Military question in the playground!

[Traab]

This came up on a comic thread and im curious what the official rules are, and what usually actually happens in this situation. (I know sometimes they are different) You are a soldier, doesnt really matter which branch, and someone who outranks you but is outside your chain of command gives you an order. American military is primarily who im asking, but I would be interested to see if the rules are different in different nations. Just as a random example, you are an army private, a naval officer walks up and tells you to do something. It isnt anything you could object to if your direct superior ordered it instead. Do you obey? Seek confirmation from your own commanding officer? Shoot him as an inept spy for some evil organization? Keep making "LALALALALA! I CANT HEAR YOU!" type responses till he goes away?

[Brother Oni]

This came up on a comic thread and im curious what the official rules are, and what usually actually happens in this situation. (I know sometimes they are different) You are a soldier, doesnt really matter which branch, and someone who outranks you but is outside your chain of command gives you an order. American military is primarily who im asking, but I would be interested to see if the rules are different in different nations. Just as a random example, you are an army private, a naval officer walks up and tells you to do something. It isnt anything you could object to if your direct superior ordered it instead. Do you obey? Seek confirmation from your own commanding officer? Shoot him as an inept spy for some evil organization? Keep making "LALALALALA! I CANT HEAR YOU!" type responses till he goes away?

I know the captain of a ship outranks everybody, so he can pretty much order anybody onboard around, regardless of service.

Sentries also outrank everybody and woe betide any superior officer who's forgotten the passphrase.

On the more humorous side, a sprinting EOD operator also outranks everyone.

[Traab]

I know the captain of a ship outranks everybody, so he can pretty much order anybody onboard around, regardless of service.

Sentries also outrank everybody and woe betide any superior officer who's forgotten the passphrase.

On the more humorous side, a sprinting EOD operator also outranks everyone.

Heh, I actually knew most of those, because they are known exceptions to the standard chain of command, I just wondered how it works if a random officer from the army walked up to a navy man on base he outranked and said, "I order you to do this that and the other thing" They have no connection in the chain of command, it isnt one of these known exceptions like you mentioned.

[tyckspoon]

Heh, I actually knew most of those, because they are known exceptions to the standard chain of command, I just wondered how it works if a random officer from the army walked up to a navy man on base he outranked and said, "I order you to do this that and the other thing" They have no connection in the chain of command, it isnt one of these known exceptions like you mentioned.

Non-expert and non-experienced opinion: You do it out of respect, but since he doesn't technically have authority to order you it's more a strongly worded request. If you have an actual order from somebody in your direct chain of command that still takes priority, as that is the command you are sworn and obligated to carry out. Again, no personal experience, so I wouldn't base anything on this, but that's what seems like it should be right based on how most military is depicted in quite a range of media.

[SowZ]

In a combat scenario or war related scenario, assuming it isn't practical to just call up your CO and let them know/your superior isn't present, I'm pretty sure you would do it without question as long as it didn't interfere with orders from your direct superior or take you away from where you needed to be. In a more peaceful scenario you'd probably make more of an effort to let your superior know about it but then proceed to do it either way.

Note: I never served in the military, but did four years as a cadet in the high school Army officer training corps. So I have incidental knowledge, not real experience.

[Crow]

Precedence is given to the officer who has operational command of the operation you are a part of. This is especially true in joint operations.

If I remember correctly, a naval officer can give orders to a junior army person, so long as the order doesn't contradict the base commander's standing orders for whatever post that army guy is doing, and it is part of a joint command. In most non-joint cases something like this would probably be sent up the chain for clarification though.

I could be wrong though, because it has been well over a decade since I've had to know stuff like that, and I don't recall anything like your example ever being something that would happen often enough to worry about it.

[Traab]

Precedence is given to the officer who has operational command of the operation you are a part of. This is especially true in joint operations.

If I remember correctly, a naval officer can give orders to a junior army person, so long as the order doesn't contradict the base commander's standing orders for whatever post that army guy is doing, and it is part of a joint command. In most non-joint cases something like this would probably be sent up the chain for clarification though.

