Just got the butter bars...

[NavyOCS]

So I was sworn in on Saturday and the Gunny at the office is calling me sir now and the whole nine. I got to tell you I am not used to this at all. It is so weird having people me calling me sir. Especially if they are older than me. Is this feeling normal? I am also worried cause here I am a 2nd Lt. and I know absolutely jack s%^$. I hope I learn a whole lot at TBS. I am a Marine now but feel like I still have a ways to go.

How did you guys feel after you were commisioned?

 

[skidkid]

Congratulations.
Yes, this is normal and it is the beginning of the responsibility of being an Officer weighing down on you a bit (that is a good thing). I was excited as hell and a bit nervous when the Gunny called me Sir for th first time.
You proved you deserved the commision now its time to keep proving it. You do have a ways to go but there will be people along the way to help you. Look ot the SNCOs and more senior officers for help.
Again Congrats!

 

[squeeze]

First off, congrats and welcome to the big green gun club.

Ya, it's really weird at first... but you'll get used to it and realize that that's what to be expected. Wait till you have a 50-something Master Guns who's been in the Corps a lot longer than you've been alive salute you and call you sir... it's surreal almost (when you're a boot lt bouncing around q-town).

Heck, even after being in 3 years, i still barely feel like I know crap about the inner workings of the Marine Corps simply by virtue of being in a Navy command most of the time and not getting to work with enlisted Marines. You'll pick up the basics pretty quick at TBS and build from there. Fear not, every other butter bar has gone through the same thing for god knows how long

 

[klostman]

Congrats KizerSosay, I too commissioned on 14 May and while it was the most incredible experience I ever had, I concur, it was weird having the GySgt and a few candidates calling me sir. I mean, the day before, I was just regular ol' candidate Joe Smoe, I knew nothing more on my commissioning day than the day before. Incredible feeling though, the best day of my life and wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[gaijin6423]

Ditto on the congrats. Also on it being normal to feel weird. It was doubly worse for a prior-enlisted guy who used to be locked-up at attention when speaking to some of the more senior enlisted, but you get over it. At first, my natural reaction was to have the enlisted folks ease back on calling me 'Sir', but it's not right. They're just trying to do what they're supposed to by offering up a certain amount of respect to an Officer of Marines. But don't let it go to your head! You're right in assuming that you don't know much...BUT, you know more than you think. Grab yourself a SNCO as often as you can and learn as much as you can. Sounds like you're off on the right foot to start with, so have at it.

 

[michaels601]

Congratulations, can´t wait until I can say the same!

 

[VAmookie]

it was weird having the GySgt and a few candidates calling me sir. QUOTE]


Is it bad that at a candidate i dont always call my OSO sir... i dont call him by his first name or anything, usually just by rank. Am i out of line?

 

[skidkid]

He would tell you if it was bad

 

[Taxman2A]

I am also worried cause here I am a 2nd Lt. and I know absolutely jack s%^$. I hope I learn a whole lot at TBS. I am a Marine now but feel like I still have a ways to go.

How did you guys feel after you were commisioned?

Congrats, I remember feeling that same way a couple years back. I went to TBS hoping and expecting to learn enough to feel completely confident going into the fleet, it didn't happen... it's impossible. You will learn alot about tactics at TBS, and you will learn as much as possible about leadership in a school environment. I learned more about troop leadership in my first month as a platoon commander than I could have ever picked up at TBS. You are a little scared now, you will be a little scared the day you hit the fleet, nothing you can't overcome though.

If you think having someone call you sir is strange, wait until you get to the fleet and you have Marines executing your orders- that's something else the first time it happens.

 

[usmcecho4]

it was weird having the GySgt and a few candidates calling me sir. QUOTE]


Is it bad that at a candidate i dont always call my OSO sir... i dont call him by his first name or anything, usually just by rank. Am i out of line?

I would call him "sir" there is nothing worse than being called "lieutenant." When someone calls you by your rank it's not a sign of respect. When you get to TBS you will know what I mean.

s/f,
usmcecho4

 

[Brett327]

I would call him "sir" there is nothing worse than being called "lieutenant." When someone calls you by your rank it's not a sign of respect. When you get to TBS you will know what I mean.

s/f,
usmcecho4

Just so you know, that's one of your little Marine quirks, so when you're interacting w/ the other services don't be surprised when it happens to you. We also like to use the title "Mister" which is appropriate for all JOs.

Good times,

Brett

 

[skidkid]

There is no disrespect outside of TBS by the term "Lieutenant" unless there is a disrespcetful tone (you'll know it when you hear it). If someone is truly old school like the Master Guns at the Battalion I was attached to it was always "The Captain" when he talked to me. Phenomenal Marine 29 years in the club.

Mister on the other hand I have a problem with. I realize it is Naval tradition and Im not a dick about it but I do correct it. But if I was a mister, I would work at IBM or something less exciting. Most of the Gator Navy knows this and stick with Sir, Captian/Lieutenant etc.

 

[Clux4]

The Army also calls their WO's "Mister".

 

[Brett327]

There is no disrespect outside of TBS by the term "Lieutenant" unless there is a disrespcetful tone (you'll know it when you hear it). If someone is truly old school like the Master Guns at the Battalion I was attached to it was always "The Captain" when he talked to me. Phenomenal Marine 29 years in the club.

Mister on the other hand I have a problem with. I realize it is Naval tradition and Im not a dick about it but I do correct it. But if I was a mister, I would work at IBM or something less exciting. Most of the Gator Navy knows this and stick with Sir, Captian/Lieutenant etc.

Likewise, I probably wouldn't call a Marine JO "Mister," but the Marines ought to know that it is the norm in the Navy.

Brett

 

[Lawman]

Mister has all that tradition behind it and I understand it. But what pisses me off to no end is dealing with the F&*King Army and that damn Hoowa They use as a conotation for Yes Sir. Just hearing that crap out of the Ranger wanna'be ROTC cadets crawling around my campus just makes me want to turn around and smack the crap out of them.