Under what circumstances should power and authority be questioned?
Text-to-Self: Chapter 2, page 25
In chapter 2, Kropp and the main character are given the duty of emptying out latrine buckets by their NCO, Himmelstoss. The task proves to be quite difficult for the pair, and they end up accidentally spilling all of the bucket's contents on to Himmelstoss' pants. Naturally, Himmelstoss is furious and goes off yelling down at Kropp and Baumer as he forces them to stand to attention. In his fit of rage, he also threatens to throw them in military prison or "clink" as he calls it, to which Kropp replies back in defense and is regarded as insubordination by Himmelstoss.
The way Himmelstoss reacts to the incompetence of his subordinates reminds me of the code of ethics that come with being a non-commissioned officer. I'm enrolled in the Royal Canadian Army Cadets and like Himmelstoss, I myself am an NCO.
From what I've learned, an NCO is a significant figure of authority whose position suggests working in between both the 'grunts' and the superior officers of the army. Although it is the lowest form of authority, being promoted to an NCO is the transition from being a mere follower, to becoming a leader in the military. Since it's usually their first time being given a leadership role, newly promoted NCOs tend to be the most strict when it comes to giving orders to subordinates. It's not uncommon for soldiers under the command of an overly ambitious NCO to file impeachments of abusive power or misconduct.. However, whether the troops like it or not, the NCO must enforce the rank structure and promote discipline in order to become an effective leader. If his methods are militarily unorthodox or is influenced by any form of bias such as having a personal grudge towards a member of a squad, then his work ethics must be questioned and analyze closely by a superior.