I could be wrong though, because it has been well over a decade since I've had to know stuff like that, and I don't recall anything like your example ever being something that would happen often enough to worry about it.

I can give an example where the opportunity exists. In lackland afb, there were a LOT of random officers, even some foreign military types. So the potential to be told to do something by an officer in another branch or one that isnt directly in authority over you exists. In case you were wondering, there is a web comic, Grrl Power. In it, the main character has these orbs that grant super powers. The american military has created a new branch specifically for super related events and national disaster type things. One of the thing we were debating in the discussion thread is just how military the branch really is, and how they might interact with others.

Could some green lt with no real knowledge of her capabilities and not a part of this branch order sydney to, I dunno, use her lasers to dig trenches for him for whatever reason, simply because he is an officer, and she isnt? Are there limits besides illegal orders or orders that would countermand what those actually IN her direct chain of command have put in place? I know he couldnt order her to go out and blow up a school, or tell her to stop guarding a location her commanding officer told her to guard, but I wasnt sure what the limit is beyond that.

*EDIT* Thinking on it more, something tells me those officers in lackland werent going to give out orders like that anyways, probably to avoid this exact sort of headache. Like, technically they can give an order, but trying to unravel who has the right to order who to do what means its probably not worth the effort outside of an emergency or something.

[Bulldog Psion]

Combining my rather extensive military history knowledge with my father's actual military experience, I'd say it would depend a lot on the situation.

In less-than-emergency situations, the command structures tend to avoid messing in each other's area of authority. If, say, an Air Force officer showed up and started ordering Army personnel around out of the blue, I have a feeling that said personnel would contact their own, actual superior and ask them what their orders were.

In an emergency situation? Let's say an Air Force officer and a bunch of Army privates and a sergeant stuck behind enemy lines. In that case, I think if the Air Force officer had any professionalism, they would consult with the sergeant on anything they weren't sure about. If they didn't, the sergeant might technically be outranked, but would likely ignore the orders if they were obviously incorrect, suicidal, or unrealistic.

It's a complex and interesting question.

[Crow]

If that officer is not in your chain of command (i.e. not a joint operation), and you are not within the sphere of their command, then as I said send it up the chain for resolution. In a strict sense, they can't just order you to start digging trenches.

Exceptional situations will be exceptional.

[Solaris]

Crow is pretty much right.

I'm a former Army sergeant with just under eight years, and I just recently escaped got out. I've run into the situation of dumbass officers who think they're in charge of all the things tried trampling all over everywhere because... well, because we were in fobbitton, and God knows they have to do everything as wrong as possible there.

An enlisted man, regardless of branch, is obliged to follow the orders of their superiors. The only exceptions to this are when those orders are unlawful, immoral, unethical, or contradict the orders of someone who outranks that superior. If that someone assigns another servicecritter operational authority, then the superior's orders interfering with that business contradict that someone's orders and thus the enlisted man is under no obligation to follow them - though he'd best be tactful about it.

Let's say there's a PVT, a SGT, a 2LT, and a CPT. The Sergeant is assigned the duties of Sergeant of the Guard and the Private assigned to guard duty by the Captain. The Second Lieutenant, high on himself because he's got a commission and thinks he's King **** of Turd Mountain, walks up to the Sergeant and demands he release the Private to the Louie's custody supervision because the weeds aren't going to pick themselves out of the dead grass. The Sergeant has the option of doing so if he believes that he can handle the guard duties without the Private for the duration of the tasking, but he can also respectfully decline to release his guard because his orders come from someone who outranks the Louie. No matter how much of a temper tantrum that Butter Bar throws, it's not going to change that fact.

If we're in a situation where there's no orders from a superior preventing such a busybody with no real experience interfering with accomplishing the mission, that's when the skill of tactfully working around such an obstruction comes into play. It's an incredibly useful skill, because LTs are incredibly stupid.

Also, soldiers are only in the Army. There are no soldiers in the Navy, the Men's Department of the Navy, or the Air Force. They're not even in the National Guard; those are guardsmen.

