim, "Don't call me sir,I work for a living."

My Gunny Sargeant said that today in the Recruiting Office, someone called him Sir, and he said " I am not Sir, I am Gunny I work for a living"

[Arlene Horton]

Way back when I was in Boot Camp my Drill Instructors taught us to use "Sir" and "Ma'am" when addressing anyone with stripes or brass.  To this day I still address anyone older than I (and that's OLD) as Sir or Ma'am and most times I am thanked for being polite...plain & simple.