[Joe 6-pack]

"It should also be noted that rank notwithstanding, senior personnel is always expected to handle themselves better than their juniors. An ensign will be treated administratively more like a seaman, and a chief more like a commander..."

Not exactly my observation in the Army. Certainly when it came to professional and technical competence issues, a senior NCO was held to a higher standard than a new Lieutenant; the NCOs are epected to impart their competence on junior officers. However, when it came to moral/criminal/ethical matters, new Lieutenants or freshly minted Warrants were held to the the strictest accounts.

I was commissioned in '91 and, believe it or not, My Lai was still pretty fresh in the Army's psyche when it came to junior officer accountability.

[Melas]

Totally different experience in the Navy. Young officers were every bit as wild as young sailors, and the same blind eyes were turned from their direction. Lifers, officers or no, were definitely held to a higher standard.