The Misplaced Smirk: A Real-Life Soldier’s Account

While assigned to a Military Intelligence battalion in West Germany, I was given the task of briefing a new 2nd Lieutenant on the equipment and my squad of electronic warfare experts.

These volunteers were highly educated, fluent in multiple languages, and could have easily worked as professors. However, upon our initial meeting, the 2nd Lieutenant began spouting off about his "superior intellect and education."

This comment infuriated me, as we both lacked a master's degree, and I had already gathered information that his scores were so low that he wouldn't have been able to enter our MOS (Military Occupational Specialty).

When I pointed this out, he called me into his office, threatening to charge me with insubordination. Despite the tension, I remained calm, and a camp alert was announced, diverting our attention.

The camp alerts involved loading our vehicles, drawing weapons, and heading to a designated area, depending on the duration and purpose. When our advertisement, the 2nd Lieutenant, berated me for not knowing my place, a senior officer, known as "Darth Vader," stepped in.

Major "Darth Vader" had a reputation for making uncooperative officers disappear by reassigning them to border duty, a position no one enjoyed. The 2nd Lieutenant started accusing me of disrespect, leading to his own downfall when the Major revealed that his predecessor was reassigned for not following the advice of his NCOs.

To end the confrontation, the Major asked if I knew the difference between a 2nd Lieutenant and a PV2 (Private First Class). I confidently replied, and the Major walked away, leaving the 2nd Lieutenant with a triumphant smirk erased by events.

Reflecting on this experience, it is clear that sometimes, the best way to deal with overbearing and disrespectful officers is to stay calm and utilize the resources and knowledge at your disposal. This incident serves as a reminder that, in the military, standing up for oneself can be as important as the missions we undertake.