Obama Disrespects Top US Military Commanders To Their Faces

[3step]

During his speech he called the present Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by their first names instead of calling them by the military rank and title, called next Chairman and Vice Chairman by first names too, and haven’t even looked at them. Once again Obama showed himself as unprofessional and disrespectful politician.

 

[TheDemSocialist]

During his speech he called the present Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by their first names instead of calling them by the military rank and title, called next Chairman and Vice Chairman by first names too, and haven’t even looked at them. Once again Obama showed himself as unprofessional and disrespectful politician.

I'm so outraged :soap

 

[Kal'Stang]

During his speech he called the present Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by their first names instead of calling them by the military rank and title, called next Chairman and Vice Chairman by first names too, and haven’t even looked at them. Once again Obama showed himself as unprofessional and disrespectful politician.

He did call them by their rank and title and then continued on in a more familiar fashion. Nothing wrong with that. This is nothing more than fake outrage and partisan drivel.

 

[a351]

This ranks right up there with the flag lapel scandal and lattegate.

 

[matchlight]

Somehow that kind of speech had a lot more force and dignity coming from President Eisenhower or President Kennedy, rather than President Limpwrist.

 

[OrphanSlug]

During his speech he called the present Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by their first names instead of calling them by the military rank and title, called next Chairman and Vice Chairman by first names too, and haven’t even looked at them. Once again Obama showed himself as unprofessional and disrespectful politician.

Wait a minute, don't we think the outrage is going a bit too far here?

It is highly unlikely that Obama had the intention of being unprofessional or disrespectful. In looking at the entire speech he did refer to them at the beginning using their title, rank and full name. Only later did he use their first names and in doing so suggested gratefulness for their service. "Outstanding" and "I could not have asked for a better team"... does not come off as anything like what you are suggesting which tells me this is nothing more than manufactured outrage. In fact, there was absolutely nothing in that short speech to suggest ill will or lack of thankfulness in any sense at all.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

You have never been in the military, have you? I served 6 years enlisted and 14 years as an officer. Calling your subordinates by their first names is the norm. Well, not so much among enlisted (unless it is Air Force) but it is the norm among officers.

In fact, there is a practice we often have where we will write an official letter to a subordinate officer, and then with a pen cross out the person's rank and last name in the salutation and hand write in just their first name, or nickname.

This is something Commanders-in-Chief have been doing as well since, well, since longer than I was in the military.

 

[LagerHead]

During his speech he called the present Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by their first names instead of calling them by the military rank and title, called next Chairman and Vice Chairman by first names too, and haven’t even looked at them. Once again Obama showed himself as unprofessional and disrespectful politician.

Military officers almost always refer to others of the same and lower rank by their first names. Since the President is the Commander-In-Chief, he in effect outranks them all, making this a non-issue. It seems like yet another in an endless line of examples of someone looking for something by which to be offended and - surprise, surprise, surprise - finding it.

Edit: Sorry Bob, didn't see your post before I posted. What he said.

 

[Reformedfindlay]

During his speech he called the present Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by their first names instead of calling them by the military rank and title, called next Chairman and Vice Chairman by first names too, and haven’t even looked at them. Once again Obama showed himself as unprofessional and disrespectful politician.

Out of all the things you can pin Obama for being a jackass over like:

#1 the NSA's continuance

#2 debt rise

#3 still committing troops to the ME

Etc.

You choose to flame him over this non-existent issue? Let's say he did disrespect them... He's the ****ing CiC, he tells the military what to do (with congressional approval) and the military ****ing does it. He says **** about the military then the military must take it.

Welcome to DP. We don't like scrubs.

P.S. Are you going to respond to all the posts here or let this thread die due to embarrassment?

 

[Redress]

During his speech he called the present Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by their first names instead of calling them by the military rank and title, called next Chairman and Vice Chairman by first names too, and haven’t even looked at them. Once again Obama showed himself as unprofessional and disrespectful politician.

Know what really disrespects our troops: people who are unwilling to join the military using them to score political points...

 

[D_NATURED]

I think this post demonstrates the way that some conservatives view the military as being a conservative mainstay that should be immune from unappreciative liberal authority, which does not genuflect to organized violence as the source of our rights, when, in fact, the military has historically been one of the most socialist institutions in America. I think the twisted sentiment expressed in the OP is not unusual but it is a fine example of the way conservatives resent it when high ranking soldiers must, themselves, be respectful toward someone who does not share the blood lust of the conservative establishment.

 

[ARTHUR 1976]

So what ?? This thread is another crock of BS, from the Gopers that can't find anything else but Benghazi to rag about,.....

Talk about dis respect, at least Obama didn't point his finger in their face or shout YOU LIE....

Obama has been disrespected since day one in office by the turds on the right and the tea maggots..

