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When is using first names appropriate?

1VP's policy had been at work 1 rank up and down, - not on the parade square

I generally try to call as many people by first names as possible (mainly because everyone outranks me ;) ) The juniors or seniors will respect you for what you do, and you them.  Working with friends, makes it a bit difficult sometimes (especially if they are 3-4 ranks above you or more...)

When I am off work with friends it is all first names, others are by rank

 
To avoid needless typing: I agree with everyone...

... NEVER on the parade square though.

tlm.
 
I'm a Pte and this is how it works out for me.

Mcpl and up Rank and lastname (unless in the mess).

Cpl's, usually by last name, some by first if were buds and the SNCO's / Officers aren't around.

Other Pte's, last name / first name depending on how well I know them.  If a SNCO / Officer is around then it is last name.

In the mess I never refer to any JNCO by rank.
 
Submarine

Pretty much all first name, although officers are usually addressed as Combat, Nav, sonix, captain, xo, if they have no title sir.

CPO2 down usually use first names

Coxn is always Coxn

Use your head though when there are senior personnel around you use rank
 
It's really relaxed in our workshop(wpns section that is).We all call each other by either first name or nicknames.Our Sgt actually prefers to be called "Boss" in the shop.He as well calls us by our first names.But,as has been said here many times,never outside of the shop.When it comes to the floor chimps..er Veh techs,its always rank,they are kinda anal about that.
 
J. Gayson said:
Other Pte's, last name / first name depending on how well I know them.   If a SNCO / Officer is around then it is last name.

This is somthing that's always driven me nuts... the whole last name sans rank thing... if you're not adressing somone by their rank, why the heck would it matter if you used first names or last names? I just find it irritating personally...
 
I am a new recruit, and If I ever used someones first name unless notified to, I would be ran into the ground. My regiment trains with many reg.force soldiers as well. So unless I'm completly aware to call them buy there first name, it would be a death wish.
 
for the first while, I called everyone by their last name, but when I finally got to know everyone in my platoon, most of the time it's first names. but everyone calls me yeoman, the name greg didn't catch on when you have a catchy name like "YO-MAN!". my 2ic, first name, section commander first name every now and again, but usually I just short form his last name and no one cares.
Greg
 
On my crew we all call each other by our first names , officers and NCMs alike........
 
gun plumber said:
It's really relaxed in our workshop(wpns section that is).We all call each other by either first name or nicknames.Our Sgt actually prefers to be called "Boss" in the shop.He as well calls us by our first names.But,as has been said here many times,never outside of the shop.When it comes to the floor chimps..er Veh techs,its always rank,they are kinda anal about that.

One of our section 2iCs was only ever referred to as "Coach" until he CT'd to the Reg F.

My Regiment is frequently singled out as being the most "informal", we tend to operate on a first name basis a lot - though only among officers and NCOs and never in front of "troops", in public, or when a sense of decorum seems especially appropriate.  There's no really definable standard.  I just default to being formal unless told otherwise.
 
Quote from Gravyboat,
Nor do I like to be called a "body" I have a pulse and a functioning frontal lobe.

I absolutely detest that wording.
My reply to anyone asking for "bodies" was, "if you want bodies go to the morgue, if you need men, try again".
.....and I wonder why I didn't go anywhere... ;D
 
Bruce Monkhouse said:
Quote from Gravyboat,
Nor do I like to be called a "body" I have a pulse and a functioning frontal lobe.

I absolutely detest that wording.
My reply to anyone asking for "bodies" was, "if you want bodies go to the morgue, if you need men, try again".
.....and I wonder why I didn't go anywhere... ;D

Yes, indeed.  I learned that at a very young and tender age when then Maj Jack Vance (later LGen and father of just (just about to be?) promoted Col Jon Vance) tore a strip off our CSM (the late Cheerful Charlie Caldwell) for allowing the term to be used in company lines.  (Remember: Never pass a fault.)  The tongue lashing was in private â “ OC's office, door closed - but it was a real 'window rattler' and it was audible to everyone in and around the company office.

I don't remember the words but they were something along the lines Bruce used plus a lecture about having and showing respect for every soldier, indeed every person â “ local hires, too â “ within 'our' family.

It was used commonly, too commonly, in the Canadian Army back in the '50s and '60s and, I think, well into the '70s and '80s too.  I hope we all stamp it out; even the idle plugs I wish we could throw out on their ears are better than just bodies.
 
