# Acceptable military responses to orders?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acceptable-military-responses-to-orders/164594>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 27, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acceptable-military-responses-to-orders/164594 "2003-03-27T19:54:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mipiace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@mipiace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mipiace)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acceptable-military-responses-to-orders/164594/21 "2003-03-28T15:32:06Z")

</div>

In the Air Force it’s perfectly acceptable to say Sir/Maam to an enlisted person other than a Chief Master Sgt who gets called Chief as an honor to that position (The highest enlisted rank). But anyone of a lower rank should say sir or ma’am to womone of a higher rank regardless of officer/enlisted status.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WillSantini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@WillSantini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillSantini)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acceptable-military-responses-to-orders/164594/22 "2003-03-28T17:56:34Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by UncleBill \*  
> **Position may be used while in boot camp instead of rank, “Aye-Aye, Senior Drill Instructor!”.**

Maj **UncleBill** , Sir, not to correct the Major but while in boot camp (at lease Marine Corps boot camp) you call anyone and everyone who is already a Marine **Sir**. Not sure if you are a mustang, perhaps your battalion did things a bit different.

Ooo-Rah - Semper - Semper Fi - Eerrrr - Kill - Check  
and of course the _Marine grunt_ are all acceptable responses.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acceptable-military-responses-to-orders/164594/23 "2003-03-28T18:03:53Z")

</div>

I believe the Geneva Convention allows military types to reply “No, Sir!” – but only after being ordered to commit an act that would be a war crime (as defined by the Geneva Convention).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acceptable-military-responses-to-orders/164594/24 "2003-03-28T18:50:38Z")

</div>

Not a Mustang, and your experience is much better than mine in this regard, I bow to your better knowledge. At OCS, we addressed enlisted staff (all former Drill Instructors) by their position and rank, just to make it hard. “Yes, Platoon Sergeant Gunnery Sergeant Szczepek!” I think they picked him for my platoon so he could yell at us for not having the common decency to know how to spell his name. But I never forgot how.

2nd Platoon, Golf-2 Company, OCS (Bulldog)  
1987

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acceptable-military-responses-to-orders/164594.md?page=1)