 

[3step]

Know what really disrespects our troops: people who are unwilling to join the military using them to score political points...

So which one of them tries to join the military now? Or you're just dreaming out loud?
The OP is about how Mr.President doesn't want to behave himself. Respectful and mannerly as most of the US military officers usually do.

 

[Renae]

He did call them by their rank and title and then continued on in a more familiar fashion. Nothing wrong with that. This is nothing more than fake outrage and partisan drivel.

Actually, it's quite offensive from a military protocol stand point. In fact, it's a serious problem.

 

[Renae]

You have never been in the military, have you? I served 6 years enlisted and 14 years as an officer. Calling your subordinates by their first names is the norm. Well, not so much among enlisted (unless it is Air Force) but it is the norm among officers.

In fact, there is a practice we often have where we will write an official letter to a subordinate officer, and then with a pen cross out the person's rank and last name in the salutation and hand write in just their first name, or nickname.

This is something Commanders-in-Chief have been doing as well since, well, since longer than I was in the military.

I call bull****. You don't do that in a formal setting.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

I call bull****. You don't do that in a formal setting.

That's fine, but you are wrong. Every Ambassador, General, Admiral, Colonel, and Navy Captain I worked for did it.

I know it has been a few years since you got out but think back to those change of command ceremonies. The presiding commander talks a bit about the relieved and relieving commanders. He starts out calling them by their rank as he goes through the bio, but then it becomes more casual as he refers to them by their first names, talks about their wives by their first names and talks about their kids.

It is the way it has been done, at least for decades.

 

[Renae]

That's fine, but you are wrong. Every Ambassador, General, Admiral, Colonel, and Navy Captain I worked for did it.

I know it has been a few years since you got out but think back to those change of command ceremonies. The presiding commander talks a bit about the relieved and relieving commanders. He starts out calling them by their rank as he goes through the bio, but then it becomes more casual as he refers to them by their first names, talks about their wives by their first names and talks about their kids.

It is the way it has been done, at least for decades.

Nope sorry. Never heard it. it was always formal. But hey maybe in the new kinder military that's the norm. And that's a shame. Really though as my 30 plus years around the military only a remf would say such is acceptable.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

Nope sorry. Never heard it. it was always formal. But hey maybe in the new kinder military that's the norm. And that's a shame. Really though as my 30 plus years around the military only a remf would say such is acceptable.

While I only retired a couple years ago, I enlisted before you as well.

I'm not calling you a liar. I just think you are misremembering. But I also don't know what kind of events you attended and I also realize the enlisted and officer worlds are different, ESPECIALLY in the Navy.

 

[Renae]

While I only retired a couple years ago, I enlisted before you as well.

I'm not calling you a liar. I just think you are misremembering. But I also don't know what kind of events you attended and I also realize the enlisted and officer worlds are different, ESPECIALLY in the Navy.

/shrug. Wifey is army brat dad lt col admin type. Parents are both retired majors dad flew phantoms been to many a functions. I enlisted in 95 and briefed everyone from senators a 2 stars down. Never once did anyone use an informal address.

 

[Redress]

Actually, it's quite offensive from a military protocol stand point. In fact, it's a serious problem.

OK, that is the funniest, moist painfully ignorant thing I have read in a long time.

 

[D_NATURED]

OK, that is the funniest, moist painfully ignorant thing I have read in a long time.

Have you read his other posts? Talk about ignorant!

 

[Renae]

OK, that is the funniest, moist painfully ignorant thing I have read in a long time.

As long as it's in defense of Obama, you're gonna defend.

 

[shrubnose]

During his speech he called the present Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by their first names instead of calling them by the military rank and title, called next Chairman and Vice Chairman by first names too, and haven’t even looked at them.

Once again Obama showed himself as unprofessional and disrespectful politician.

That's your partisan opinion which will have zero effect on the reality that President Obama is the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. military.

Deal with it.

 

[Cryptic]

You have never been in the military, have you? I served 6 years enlisted and 14 years as an officer. Calling your subordinates by their first names is the norm. Well, not so much among enlisted (unless it is Air Force) but it is the norm among officers.

Do they do that during formal Drill and Ceremony occasions? It looks like a formal occasion as news crews were there. Obama should have used their rank title on each occasion that he spoke to them. It is not the end of the world, however, that he did not.

That aside, I wonder if Obama would have first named senior Islamic religous dignitaries in public? My bet is that say, Imam Muhammed Tahir would have stayed "Imam Tahir". In addition, Obama would have been briefed about any men with the 'Haji' honorific- and then would have been sure to include it when addressing them.

 

[Redress]

As long as it's in defense of Obama, you're gonna defend.

My post was not a defense of Obama, it was an attack of your ignorance of military practices.