...in the aircraft, first names between folks who know that what goes on in the helo, stays in the helo.  If there is a recent arrival, e.g. a new Cpl flight engineer, I'll use his/her rank and lastname for a while until the experienced FE's give me the thumbs up that they've briefed the new kid on protocol and he/she's good to go and won't do things like call the OC by his first name in front of everybody in the Sqn canteen (ya, just takes one of those and a very old school CO to learn ya.)

...back on the ground, I'll call Capt/Lt's by first name if we're in a less formal environment (like crew debriefing, etc...), but when I refer to one of the officers in a more formal discussion, I find it more professional and respectful to use rank/name.  In larger groups, I will call NCMs by rank/name (out of respect to them and the fact that some need that level of formality shown for consistency with how they address their own subordinates).  One on one with NCOs I know well and trust my crew and machine with, I'll use their first names and personally I'm G2G with first name in private, although some prefer 'Maj'.  They all use sir to me on the ground when others are around.

Some of my CADPAT brethren tell me that that kind of stuff is wrong, that it degrades discipline.  I can't speak to their own situations so I won't contradict them...that may very well be true for their community.  However, in my very particular operational experiences, I have not found that to be the case.  As others have mentioned...time, place, situation, mutual respect, etc...you have a feel for it.  There have been times when trying to verbalize rank, name and command/order in flight would take too long and a first name is exactly what you need in a busy situation to get your attention at the right split second.  I don't see it as being chummy and that's not why I would use first names...I see it as a trust, intimate team interaction/response thing.  It is very particular to folks' situations.

Judgment is the important bit, I think...what is acceptable for the environment you're in at the moment, respect for all involved and consistency.  Some guys assure consistency by fire-walling formal...fine, whatever works for some folks.  I prefer the interaction, including developing judgment in my NCMs and officers alike in that professional interaction, and I feel that it can be a tool to maximize the effectiveness of my team's msn conduct.


Cheers,
Duey
 
Everyone in JTF-2 goes by first name, in fact JTF-2 members do not HAVE last names.










(Sorry)
 
I heard ( ::) ) That they are all renamed Bruce to avoid confusion. Also, that their fingerprints are burned off, and all their families relocated to  remote fishing villages in Newfoundland with new identities....

CHIMO,  Kat
 
Britney Spears said:
Everyone in JTF-2 goes by first name, in fact JTF-2 members do not HAVE last names.

Kat Stevens said:
I heard ( ::) ) That they are all renamed Bruce to avoid confusion. Also, that their fingerprints are burned off, and all their families relocated to   remote fishing villages in Newfoundland with new identities...

Britney, Kat - Remain in place.  Remainder carry on ...
(we're sending the sweepers to clean up this little imbroglio ...  :fifty:
 
Excuse me.. someones at the door.........OH MY GOD!!......  AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH....gurgle....


Kat
 
Appropriate Use of First Names:

1. Addressing others while off-duty in your respective mess (the mess is referred to sometimes as a place of relaxation, thus this should be a given.)
2. When addressing eachother within Section Level and/or the conversing members are the same rank and "both" agree to use first names.
3. If you've earned respect from a higher-up enough, you could get away with it then too...(I used to call my neighbour by first name before I joined the unit and found out he was a Major; I sometimes slip and use his first name when speaking with him privately, otherwise it's "sir this" and "sir that.")

Appropriate Informalities:

1. Most Junior Ranks Officers get referred as "Mr. _______" instead of "Rank _______." (This is mostly only done by higher-ups but sometimes can be done by subordinates.)
2. Calling your Section Commander or 2IC by Last Name or a short form of their last name that they like to use (ie Mackenzie = Mack.)
3. Addressing a rank with a known short-form (ie: Sargeant = Sarge.)

These are the only ones I've come across (other than the ones on this thread) but I'm sure there are many, many more...
 
Depending on the setting and occassion it is permissible to relax the use of formalities of calling personal by last name and rank. Such as the field, overseas and the mess.
In my platoon we work in small groups under demanding situations. We depend on all to be equal no matter what rank. Therefore we all use first names. However it is hard sometimes to call your Platoon Commander by his first name even though you've known him since he was a MCpl and you a private. Still there is the informality of small, tightly organized, hard chargers.
Ours is not the rule.
Other platoons I've served with we were all on a first name basis and this worked. Other platoons it bred contempt for authority and had to quashed.
To each is own!
 
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