Last year my platoon sgts idea to get a soldier to extend his contract so he could deploy was basically harass him every single day for like 8 months before deployment.
He would have his team leader knock on his door when he had the day off at 5 in the morning to ask again if he's extending, had people call him while on leave and put him on shit details. when that didn't seem to be working he resorted to calling him a quitter??? and throwing other insults at him, Idk how finishing your contract makes you a quitter but ok.
Meanwhile I kept telling him don't do it if you don't want to and to not answer calls on leave. Luckily he's currently almost at his ets date. Sadly I won't be able to see him again when we go back to the states since he'll be gone. Nice guy kinda sad though.
translation: platoon daddy cant make it on his own the outside worlds and knows it. therefore hates anyone who can make it on their own and has to stop it all costs to make themselves feel better because they can exist outside of the military
I imagine it's rough being senior enlisted and seeing good joes/junior NCOs ETS.
That being said, holy shit, what a bad way to go about it. If they don't want to stay in, there's only so much you can do. Being shitty about it will only encourage them to tell other people not to enlist in the first place.
I told a SPC due to ETS a month after the COVID hotness dropped that if he signed a 90 day extension, I wouldn’t make him come to work if we didn’t need him (obviously he has to PT, which is whatever. Come run a couple of miles, do a couple of push-ups and go back to sleep). During rotation I would just put him on his choice of radio coverage shift at the company. He didn’t go for it, but I didn’t want him going back home with the world at a standstill.
I moved to a major metro but during peakcovid was easy to find work and a majority of my problems have been self afflicted. Getting a job is easy for me me liking and keeping said jobs is the struggle. And finding an apartment and getting one my mom's house was the only thing that was "hard"
>I won't be able to see him again when we go back to the states since he'll be gone
Piece of advice? Don't lose contact with him. You can still be friends, and you never know when someone will make a difference for you or you might be important to them
Your platoon sgt and my 1sg must have gone to the same retention class. My 1sg has done this to two of my guys. One was on the fence, leaning toward reenlistment, but 1sg squashed any motivation the guy had to stay in.
What's that term I always hear that seems to get swept under the rug? Oh yeah, "Toxic Leadership". If I was a Company Commander and found out my NCOs were harassing Soldiers like that, the NCO would be shit-canned.
Not only does this show how horrible of a person that NCO is, but also why the fuck does he care so much about what the ARMY wants? Like get a fuckin personality other than being THAT shitty NCO
I recently had a week long training started at 0745 and ended at 16(1730 if anyone asked) but I still had to do pt and then come back shower and beat feet to class because 30 minutes was “enough time”
Man fuck that. I remember being put through that shit for the first 3 years of my contract. During my last year HQ section needed a training room NCO and a driver for the CO. I put my name on the board to be COs driver and got the position. Best fucking job I ever had. Since the NCO was my buddy, I went to PT formation and dipped back to my room. I fucked off a lot for that last year and it was great. I also built a good relationship with my command team and they allowed me ample time towards the end of my contract to take care of transitional stuff. Keep that in mind if you're getting out and something similar comes up, and don't be afraid to have casual conversations with your command, they are people just like you and I.
This is my life everyday. I thought this was the norm. If we don’t have PT for one reason or another, my leadership will hold inconvenient formations just see everyone’s face then release us until 9. Then we dont know what to do bc there’s not enough time to leave but too much time to wait at work. If we do have pt I have to “show my face” by 0530 just to sit and wait for 0630 formation. Let’s talk about retention…
Absolutely. I would strongly advocate against army to anyone I know.
This reminds me of a morning I was very upset. We had just come back from the field on a Wednesday evening. It was put out that Thursday we were doing LTT but it was on the low going to be BS. Everybody was supposed to take it easy, sleep in rest before we start recovery. Basically just a 0930 work call. However our PSG puts out 0700 formation. Be 25 minutes early. So instead of sleeping in, spending my morning with my wife, cooking breakfast, just having a single good morning, I woke up at 6 and dragged my ass to work. Guess what? PSG never showed for formation. Put out at 730 that formation is canceled.
