Respect & Disrespect
~A difference in point of view~
Respect can mean many things but, by definition in verb form, is:
to hold in esteem or honor.
to show regard or consideration for.
to refrain from intruding upon or interfering with.
to relate or have reference to.
Now in the case of any kind of military organization we would definitely use the second definition regarding rank alone because all too often one is placed under another one cannot respect in any other sense. I must also add that this "respect" is very one-sided and tends to normally go uphill, though, with exceptions.
Allow me to illustrate my meaning with a few examples. My first example of "respect" from a military aspect, specifically in the United States Army, is from a Private to a Specialist. In this case we see someone who has usually just entered the military and knows next to nothing about military life. This Private relies solely on his/her Specialist/Team Leader to know left from right so that any pitfalls can be avoided. Unfortunately, quite a few of these Specialists have no idea themselves because they either were not taught or just did not care to pay attention. It is only when they realize they are responsible for someone other than themselves that they begin to see their faults, or so we hope. Really it is more common to see the Specialist lording it over the Private trying to buy a couple more days to find the answer to whatever question was asked in hopes that their ignorance does not find them out. The command "Get at parade rest Private." can be heard anytime the higher ranking official feels his/her "inferior" has hit too close to home. Of course, there are many exceptions to this observation but rarely does anyone get two good superiors in a row. So here is the Private with a tightly closed mouth and hands locked behind the back, hoping for all the world that he/she can just gain rank before something goes wrong. This is the best definition of respect at this level...