A follow up on something I posted the other day. You may remember that a Senator from California berated a brigadier general for answering her questions with the honorific “ma’am”. Said Senator demanded that the general refer to her as “Senator”. A note from Blackfive on the matter:
As a former Army Officer, if one of my soldiers called me “Lieutenant”, instead of “el-tee” or “Sir”, I would know that he found me lacking. Calling me by my job title or rank is only done because it is the lowest requirement of respect.
The. Lowest. Requirement. Of. Respect.
If one of my soldiers called me “Captain”, without using my last name behind it or “Sir”, I would know that he found me substandard.
BG Walsh was showing Barbara Boxer respect by calling her “Ma’am” instead of “Senator.” Believe me, the title “Senator” does not really hold a whole lot of credibility in the US military. It’s a job, and a Corporal leading a team in Baqubah has more honor than most of those holding that title.
Do read the entire thing, including the suggestion for sending a letter to the senator. The only thing I would suggest would improve the entire letter-writing campaign would be to address the letter to “senator or current occupant”. Please note the lack of capitalization.
Which will henceforth be my chosen form for addressing anything the senator or current occupant says or does for the remainder of her time in office.
After she leaves office, it will just be “occupant”.
Well said. I address my senators and representative by their first names. It’s a employer to employee thing. I have been retired from Active Service for almost sixteen years now and the last six have been on the Permanent Retired List. So, therefore, the Congress is no longer in my Chain of Command. Basically, I don’t have a Chain of Command anymore, unless you count the Missus and the Grandchildren.