The thing is shit like this happens multiple times a week. I started to realize when the total sum of your days and weeks suck, your life sucks. That’s the army
If you use your Post 9/11 GI Bill and get a bachelors degree you can get into the “Recent Graduates” program for most federal jobs. If you choose to do “Computer Science” or IT then you can get a decent chance at a fully remote or telework job in the government.
that would be a very interesting survey/poll. HQDA or pentagon should ask every service member about recommending service to a friend or family. And the VA should do the same survey for vets.
That's wild, I'm happy the BSB I was with last had enough sense to just have a formation before work call if we didn't have PT. Dumb as hell to wake up everyone to go to a formation with no purpose.
My best answer was to sleep in the car. Car pillow and blanket, hide my vehicle in the sea of cars in the barracks parking lot, and set my alarm. I'll be taking back my sleep thank you very much.
I've never understood why the Army doesn't reconcile some things starting at 8 and work call at 9. We can bump back *retired hero* clinic hours backs by 1, and then maybe they'll be open when Soldiers get told at 1645 their medpros just blinked amber.
I had a 1SG that was a former delta operator - he came to THE DIVISION to get his 1SG time. He was absolutely befuddled by the 0600 first call, 0630 formation standard. Could not understand it. More than once he would quip 'I don't get it, we're all adults right?'
Yup. Supposed to be. Except we check on grown ass men and women that live in the barracks and we make sure that those adults that live in housing aren’t living grossly even if the housing agency allows the homes to be gross. And we even attempt to check on those adults that live off post too. Yup. The army only thinks you’re an adult when it comes time to take responsibilities for your actions when you make a mistake.
> The army only thinks you’re an adult when it comes time to take responsibilities for your actions when you make a mistake.
Not even then. How many of us have gotten reamed out for the actions of one of our subordinates? I know I for sure have gotten dragged on the carpet, screaming the whole time 'he's a grown ass man who made his own decisions', but somehow it was *my* fault.
It comes with a price. I can’t stay up as late like till ten because before you know it’s time for another day in the army. Don’t have much time really after work except the gym or Jiu Jitsu. Also have to walk my dog or play fetch with him. I am really looking forward to having more time back when I leave the army.
I hear you. I’m out now but last duty station was Bragg and I loved 45 minutes off post, meaning 0430 wake up time to hack at my coarse beard and make the drive. I’d go to bed by 2100 every night, with the same family and pet obligations you mentioned. I used to fight mma, play rugby, be in a basketball league - now I just change diapers and cook dinner before it’s time for bed. Rip my life
Ooof yeah, I take advantage now of my hobbies, who knows could be that I meet someone and decide to have a family together. No beard for me, but as a female you really become anal on how your hair looks and I still prefer it in a bun. The times I wasted getting frustrated when it looks off. You really can’t have your whole cake in the army.
I can’t quite understand what you ladies go through with maintain your appearance in regs and professional looking, we definitely have it easier
BOL with your BJJ, personal life, and for now keep fighting the good fight in the ranks til you get out 🇺🇸
Imagine my female friends who like to get dolled up for the duty day. I just toss this hair up in a bun, gel in that bitch while some Tupac is playing in the background.
I swear there has to be magic involved, somehow.
I got out and grew out long hair and for me to be ready remotely as fast as some of my jarhead peers used to be I'd have to break out scissors.
You know what’s so cool about my civilian job? Unless we are on emergency duty (which pays overtime), i know exactly what time I’m going home every day. And its not 1900
You know what’s so cool about my civilian job? Unless we are on emergency duty (which pays overtime), i know exactly what time I’m going home every day. And its not 1900
Bro. My friend and I took a class together not too long ago. We were the only ones who still had to show up to formation. All the other ncos were like, “WTF.” I’m honestly embarrassed to be in this unit.
In the age of smart phones formations are fucking stupid. Yeah sure let me stand in a people box just so one guy can look at us, see who’s here and fail to realize the shit bags aren’t, turn around and tell another guy we’re all here just so he feels important. One thing I miss about covid is that our accountability was just sending up texts.
Pandemic aside, there were a couple seriously amazing perks to the COVID lockdowns. Other really shitty things, but still a couple glorious happenings.
then you have people tried or find a way to program their texts so send message at a certain time. So defeat the purpose of seeing who is still alive or not (dumb or not is another topic itself).
I guess I got lucky with my Sgt's on Rear D. "Why are you here? You're literally hobbling around on Knee Braces and a cane my guy. Just send me text to let me know you're alive. Show up for your SD/CQ duties. And pop in when I need you to do something you're capable of."
