Now the chain of command in the units I was in were as follows: squad leader, platoon sergeant. From there it would go either to the platoon leader or the 1SG, depending on the issue. After that, it went to the Company CO. The SGM was rarely involved in any company level issues, although he was always around raising hell about something.
RLTW!
Semper Suo
That might have been the way it was culturally perceived in your unit, but what you say is technically just not true. Your Platoon Seargent isn't in your chain of command- unless you don't have an assigned platoon leader- then your Platoon Seargent would fill that role.
Since when is an E7 someone you can't talk to? Maybe just being an 11C makes me different but in a mortar platoon an E7 isn't even the highest ranking guy. He's just a section seargent- unless there's no E8 available. An E7 is a font of knowledge. Why shouldn't a soldier be able to ask him a question? That's silly. I wouldn't hesitate to speak to an officer even if he was a Ranger Bat commander. What's he going to do- kill me? I don't think so.
You know, just before I got out, we had this Seargent Major that was displeased that after 8 yrs and considerable investment in me by the Army, I would decide to get out. He got right in my face- nose to nose. Trying to intimidate me. I just answered his questions and told him what I thought- man to man, standing at parade rest. Did I respect him- well, I respected his rank. Was I afraid of him or even a little bit in awe of him- NO. He looked like he wished he could step off into my a$$ because I wasn't afraid of him- but maybe he sensed that when it came to the actual deed (fighting)- I didn't see him as my superior, he didn't press the issue.
People get too caught up in their persona sometimes. Had an E2 Ranger from a Ranger bat that was training in Graf walk right into me at the AAFES bookstore because he figured (I guess) that since he was a Ranger- a mere E-4 would be obligated to step out of his way. I wasn't budging and he wasn't either. You know who budged at the end though? He did and that's the one and only time I ever used my rank in the Army to my advantage. And if he had wanted to take it further- I would've handed him his a$$.
I am an American, a free man. I am the baddest motherf++ker in the universe and I don't care if you're Mike Tyson, you're going to have to prove you can hurt me before I will fear you. I'm only a little guy. A free and free minded little guy. And nobody is better than me and I fear no man.