[Frozen_Feet]

Is "Men's department of the Navy" an euphenism for marines?

[Brother Oni]

I've also read that in combat situations, command is usually given to the current officer on the ground.

I've read of a British unit getting involved in a firefight who then called in reinforcements from base. When the reinforcements arrived, headed by a captain and a major, they both deferred to the sergeant currently in charge since handing over control and passing on information would take too long when there's significant amounts of incoming fire.

[Killer Angel]

I know that officiers dont like when another officier (outside their chain of command), mess with their men.
And don't like if their men obey that officier without being informed or without the OK from one of their noncommissioned officer.

[Peccavi]

Former Aus Army here. Pretty much as above, if it contradicts your current orders you need to check, and also you're well within your rights to tell the 'outsider' officer that. "I'm sorry sir, but Major Bla Bla has left orders for me to do such and such."

Generally speaking it doesn't happen very often, most officers are trained well enough to understand that they don't in fact know everything, and that the officers in charge of a specific group have a better idea of what they should be doing.

Its more likely to occur within a branch (army, navy, air force) than from outside. So imagine and infantry officer ordering around an artillery man. Again though, the infantry officer isn't likely to do that unless it absolutely necessary, he doesn't have the training to understand how the artillery man should be doing his job.

EDIT: Gotta say though, really love the "LALALALALA! I CANT HEAR YOU!" response. I wish I'd tried it, just to see the look on their faces...

[BannedInSchool]

As a layperson my impression is that the organizational tree/pyramid takes precedence, but the rank hierarchy gives some lateral flexibility. But I still think giving superpowered civilians direct commissions makes more sense to me, if only from the stated problem of exactly who should have the authority to give this moon-blowing-up person orders; they should have a fancy insignia. :smallsmile:

[pendell]

Check me on this, but from an officer's perspective it's usually wise to give orders to the enlisted in your direct area of responsibility. Because if you start just giving orders to random enlisted people, not only are they often going to refuse, citing their own standing orders, but they're going to complain up the chain. Eventually those complaints up the chain come back down to you in the form of a dressing down from your own superior, who doesn't appreciate taking time out of his busy day to deal with your s$#%$%t.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Solaris]

Is "Men's department of the Navy" an euphenism for marines?

Yes. They tend to hate it when it's pointed out that the Marines are a department of the Navy.


Check me on this, but from an officer's perspective it's usually wise to give orders to the enlisted in your direct area of responsibility. Because if you start just giving orders to random enlisted people, not only are they often going to refuse, citing their own standing orders, but they're going to complain up the chain. Eventually those complaints up the chain come back down to you in the form of a dressing down from your own superior, who doesn't appreciate taking time out of his busy day to deal with your s$#%$%t.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

Oh yes. Most Army officers don't give orders to anyone below the rank of SGT, and then only to their Sergeants - for exactly the reason you describe.

[Tyndmyr]

This came up on a comic thread and im curious what the official rules are, and what usually actually happens in this situation. (I know sometimes they are different) You are a soldier, doesnt really matter which branch, and someone who outranks you but is outside your chain of command gives you an order. American military is primarily who im asking, but I would be interested to see if the rules are different in different nations. Just as a random example, you are an army private, a naval officer walks up and tells you to do something. It isnt anything you could object to if your direct superior ordered it instead. Do you obey? Seek confirmation from your own commanding officer? Shoot him as an inept spy for some evil organization? Keep making "LALALALALA! I CANT HEAR YOU!" type responses till he goes away?

In general? It does not override orders from your chain of command. Outside of that, you treat the fellow respectfully, but you don't do whatever some stranger demands just because he happens to have more stripes.

This is ESPECIALLY important for instances like security clearance. Rank does not allow one to simply ignore the rules.

I'm assuming this question is for RPG related instances? That'll depend somewhat on your fictional organization. Some are more formal than others. But real world, yeah...a stranger from outside your chain of command is not automatically bluffing his way through everything. I have indeed been in the military, if it matters. Eight years, USAF.