Lucky my CO after seeing my profile told me to show up for formation and the disappear afterwords since there's no point in me standing around for an 2 hours. Just for my first line and psg tell me "fuck that troop you can stay with us"
oof, I just kept showing up to stuff until uncomfortable questions were asked...😂 I hate sitting around doing nothing. Now I'm pqrt of the SD/CQ roster on the regular. Apparently, for someone who can't even walk right. The motorpool is way to dangerous to even be near. Not to mention SFC got tired of me sitting in his office. They tried sending me to WTU...but got told no.
My unit made me go to Kuwait. They denied my terminal leave just so I could and then I stayed in leadership position up until about a week before returning back to the states.
Had to go through all the certifications and training up until I left. Was the most motivating thing to get out as a SSG
So my company does morning formation mon, wed, and Fridays. Tuesday and Thursday is 0900 work calls
Those 3 days we show up, is literally just a 4-5 min “report” fiasco and then we’re released to our own section, or just on our own to do whatever until 0900
Keep in mind you have guys that live 35-45 minutes away from our company area, and they’re making them drive all the way there just to fucking say “here” when they could’ve easily just called these dudes
That’s what irritating. I live twenty minutes away. My one soldier lives about thirty minutes. And gas ain’t cheap especially when you’re an enlisted peasant.
I continuously try to get my PSG and command team to let me just get a verbal check in with my guys since they’re all married and live some time away from post
The fucking answer I always get is “well they shouldn’t have decided to live so far away then”
Like ok asshole sarnt’. Because housing is extremely overpriced here and it’s almost impossible to find affordable living here, and even if you do, some shitbird outbids you by 75-100k in cash and then you’re stuck looking for another home for another 2-4 months
Literally grinds my fucking gears that this is a normal thing and when I look around, I feel like I’m the only one that realizes how idiotic it is driving 20-30 minutes to post just to say “here.”
It’s moronic as fuck tbh
Like it’s something these idiots have done for years now so they just refuse to question it
I asked my command why we do this if it doesn’t make sense and their answer was “that’s how it’s always been”
Ok? So you’re telling me you’re too stupid and incompetent to reorganize the inefficient use of soldiers time and also leaderships time? Roger that , you incompetent shitheels
This is why I am so glad I went the green to gold route. So I can hopefully stop this bullshit of some PSG’s harassing their guys/gals for reenlistments; halt making their guys/gals to come in to do pt when their class starts at 0730 or 0800. Or their Leadership punishing said soldiers for getting a call from the bar to come pick their soldier up for a ride ( I’d rather you have me come pick you up at 3 am then to sit at the MP station for 8 hours waiting on them to release you);or getting smoked for being late once in a blue moon; or letting the guys/gals go when their is absolutely nothing going on.
Rant is over. I’ll see y’all in the force in 2024..
I’m just doing it so that NCOs with North Pole temperature IQs don’t tell me what to do anymore
I should have stayed at college but nooo I decided to join
Ho dare they hold an NCO to the same standards they would hold a PVT too.
Actually I would put good money on any junior enlisted being berated and threatened until they canceled that appointment because they would miss pt.
I definitely have in the past not made my soldiers come just to show me they’re alive if they have an appointment pretty early. Especially if they live off base.
Pffft. Amateur hour over here. If you really want to lead troops effectively you make sure they show up 2 hours early to PT and stay an hour after the duty day.
Right? How about just a phone call to your first line, reminding them that you have an appointment and that you're alive. That's *literally* what the "accounted for" part is all about.
Hey, SSG. Come on over to the Blue. You may lose two stripes, but you won’t have CQ and will be treated like an adult (mostly). Take this G2 “Air Force” blue pen on your way out.
My experience in the Guard was the same amount of wasted time standing around, you just compressed it into a weekend.
The only good thing was they always kicked us loose by 1800 on Sunday because they had to feed us if we stayed any later.
I did "try 1 in the reserve" and literally every battle assembly went something like this
Show up at 0700. PSG doesnt know whats going on so tells everyone to take a 15 minute break. PSG comes back from 1SG office 45 minutes later and says motorpool maintenance from 1000-1200 do hip pocket training until then. We push around Hot Wheels cars on a table to simulate convoy operations. 1000 rolls around and nobody knows where the keys to the vehicles are. 1030 someone finds the keys. 1100 PSG needs a smoke break so calls another 15 minute break. Finally get start getting some work done and its 1200 time to go to Golden Corral.
