MovieChat Forums > Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) Discussion > Sgt Major Dickerson's remark

Sgt Major Dickerson's remark

posted 17 years ago by Altho73
15 replies | jump to latest

When Sgt Major Dickerson chewed out Croneaur for saluting him he said 'I work for a living, Airman!!!'
Would an American G.I understand what that meant because it was a term that originated and was frequently used in the British Army. It heralds back to a time when Army commissions were automatically given to sons of members of the Aristocracy who flaunted their rank as an item of snobishness. They were greatly resented by the enlisted men hence the term, 'I work for a living'.
So why would an American Sgt Major use that term as it never applied to the US army?

[–] grandsammer 17 years ago

Dickerson was not offended by the fact that Cronauer saluted him, but because he had addressed him as, "sir".

In the U.S. Army, a Sgt Major is non-commissioned, as are other types of sergeants (e.g. First Sgt., Staff Sgt., etc.).

I have never served in the military, but it is my understanding that many non-commissioned DO resent being addressed as "sir" by those of lower rank, insisting instead on being addressed by their rank (just as Dickerson had done).

If I am not mistaken, only officers (i.e. those who are COMMISSIONED) are required to be addressed as "sir" by the lower ranks.

The way it was explained to me was that, in years past, those who were non-commissioned disproportionately came from blue collar/working class backgrounds and these tended to look upon those who were commissioned (who, at the time, came mostly from wealthier, college-educated backgrounds) with resentment.

This, apparently, is the origin of their displeasure at being called, "sir" by those serving under them.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, and have a great day.

Sam

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] mamabearppl 17 years ago

I use that expression all the time, and I'm a housewife.

[–] Corner_House_guest 16 years ago

In Stripes, the sergeant says the same thing when the recruits first arrive and address him as sir.

[–] RobBase086-1 15 years ago

You are very correct and this goes to all branches actually of service. Even when someone calls me sir when I was an enlisted I always told them "I work for a living!" I still say that now as a civilian say that.

When you work your way up to a high level as an enlisted you do not like to be referred to as sir but by the rank that they have. You can call an officer by their last name as long as you say Mr., Ms, Mrs. because it is a form of respect without having to say Sir or mam.

Dedicated to USA UP ALL NIGHT and the fans of the show! www.deefilmroll.com/usa-uan/

[–] pmiano100 17 years ago

I was a sergeant in the American Army in the late 1960s and we used that expression all the time. Perhaps the Americans picked it up from the British, having been allies in three wars during the Twentieth Century. Whatever the reason, the American military did use that expression, at least when I was in.

[–] Altho73 17 years ago

Interesting, you are probably right, the phrase was probably picked up by the US army from British soldiers in France in 1918. When you used the phrase in the late 60's did you know what it meant? The statement is no longer true but it certainly WAS in the early nineteenth century when sons of aristocrats were given army comissions at the age of ten years old!!! The enlisted men worked for a living whilst the officers lived a charmed life.

[–] pmiano100 17 years ago

It referred, at least as we understood it, to the relatively easier time officers had. Plus, most officers were college graduates while most sergeants at most graduated from high school. The days when American officers almost exclusively came from rich families ended in 1918, but officers still came from families that were generally better off financially. Another expression we had along those lines was RHIP (Rank Has Its Privileges). When you think about it, is the civilian world that different?

[–] snowfairy123183-1 15 years ago

Mr. Pmiano100, thanks for serving our nation.

[–] pmiano100 15 years ago

Thank you. I only did what my father (WWII), uncle (Korea), grandfather (WWI), great-uncle (WWI), and great-grandfather (Spanish-American War) did before me, and what my youngest brother (Desert Shield/Storm, Somalia) and my son and my nephew (Iraq, Afghanistan) did after me. It is a family tradition we are proud of.

[–] Navy1982 16 years ago

I am currently serving active duty in the American Navy and that term is rarely used, but I have heard it before. We only call officers 'Sir', or 'Ma'am'. The enlisted ranks we call them by rating (BM1, QM3, etc etc). Just as in the Army, the enlisted call each other by their rank and call officers Sir or Ma'am.

As far as where this term came from, I was not sure until I just read this thread. I guess you learn something new every day.

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads."

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] sonofbeach-sheet 16 years ago

I've been in the Air Force 20 years and sir is pretty much a universal form of respect that is not rank conscious. And yes, you dare not call an Army Sgt sir or ma'am, because enlisted people are those that do the dirty work. I served with that trashy, low-class branch of the military for a year in Afghanistan and was under their management.

[–] bbriggs-5 8 years ago

Air Force? If you had served in the military instead, you'd know different.

[–] Matthew7819 8 years ago

Commissioned Officers are addressed as "sir", Non-commissioned officer (E5 Sgt, up to E9 Command Sgt Major) are address either as Sgt, or their full title "Command Sgt Major, Air Force personnel refer to their own NCOs as 'sir/maam', so it could've been a miscommunication as well too.

Because only comissioned officers are addressed as 'Sir', A non-comissioned officer is 'one of the men' as opposed to an 'officer' - they are generally pretty insulted because it indicates that they think that they are above the rest of the men. In England the highest NC rank is Warrant Officer Class One (I think, although it might be Regimental Sergeant Major, the Warrent Officers confuse me a bit when it comes to levels of rank).

When you go on cadet camp you learn pretty quickly not to call a sergeant 'Sir', or the PTIs (evil sods that they are) anything other than 'staff'. I persanlly think the reason for the PTIs not telling you their actual names so that you can't sue them for cruelty to humans.

Plus, in boot camp, you get the fact that NCO's are not to be addressed as "sir" bludgeoned into your head about a million times, so making that mistake is pretty inexcusable.

Yes, and Army NCO's have a tendency to over-react when called "Sir, They take it personally, and to heart, and will remind you in a loud, and extremely smart-a$$ed way NOT to address them as "Sir", and when you are reminded in this manner, the chances are you will NOT forget, and the incident WON'T be repeated, My fathers Drill Sergeants always equivocated being called "Sir"="A$$hole" Just a short lesson in military customs and courtesy.