[Gnoman]

Check me on this, but from an officer's perspective it's usually wise to give orders to the enlisted in your direct area of responsibility. Because if you start just giving orders to random enlisted people, not only are they often going to refuse, citing their own standing orders, but they're going to complain up the chain. Eventually those complaints up the chain come back down to you in the form of a dressing down from your own superior, who doesn't appreciate taking time out of his busy day to deal with your s$#%$%t.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

There's another reason - violating the chain of command has serious consequences for organization. For example, if a Colonel decides he needs extra ammunition for an exercise and tells a random private to go to storage and get some, the sergeant in charge of the armory is going to wonder where his ammo went, a truck driver's going to wonder why there's boxes of ammo on his truck and so on and so forth. Going through the chain of command avoids that problem.

[huttj509]

I've also read that in combat situations, command is usually given to the current officer on the ground.

I've read of a British unit getting involved in a firefight who then called in reinforcements from base. When the reinforcements arrived, headed by a captain and a major, they both deferred to the sergeant currently in charge since handing over control and passing on information would take too long when there's significant amounts of incoming fire.

Maxim 2: A sergeant in motion outranks a lieutenant who doesn't know what's going on.
Maxim 3: An ordnance technician at a dead run outranks everybody.

( http://schlockmercenary.wikia.com/wiki/The_Seventy_Maxims_of_Maximally_Effective_Mercenar ies )

[pendell]

The following is from the "Official Authorized Wing Commander Confederation handbook". While fictional, I'd be surprised if it wasn't cribbed directly from actual USN practice



MCPO G. Peterson, Deck Boss

The following instructions apply to all personnel on the flight deck. If you don't understand these rules, do not enter the deck.

1. I am the Boss. By order of the Captain, all instructions from the Flight Boss are to be obeyed immediately and without question. I don't care what your rank is.

2. During normal operations, all instructions from the Flight Control Officer on duty are to be followed immediately and without question. Only the Deck Boss can override instructions from the FCO. During emergency situations, all instructions from the Emergency Crew Chief are to be followed immediately and without question. Only the Deck Boss can override instructions from the EOC during emergency situations.

3. All personnel working the deck will wear either a utility coverall or a flight suit. Pilots will do no maintenance on their craft in flight suits, except for pre-flight checklists.

4. Absolutely no one on deck during scrambles except on-duty pilots and deck crew. If you think you have business on deck during a scramble, report to control bay first. No exceptions!

5. No horseplay on the deck, no loitering on the deck. If you're not working, get out.

6. All personnel will make way for utility tractor and fuel bowser at all times.

7. Diagnostics on craft engines and weapon systems that require a hot start-up will only be conducted with the express permission of the Deck Boss, under the personal supervision of the Deck Boss, Propulsion Chief, or Weapon System Chief.

8. No craft will launch or land from this deck without personal authorization from the Flight Control Officer.

9. No food or drink on the flight deck. If you're on break, go to the galley for a snack.

10. Pilots and techs ONLY in cockpits. Guests must have permission of the Captain and the Deck Boss before entering or viewing a cockpit, and must be personally escorted by a pilot at all times while on deck.

11. No craft will launch from this deck until a pre-flight checklist is complete. If the Captain declares a flash scramble, abbreviated checklists may be used. Full checklists WILL be used at ALL OTHER times.

12. ENVIRONMENTAL MAINTENANCE FIELD: NOBODY crosses the red line except launching/landing craft and field maintenance crews. Field crews will undertake hot operations only at the express orders of the Deck Boss.

13. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS: If the emergency klaxon sounds, all other deck traffic will yield to repair and medical crews, IN THAT ORDER.

14. If the breech klaxon sounds, all personnel will immediately go to the life-support lockers and don environmental gear.

15. Any pilot or crewman may sound the emergency klaxon at any time. I'd rather have the klaxon go when there is no emergency, then have it not go when there is one. HOWEVER, any bogus or prank alarms will be referred to Captain's Mast.