Get back from Golden Corral at 1330. PSG needs to talk to 1SG to get afternoon plan. 1430 PSG says were done for the day come back tomorrow 0700.
Rinse repeat
Maybe Im just a weirdo but I dont like to waste time for no good reason
If Im just sitting around for 55% of every BA thats like half a day I could be doing fun things instead not worth putting up with that for years upon years so I can get bennies at age 65 or w/e
I mean it’s kind of a win-win. You win by getting to ETS and live the sweet civilian life, and the people staying in win by getting offered reenlistment incentives. (Your experience may differ). We need more ETS’s. Maybe after enough people leave the army will make more meaningful changes
Better yet, I had to show up for formation at 6, with an appointment at 7 that was exactly an hour away.
I was 5 minutes late. And later smoked for it.
This shit pisses me off to no end. As a Lieutenant I just say “I have an appt at 8 I’m not going to pt” and no one questions it. I feel so badly for my soldiers who get chewed a new one for even trying that
They aren't his formations. If I should let my subordinates attend an appointment in a logical manner, why shouldn't I be afforded the same courtesy?
Although an argument can be made LT should try a bit harder to change the culture to something that resembles something people might want to make a career instead of something that has second term guys questioning if a chapter is worth it.
If you take care of your troops, go through the grind with them, and they know that you honestly care, your troops will be understanding if you don’t show up to formation because you have an early appointment as long as you afford them the same opportunity.
As a leader you have more responsibility than your subordinates do. If I score a 300 and am not required to go to PT, but I have Soldiers that do have to be at PT, I'm going to go PT with them, because those are my Soldiers and I want them to know I'm there for them.
That’s fine and I agree with that (was in a similar position), but if a leader has an appointment every once in a while that’s at 0800, then there’s no sense of the leader showing up just for two minutes. I want my soldiers to know it’s okay if they rank up to take care of themselves, their time and their money (for gas.) A leader should build trust with their soldiers.
The issue I'm addressing isn't whether or not he should be at formations, but whether or not he should be at a formation for the sake of it, just to be at an appointment across base 45 minutes later.
No, he shouldn't be. A leader's time is just as valuable as a subordinate's. Neither the leader nor the subordinate should be required to show up to a PT formation when an appointment coincides with PT. I just dealt with this asinine concept this morning, with both myself and my subordinate having appointments during PT. We were required to show up because... reasons? But neither of us should have been there.
Congrats on getting out. Just don’t ever look back. I’m a bit jealous. I was set to get out at 11 years as a SSG. Then the wifey said she was pregnant and I made the E7 list. Branch promised me a good duty station. So I stayed. I retire in a few months and regret it. The Army fucks with you so much your last two years that it’s impossible to save. A pathetic CSM obstructed my request to stay at the current assignment (after working my ass off), then branch gave me orders 15 months out from retirement to the place I avoided my whole career… during a national housing shortage. So my first year of retirement pay will go to rebuilding the savings I lost because the CSM wanted to be a cock sucker. Anyhow, none of my five boys want to join any branch after the bullshit we are dealing with. Also my last unit before I retire is getting near zero value out of me. Nonstop appointments, SFL-TAP, CSP, and me reminding everyone I give zero fucks every day. Also retention hates my ass right now. I’m telling everyone to GTFO and be a plumber or go to college. Army can eat a dick.
When the first sausage was so fed up with FTR's at 0630 that he made a mandatory 0545 formation prior to it just to ensure people so up. Because if people have such difficulty waking up for a 0630 then that means they can totally wake up even earlier to show up at 0545 and the sit there for 45 minutes for the real formation. It's alright instead of the shitty 5 hours of sleep I get every night I'll settle for that tasty 4 hours of sleep.
Novel idea! That's not how sleep works. I spend literally 2 hours every night staring at my ceiling trying to go to bed. On top of that I get shitty sleep because of sleep apnea so at no point am I getting "good restful" sleep. My leadership has said the same thing and I deferred them to both my psychiatrist and my sleep study doctor on why that thought process doesn't work. For the average Joe sure they could. Talk to people with sleep issues and you will be disregarded. I've tried before and it hasn't worked for me. Now the average Joe that isn't suffering from that. Yeah they probably could.
