Create Post
Results 1 to 15 of 44
-
10-03-10, 04:07 PM #1
Son just commissioned as an O-1, has a really bad attitude and won't listen
My son recently graduated from the University of Arizona and commissioned through NROTC into the Marines as a 2nd Lieutenant. Basically, being this rank means he is the smallest, newest, littlest fish in the Officer pond. He is training to be a helicopter pilot. However, he has developed this really bad and cocky attitude recently. When I spoke with him on the phone earlier and asked him how things were going with training and everything, he just went off saying that he resents the fact that high ranking enlisted people are telling him what to do and giving him advice, and that he is an Officer and should not have to take this.
Having been in the Army Officer myself for 18 years, I know perfectly well that he will have to accept things like this, especially since the majority, if not all of the Enlisted guys in his unit have far more experience than he does, and he needs to listen to their advice, he needs to learn from them and learn to work with them. I told him this, and he got mad at me saying that it is not fair that he is an Officer and he gets treated like he's nothing. He said he doesn't think Enlisted people should be giving him advice. He proceeded to tell me that he is going to be the top pilot in his unit. I had to cut him off and tell him that he is thinking with a typical hotshot flyboy attitude, and he will be shaped up quick by someone in the Corps, because the military won't tolerate that. I was brutally honest with him and told him that basically a 2nd Lieutenant / 0-1 is essentially nothing, and that his main job is to learn from the more experienced personnel. I said that just because he is a fresh-out-of-college Lieutenant does not mean he knows it all straight off the back. I know ROTC must have taught him this. Last thing I told him before he hung up on me was that he is acting way to immature to be an Officer right now. He just told me "whatever Dad" and ended the phone conversation.
I'm worried he won't last long in the military with this kind of attitude. I tried telling him, but I think he may have to learn the hard way. I probably shouldn't have said he had the typical hotshot flyboy attitude though. I don't know how he expects to be a leader and set the example with this attitude. He is only 24, but he is acting like he is above everyone else just because he has Lieutenant's butter bars now. I know for a fact if I had thought like that when I was in the military, I would have washed out.
I just don't want to see my only child's career go down the drain or see him get hurt in some way because he can't take advice and shape up his attitude. If he won't listen to his old man, how is he going to listen to anyone else? He might give me and his mother Hell sometimes, but he is my boy, and he is the only child we were able to have, and I don't want him to get hurt because he can't learn to listen and take some advice. I don't know what else I can do to make him listen before he gets put in his place by someone else in a not so pleasant way.
-
10-03-10, 04:28 PM #2
Have him come on here and see if he indeed needs to check his attitude at the door.
-
10-03-10, 04:32 PM #3
Give him a month in the Fleet then call him again and see hows things are going.
-
10-03-10, 04:42 PM #4Trust me, I told him about this site and he knows about it. I wish he would come on here. He needs to shape up quick.
Originally Posted by BigAlHolmes165
-
10-03-10, 04:59 PM #5Has he gone through TBS yet? That attitude should have been adjusted at Quantico, The Basic School Originally Posted by BarryThorn
Most O-1's seek out the help of senior enlisted. These men have been in service for at least 10 years. They know the ropes and can get things done quicker and more efficiently.
I sincerely hope he gets on board because when word gets out among the SNCO's, he's in deep sh$t
If he does visit LN feel free to have him PM me
Dan
-
10-03-10, 07:29 PM #6
Attitude ajustments will come, some sooner some later but most of then come to those who ask for them.
-
10-03-10, 07:45 PM #7Yes he has gone through it. I too thought it would have been dealt with there as well. Apparently I was wrong. He did like to party a lot in college and he had more than one girllfriend throughout the time he was at the U of AZ. But he is in the real world now and needs to leave that part of his life in the past. I would get him to PM you, but I doubt he would go on here since he feels he can't even take advice from his own father. I may not have been Marines, but I was Army for 18 years, and I know how the military works. I have a feeling he will just have to learn the hard way. Originally Posted by MOS1310
-
10-03-10, 08:05 PM #8Barry Originally Posted by BarryThorn
I agree it's time for him to grow up before it's too late. I probably missed it but what is his MOS?
Messing with SNCO's, as you well know, is not something you want to do. Especially in the Corps!
He's going to learn one way...easy or the other...hard. But he will learn! Mind if I ask why he went through NROTC and joined the Corps in the first place? What were his expectations? What did he see as his contribution?
Sorry might be out of line with those questions
If he ever does consent to look in on LN...I can give him my advice...strongly!!!
-
10-03-10, 08:29 PM #9
when he trys to dress down a 1stSgt or SgtMaj he will learn the hard way and if he goes to the CO about it another lesson will be learned
-
10-03-10, 08:39 PM #10Dan, Originally Posted by MOS1310
I am honestly not 100% sure on the code for Blake's MOS, its been a while since I was in the Army, so you'll forgive me. But he is a student pilot for Helicopters. He wants to try and fly the CH-53 Sea Stallion Helicopter.
Part of the reason he joined NROTC was financial. He had really good grades through high school and got a scholarship. I really think he did it more to show and prove he could make something of his life. His mother and I supported him 100%. He's a good kid really, its just I think he can't get past the fact that he is not the only person and not everything revolves around him.
-
10-03-10, 08:51 PM #11A Gunny will show him who is the boss,lol, Semper Fidelis. Originally Posted by awbrown1462
-
10-03-10, 08:52 PM #12Barry what rank did you hold? Originally Posted by BarryThorn
-
10-03-10, 08:54 PM #13
Barry
Don't sweat it.. he sounds like a good kid who needs to grow up. We all did at one point
This might help regarding his MOS
United States Marine Corps (USMC)
Officer Job Descriptions
See Explanation of Terms
MOS 7558 through 7568, Pilot HMH/M/L/A (I)
a. Summary. Pilots HMH/MIL/A operate rotary wing aircraft on observation, transport, rescue, utility, and fire suppression missions.
Where is he training?
-
10-03-10, 09:03 PM #14I was an O-5 Originally Posted by SGT7477
-
10-03-10, 09:04 PM #15Dan, thanks and he is at Pensacola right now. Originally Posted by MOS1310
Quote
Thread Information
Users Browsing this Thread
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
- You may not Create Posts
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
Missing out on some changes
05-10-24, 07:06 PM in The Drifter's Place