16. NO HOT LANDINGS! All craft will approach the deck with engines and primary maneuvering thrusters off. Only landing thrusters will be used for attitute correction.

17. Exterior deck. No craft will launch or land unless the exterior deck is 100% clear. This includes craft, debris, utility tractor, or personel.

18. All wreckage will be cleared from the exterior deck immediately. Rescue operations will be coordinated by the FCO once the deck is clear.

19. Except in the case of medical emergency or express orders from the captain, no pilot will leave the deck until your craft is berthed, secured and pre-prepped.

20. No one except the Deck Boss can authorize any transfer of parts from one craft to another.

21. If a craft is redlined, it will be removed form the flight deck immediately. Redline craft will remain in the repair bay until certified ready for space.



That's for a fictional spacecraft. With a few minor adaptations it would work well on a nonfictional sea-going carrier. Perhaps with just a few more adjustments the same notice was posted on Caesar's Galleys, when "Boss" meant command of the rowing pit, rather than a flight deck.

Responsibility and task supersede rank. In this case, the Captain is absolute master of his ship, and he has delegated a portion of that godlike authority to a senior enlisted man, that most exalted of beings, a Chief. Off the flight deck, the chief is a senior noncom like any other. ON the flight deck, the chief exercises the direct authority of the Captain, and not even an Admiral can override that authority on his own deck.

'nother anecdote I only heard, didn't see: A cadet on his training cruise (all Annapolis grads go on one of these) arrives at his ship, sees a chief, tells the chief to carry his luggage aboard. Chief salutes, carries his stuff about halfway up the gang plank, then throws it into the sea.

Commentator who told me this noted: "Evidently no one had bothered to tell him he wasn't a real officer yet. Or that chiefs have better things to do than be deckhands."

To my mind, rank is most important when everything goes into the toilet; when Russian* tanks have come through the wire and everyone above the rank of Major has been killed, or when the ship is sunk and you've got ten men in a lifeboat. At this point, rank means you can quickly and efficiently organize an impromptu military unit by finding the guy with stripes or railroad tracks and put him in charge. If he's completely useless, he should be smart enough to find someone who DOES know what he's doing, delegate, and then get out of the way while real people do the work. But rank/seniority means that in these kinds of impromptu situations there is no argument about who is or isn't in charge; any group of military people can promptly self-organize to accomplish a task regardless of different service branch or even nationality.

That's in an emergency. Under normal circumstances everyone has a responsibility and reports to a chain of command ; violating that chain (as Gnoman says) means jobs don't get done, which means backlash, which means the offending officer gets torn a new one by his superior (as I said).

* If the reader is Russian, feel free to substitute American or Martian or who knows what else.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Jay R]

In normal circumstances, an officer only gives orders within his or her direct command. Many exceptions exist. Some of those exceptions are written down. Some ... aren't.

If they start shooting at you, and an officer tells you to get down, don't wait to sort out chain of command; get down.

[Murska]

If they start shooting at you, and an officer tells you to get down, don't wait to sort out chain of command; get down.

If they start shooting at you, get down. Unless clear previous orders say otherwise, shoot back. After that, pay attention to any officers telling you things.

[Killer Angel]

If they start shooting at you, and an officer tells you to get down, don't wait to sort out chain of command; get down.

I'm pretty sure that combat situations are somehow different. Especially if your command chain has been broken by some well placed bullet.

[Brother Oni]

As a layperson my impression is that the organizational tree/pyramid takes precedence, but the rank hierarchy gives some lateral flexibility. But I still think giving superpowered civilians direct commissions makes more sense to me, if only from the stated problem of exactly who should have the authority to give this moon-blowing-up person orders; they should have a fancy insignia. :smallsmile:

Not always. Professionally qualified officers (eg doctors, lawyers, chaplains, etc) are given an officer rank, but given that their military training is extremely abbreviated (the PQO course in the UK is only 10 weeks long compared to the regular 44 weeks plus specific regimental/corps courses), they're not usually let near a command position.