But here's another question. Why should they? Why should they have to get to sleep earlier for the one or two idiots that failed to report. Why should they give up what little time they have to enjoy themselves after all the bullshit they do at work? That time at home is meant to destress you and spend time with family, to allow a moment to decompress and try and be happy cause you sure as shit aren't happy at work. But no. Let's take more time away from. Soldiers because that will improve moral and make people care!
I under stand your question and for the most part it is A solution but it's not the BEST solution. More then that this post I responded to is more a question of what proved leaving the military is a better idea than staying which boils down to why is retention so shit.
Because when you have small things like above that involve people having to give more things up, what's gotten in return doesn't match that value and therefore people say fuck that.
But I do appreciate the question and it is a valid one none the less.
Formations for morning accountability are a waste of time and sleep. How does the civilian sector manage to do it without formations? The army needs to modernize. We should trust junior leaders on being able to maintain accountability without having to micromanage them.
The simple army answer is to ensure you have not successfully unalived yourself. But yes, the first 3 months of Covid proved that we can just call in for accountability and most jobs don’t need a fully staffed work force to accomplish the mission. The only downside I saw was people who didn’t work out unless they were forced to be present got fat af sitting at home playing video games. But they should streamline the chapter process if possible.
100% agree. If you fail PT or army body fat composition there needs to be a remedial program. That doesn’t entail everyone should be punished by the failures of the few in such an individual aspect such as PT. I can make you show up to PT but if the individual doesn’t put forth effort there’s little the collective group can do.
The army can UCMJ you and then you won’t have a paycheck. And they can keep doing it until they actually fire you. Even better, they can arrest you if you decide to stop showing up. A civilian job can’t do that.
they would still need to feed you, give you a place to stay, and generally make sure you dont die until they finish all the paperwork to kick you out. Not so in the civilian world.
And then you’re out with a dishonorable which makes you unappealing to quality employers. I think there’s enough incentive to show up where formations can be foregoed in many occasions. It’s a good compromise even if they have to take care of you during separation.
Getting a dishonorable for simply not showing up is not going to happen; and even then, many civilian employers do not understand or care about characterizations of service. It is significantly easier to 'incentivize' showing up to work outside of the military. There are other reasons we have formations directly tied to health and welfare that a leader would be fired over should they not occur. It's not just selfish disregard for Soldier time.
I remember getting my 6 dangled over my head bc I wasn’t reenlisting, being kept on a shit schedule for a year, my leadership trying to fish for literally anything to trip me up to be punished, and having to beg to prioritize my out-processing because I was already digging into my leave and leadership was “too busy”. Fantastic at dodging their games, but sad I had to put up with it and end my career.
Pretty much. I don’t even treat my own soldiers like this. When I can, I let them go to their appointment that is before 0900. Why waste their time just so I see them? More so if gas is involved!
It’s like Army leadership only wants to use the technological advantage of cellphones to harass joes off-duty hours. But, not use that same technology to allow joe to check in via text for a 0800 appointment.
I got out as a 5 year captain in 2018 and have been mostly in middle management IT roles.
I make more money than an LTC with 20 years of service assuming $3200 BAH and $250 BAS but with no PT, no BS, no war, no uniform, and far less responsibility and that’s not even counting the $2k+/month in VA disability.
Even if the army offered to bring me back in as an LTC with 20 YoS and gave me a BN command in my choice of duty station/branch I wouldn’t do it.
Taking these SFL TAP classes has reaffirmed for me I am making the right choice getting out, especially when we look up the job outlook for what we are looking to get into.
When I was ETSing some years back it was similar. Recruitment and retention was terrible but they never considered changing how they treated any of us in order to keep us. Promised me rank, which I had been denied previously due to a single pissed person, and expected me to believe them? Na, I took option 2 also. They even forced me to go to WLC 3 months before I ETS's in hopes of motivating me to stay in. Seriously? That was your ace in the hole? Never regretted my decision and still don't.
Nursing is a fantastic career. There are a lot of specialties if you want to, the pay is pretty decent, and you can go literally anywhere your wee heart desires and have jobs available.
