Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

I'm sure he learned it through much pain and suffering

Yep. I qoute a Company 1st Sergeant H&S Co. 1st Marines to a young PFC who had just reported to him for a working party.

"Top? Top? in Top? A Top is a in toy that spins around on a flat surface stain!"

I am a First Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps!

so what was your reaction/punishment? were there other's around that you "helped" teach the lesson to?

My punishment? I had to give "Top" 50 pushups. Thing is the Company Gunny was the one who told me "Go tell Top your here>"

Gunny watched my motivational PT session with something bordering sadistic glee in his eyes.

But hey he told Top it was his fault after I was done.

that sucks so bad.... so while everyone watched you do 50 push-ups was he talking or just staring? and what happens if you can't do 50 push-ups at one time?

No man it didn't suck. The Gunny and the 1st Sgt had their fun with the little PFC from the Line Company and I learned a lesson in military courtsey. It's a learning expierance.

Can't do 50? Well usually you end up owing them to whoever. Not a good thing. If you "owe" an NCO pushups then when they see you say in the the chowline then you might hear "You still owe me (x amount) pushups. Knock em out."

now that is power!!!!!!!!!!!

Not power. It's discipline. In away it's like a game thats played. Hard to explain.

You are better off callin people by their rank and officers sir. If they want you to call them somethin else they will let ya know. The only one that you usually can get away with is Gunny.

Now I know this is a discussion about the Marines and I am Army but I understand what you're saying about the newbies just off the Island. I happened to have the opportunity to talk to one just recently after church. I like to speak with people in uniform whenever I can. I saw him with his Mom and walked over and shook his hand and talked to him a bit. I asked him what he's going to do next. He started talking about a school he was lined up for and then proceeded to tell me he was going to get a commission. I stopped him in mid sentence and said "You're getting commissioned after you complete school? Exactly what kind of school did you say that was?" He said "Oh no I meant an NCO which is an officer without a commission!". I said "before you go any further I suppose I ought to tell you that I spent 22 years in the Army and retired as a First Sergeant and I have a fair idea of what an NCO is.". Well his faced turned Marine Corps red an I told him it's alright, I bet he didn't run into too many Retired First Sergeants.
Anyway back to the subject at hand. I agree that the best advice is to address someone by their rank unless told to do otherwise. Unlike the Marines, in the Army the term "Top" is used exclusively for First Sergeants. It's the term for the "top sergeant" in a company. I always hated to be called "Sarge" though. Once you said that to me your a$$ was mine from then on, or at least until the next bonehead made the same mistake.
Oh, that's a key thing to remember throughout your military experience. Everyone takes their fair ration of sh#t at least until the next puke screws up and takes the heat off you. Trust me, there's always someone right behind you just chomping at the bit to screw up. It's almost a natural law of military nature. You've just got to wait him out, he'll show up pretty soon, trust me.

yeah so say i screw up and blurt out the wrong thing... should i set one of my idiot friends/enemies up to doing something similar or are things like that taboo/ gets mu a$$ into more dung?