For example, in the RAMC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Army_Medical_Corps), all the leadership, command and administration work is performed by Medical Support Officers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_Support_Officer), who may be outranked by the doctors they're working alongside but are certainly the ones giving the orders.

[rafet]

One personnel story that might help. While I was serving, we were training for Iraq, and a Major who was part of the training team had finished his pop, and tossed the empty can to the corporal and told him to throw it away. Now there are trash cans all over the place. My captain saw this as disrespectful his corporal and got into the major's face about it.

[Albions_Angel]

Here is something interesting for you.

In the UK, forces entertainment (from base TV, to recorded shows on submarines, to live bands on tour to the battle zones, to entertainment at the decompression camps) is handled by a non-for-profit company called BFBS or the British Forces Broadcasting Service. My father works there in the engineering department in an exec type position. He is a civilian. He is also not fond of rank (he knows it is necessary, but in his eyes, every human is equal) and the companies he has work at before have been small and he has treated everyone, from his secretary to the board of directors, with equal weight.

However, by some magic of the MOD, his position within BFBS means he has Brigadier equivalent rank. This leads to some interesting situations.

Army, Navy, Airforce and Marines of less than equivalent rank MUST salute him and take him anywhere he wants on base/ship, so long as a person of his rank would have permission to go there. However, beyond standard rules and regulations (ie, a civilian being told to not do something because its affecting base operations) he can treat anyone with a HIGHER rank as any member of the public would, as they have no authority to order him around. He is also to some degree allowed to order around those higher up than him, so long as its to do with his job. What makes it even more interesting is somewhere like Camp Bastion, which had both British and US troops, if he had gone there (and several engineers of slightly lower rank did) the US troops ALSO have to follow those rules. In fact, more or less any British allied force must treat him as a high ranking member of their own forces if he is on their base.

It also means he has some cool stories. Like the time he was helping to outfit a vessel with wifi and was being escorted by some guy fresh out of training who had been told "take him where he wants to go, dont get in his way, he is the 3rd highest ranking person on this ship currently". There is dad, reading his schematic and drilling a hole in a wall for a hub mount and this young guy is bouncing up and down trying not to interrupt but also trying to get him to stop. Dad finally notices and tells him to spit it out, he doesnt believe in rank, he can say whatever, etc, and the kid just bursts out "Thats the wall into the missile store!" or something to that effect. Many laughs were had and the kid learnt sometimes you need to question authority.

[Brother Oni]

That's a great story, thank you.



Army, Navy, Airforce and Marines of less than equivalent rank MUST salute him and take him anywhere he wants on base/ship, so long as a person of his rank would have permission to go there.

As a 1 star general (OF6), that means pretty much anybody he comes into contact with has to salute him and there aren't many people above him either. :smallbiggrin:

[Solaris]

It also means he has some cool stories. Like the time he was helping to outfit a vessel with wifi and was being escorted by some guy fresh out of training who had been told "take him where he wants to go, dont get in his way, he is the 3rd highest ranking person on this ship currently". There is dad, reading his schematic and drilling a hole in a wall for a hub mount and this young guy is bouncing up and down trying not to interrupt but also trying to get him to stop. Dad finally notices and tells him to spit it out, he doesnt believe in rank, he can say whatever, etc, and the kid just bursts out "Thats the wall into the missile store!" or something to that effect. Many laughs were had and the kid learnt sometimes you need to question authority.

The lesson there isn't to question authority, it's to not be afraid to speak up when you have relevant information and don't be afraid of someone just because they outrank you.

In the military, rank doesn't have anything to do with higher-ranked people being 'better' than the people below them. If it did, NCOs would outrank everyone and lieutenants would be rated somewhere around beasts of burden alongside privates. "Rank hath its privileges" is one of the most inaccurate and misleading adages to invade the lexicon; using rank to secure more comfortable accommodations or access greater privileges than the lower-ranked personnel, regardless of how commonly it's done, is an abuse of rank. The only reason someone of higher rank can order around someone of lower rank is to more readily accomplish the mission, not to massage their egos or save themselves the trouble of doing something they don't want to do.