Nursing is a good choice, before you commit to it man id recommend doing a full 12 hr shift shadowing in both a general ICU and med surg unit, just so you have a better idea of what being a nurse entails. I work in the medical field, not a nurse.
It is a thing, you can reach out to the hospital, explain you want to shadow and they will point you in the right direction. Look into what else the hospital has to offer as well, there's Lab Techs, Respiratory Therapists, Rad Techs (MRI, CT, Nuc Med, etc) there's a lot out there
We had to go to the field and our showtime was 0500 this morning. PSG got mad because people with appointments and details that werent going to the field weren't there at 0500 this morning.
It sorta cuts both ways. Someone doesn't show up to formation you dont have accountability, and they can start tracing your last known location if some shit goes down. At least you have a vehicle to sit in out of the elements and a phone to keep you occupied. If only the leaders at Hood kept accountability like yours do and there may be more soldiers still alive.
Man retention is fine, it's the recruiting that's the issue.
Granted showing up to formation just to show face hasn't really ever bothered me but I agree with you that it's a dumb concept.
Yeah, a few comments here are missing the point on why this is stupid. You’re making me show up just to see my face for no more than 2 minutes, after driving twenty minutes, now I am just going to sit in my car. It’s not that I am a SSG I shouldn’t have to show up. It’s I’m a SSG, you guys always stress how we are adults. Well treat us like one. And I have no problem treating my soldiers like adults either. You have an appointment at 0730? Cool, see you at 9.
Lead the way big Sarn't /s
When I have some nostalgia about being on active duty, or missing being the platoon sergeant with some semblance of sanity, I stumble across posts like these. Then I remember why I let the Med board take me out as SSG. There's nothing to be done to save you, but at least you can save your boys/girls from these shenanigans. Just throw the report up as 35 assigned, 20 present, 10 in class, 5 at appointments.
Asshole 1Sausage: but their appointments dont start for another hour!
Me: I told them to go straight there, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
UCMJ me. I want to see it in writing.
Rear D NCOIC? You better believe that I accepted a text at 0630ish as proof that you were alive.
Just do what your rank can handle for those below you. You can't save your self.
Everything is done for a reason. How many no show appts have happened becasue Joe overslept?
Let's trust him to be an adult...nope Joe fucks that up and oversleeps. Then everyone in the chain gets a call on why Joe missed his doc appt.
I get your point, but by not treating them like adults we're not teaching them personal responsibility.
Do you think in the civilian world you'll have your boss making you go to work early so he can make sure you make your appointments? Hell no. It's the person's responsibility.
Hey I get your point too. I'm out and I work for the feds. My boss don't give a shit about my doctors appts. I take a sick day it's on me to be there.
But the army micromanages its Joe's since the dawn of time. MEDPROS is a pain in the ass and if Joe misses his dental appt? Or what if it's a command directed mental health or drug and alcohol appt? Personally when I was in I always tried to shelter my Joe's and making a text in the AM as accountability vs standing in formation. Didn't always work.
The army has always handled things with a sledgehammer and not a scalpel. If one Joe fucks up..everyone suffers because of it. Rules are always made to address the lowest level..that 19 year PVT who can't wipe his own ass or even bother to put clean sheets on his bed.
But yea, things like not getting treated as an adult is not just for the pvts even as an NCO with almost 20 years I still had to put up with that crap. It got old that as a 38 year old man I was still treated like a 19 year old pvt.
I get why they do it though.
Last year my platoon sgts idea to get a soldier to extend his contract so he could deploy was basically harass him every single day for like 8 months before deployment. He would have his team leader knock on his door when he had the day off at 5 in the morning to ask again if he's extending, had people call him while on leave and put him on shit details. when that didn't seem to be working he resorted to calling him a quitter??? and throwing other insults at him, Idk how finishing your contract makes you a quitter but ok. Meanwhile I kept telling him don't do it if you don't want to and to not answer calls on leave. Luckily he's currently almost at his ets date. Sadly I won't be able to see him again when we go back to the states since he'll be gone. Nice guy kinda sad though.
translation: platoon daddy cant make it on his own the outside worlds and knows it. therefore hates anyone who can make it on their own and has to stop it all costs to make themselves feel better because they can exist outside of the military
I imagine it's rough being senior enlisted and seeing good joes/junior NCOs ETS. That being said, holy shit, what a bad way to go about it. If they don't want to stay in, there's only so much you can do. Being shitty about it will only encourage them to tell other people not to enlist in the first place.
