When rank gets in the way

Rank is such an interesting entity.  It speaks of our experience in the military as to an estimate for how many years one has served.  On average, a junior NCO will have been in the military about 5-7 years.  A second lieutenant has been in less than a year and a captain approximately 5 years. It conveys our sense of responsibility.   NCOs are responsible for their soldiers and their officer to make sure the personnel and logistical matters are attended to.  An officer is responsible for the decision making, planning, and coordinating.  We do not correct a soldier as that is an NCO’s job.  We depend on our NCOs to help us make the right decisions because they have the most amount of information to help with that process.

Rank can also become a hindrance.  All too often in a deployed environment, I meet an officer who has let the idea of their rank go to their head.  The idea truly becomes “what is in it for me?”   I listen to the regulations being quoted about how much space one is allotted, what responsibilities one must fill.  It is truly amazing to see some forget that they are human beings working as part of a team.  I do not expect a full bird colonel to clean the latrines.  When teams are small, it is important for everyone to help; to roll up their sleeves and make the work lighter for everyone. 

All too often in the last few days, I have been told by my soldiers that they “have it”.  They do not need my assistance.   I do not need to lend a helping hand.  I stopped my NCOIC at one point and asked what the problem was with me helping.  Was there something I had missed in my training that told me I should not be doing such things?  Is there an unwritten rule that I have missed stating that we are all one team until it gets down to filling coolers or lugging hot chow containers? I don’t understand.  I was told that it was not against the rules, but jokingly was told that I was stepping on enlisted toes.

Rank gets in the way of having social contacts as well.  I am battling coming in late to a deployment, so my detachment soldiers have their own schedules.  They disappear into their own worlds during off time. Head phones are on their ears while X-box and Play Station are played.  They spend much of their day together, joking and laughing.  Being the officer, my office is in a different location.  I am the only officer on the team that is around.  I am female. There are only six female officers on this FOB, which makes it so much harder to find someone to hang around with.  The other females are company commanders and hang out with the other company commanders.  They have friends.  I live in the same place I work.  I am alone most of the day and alone at night.  No wonder the previous person was so eager to get home.  Rank got in the way or wanting to hang out with others.  Rank got in the way or wanting to hang out with the team.

 

I miss the energy of my house.  I miss my kids running around, creating noise and chaos.  I miss having my husband there by my side to just watch a movie with or play cards or just talk.  I wished for just a little time to myself a little too often when I was home.  Now I have too much.