[Logic]

I've been in the US Air Force, enlisted for 12 years.

I'm paraphrasing here, but the US Enlisted Oath includes the term "obey the orders of the officers appointed over me."

Which loosely translates to obey all lawful orders within reason. If someone outside of your area tells you to stop performing tasks related to your mission, you should probably not follow that order. If the order given is to mop floors, you should probably follow that order unless it directly contradicts a previous order given.

[Seruvius]

Having served in the Swiss armed forces (every male citizen basically has to. yaaay :smallannoyed:), I can throw in my 2 cents. As far as I understand it, they are from a different branch and therefore their ranks are not applicable, at least strictly. Yes if say a Commander or a Captain came up to me and asked me to take a message to someone of course I would, but say if I have a specific task to perform and he/she is asking me to desist then id defs want some sort of confirmation from higher up.

[Tono]

Yea... It really is more about where you are and the situation more then anything. I have and have seen enlisted look at CPTs and LTCs in my own branch and completely ignored everything they ordered. Mostly its with the support of whoever is higher. Whether its a PSG, Squad Leader, or team leader, they have the final call on what you do. At the same time I've had to follow completely stupid orders by my PL or other officers. There is a time and a place for everything. Its about picking battles by knowing who has authority, who wants to feel powerful, and who can actually punish you. But I have -never- seen a SPC who followed every order to the letter.


More then often though, if an officer wants people to do something stupid they wont go find some random person to do it. They'll find someone in command and say "I need x amount of people for y" and then let who ever is in command take care of the staffing. Then there is no issue, and no problem. ie: Some person in BTN S3 decided there needs to be another strand of c-wire around a certain area. They wont go find Joes to do it, they'll go to their CO and say "I need this to happen for what ever reason." The CO will then go to the commanders of the different companies and say "Give me 3 people each for for C-wire detail." The commanders of the companies then tell the 1SGT or PLs, and yadda yadda yadda, they have their pretty little c-wire.

[Havelocke]

Solaris is on point here, I have recently separated from a long career in the US Army (13 years, got hurt, got out). Officers usually give orders to the sergeants who then delegate tasks to the lower enlisted to "get the job done" in whatever fashion they deem fit for the situation per guidelines. I have been in situations where I had to tell I much higher ranking officer that the task I was assigned to accomplish could not be completed within the parameters desired with the given materials (I was an engineer). While the Engineer motto is "let us try", what the major required was beyond my team's abilities to accomplish. Without divulging too much info his plan would NOT work, I had the backing of a high ranking civilian safety representative which backed me up on it. Long story short, yes we are to obey the orders of the officers over us, however is a different branch tells us to do something, it needs to be in their sphere of authority (for example, when travelling on an Air Force plane, I follow their NCO and Officer's guidelines, their plane, their rules). The same would go on a ship, submarine, whatever. Now on a joint security mission with the Air Force, I did fall under the Air Force security force's command so I followed those officers and sergeants as well as the post commander (his base, his rules) but I still had an Army officer and first sergeant over me.

[Talyn]

I spent four years in the U.S. Coast Guard, though mostly on shore - I was never in a combat or other live-fire situation, so I can't speak as to that.

One thing that is worth remembering is that senior enlisted men and junior officers with A Clue (i.e. not Ensigns and with some sort of area of specialization) generally go by what I've had described as the "two but-sir" rule. If someone higher ranking than you gives an order that you believe is ill-advised, and the situation is not a genuine, something is on fire or getting shot emergency, you take that senior officer aside for a moment and you say "but sir/ma'am, shouldn't we rather do X instead?"

You ask that twice. If the superior officer insists after you asking twice, then you follow that order even if it's a bad idea - after all, it's their ass on the line if something goes wrong, not yours. If the ship/unit is endangered by the order, or the order is obviously a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice or otherwise flagrantly immoral, you can refuse the order again - but you'd better be able to justify that refusal to an extremely unsympathetic O-5 (or higher) judge at your court-martial later!