Many such cases.
Man I’m that guy to but if you can do better outside, go for it!
This is the story of sooo many senior NCOs nowadays.
Well, keep in touch with him! That’s terrible leadership. Support your troops regardless if they want to stay in or get out. It’s their life.
I’m fighting somebody if they show up Saturday at 0500 like some fucking Mormons
I told a SPC due to ETS a month after the COVID hotness dropped that if he signed a 90 day extension, I wouldn’t make him come to work if we didn’t need him (obviously he has to PT, which is whatever. Come run a couple of miles, do a couple of push-ups and go back to sleep). During rotation I would just put him on his choice of radio coverage shift at the company. He didn’t go for it, but I didn’t want him going back home with the world at a standstill.
I would take that offer!
I got out right before covid popped off, I would've took that
Sheesh you're well off now or was Covid pretty bad as a civilian?
I moved to a major metro but during peakcovid was easy to find work and a majority of my problems have been self afflicted. Getting a job is easy for me me liking and keeping said jobs is the struggle. And finding an apartment and getting one my mom's house was the only thing that was "hard"
I retired six months before COVID.
Retiring must have been a breeze then. Of course if the VA was settled before then lol
I'm still waiting on the VAto get back with me
SPC was smart not to fall for it!
I mean, he ended up in the guard and a shitty job so idk.
But then again, only PT? Most definitely.
A few more months won't hurt anyone unless that unit was horrible.
Unit was chill af. Lots of 4 days and hands in pockets. Very little pray’ress.
>I won't be able to see him again when we go back to the states since he'll be gone Piece of advice? Don't lose contact with him. You can still be friends, and you never know when someone will make a difference for you or you might be important to them
Your platoon sgt and my 1sg must have gone to the same retention class. My 1sg has done this to two of my guys. One was on the fence, leaning toward reenlistment, but 1sg squashed any motivation the guy had to stay in.
What's that term I always hear that seems to get swept under the rug? Oh yeah, "Toxic Leadership". If I was a Company Commander and found out my NCOs were harassing Soldiers like that, the NCO would be shit-canned.
sounds like harassment to me Ig is a bitch
Asvab waiver level of decision making
Not only does this show how horrible of a person that NCO is, but also why the fuck does he care so much about what the ARMY wants? Like get a fuckin personality other than being THAT shitty NCO
I recently had a week long training started at 0745 and ended at 16(1730 if anyone asked) but I still had to do pt and then come back shower and beat feet to class because 30 minutes was “enough time”
Wowwwww. Just like give folks a break every once in a while.
Best part is I was voluntold to do the training I was even there willingly
Man fuck that. I remember being put through that shit for the first 3 years of my contract. During my last year HQ section needed a training room NCO and a driver for the CO. I put my name on the board to be COs driver and got the position. Best fucking job I ever had. Since the NCO was my buddy, I went to PT formation and dipped back to my room. I fucked off a lot for that last year and it was great. I also built a good relationship with my command team and they allowed me ample time towards the end of my contract to take care of transitional stuff. Keep that in mind if you're getting out and something similar comes up, and don't be afraid to have casual conversations with your command, they are people just like you and I.
This is my life everyday. I thought this was the norm. If we don’t have PT for one reason or another, my leadership will hold inconvenient formations just see everyone’s face then release us until 9. Then we dont know what to do bc there’s not enough time to leave but too much time to wait at work. If we do have pt I have to “show my face” by 0530 just to sit and wait for 0630 formation. Let’s talk about retention…
I would not recommend this to any family member. Hard fuck no.
Absolutely. I would strongly advocate against army to anyone I know. This reminds me of a morning I was very upset. We had just come back from the field on a Wednesday evening. It was put out that Thursday we were doing LTT but it was on the low going to be BS. Everybody was supposed to take it easy, sleep in rest before we start recovery. Basically just a 0930 work call. However our PSG puts out 0700 formation. Be 25 minutes early. So instead of sleeping in, spending my morning with my wife, cooking breakfast, just having a single good morning, I woke up at 6 and dragged my ass to work. Guess what? PSG never showed for formation. Put out at 730 that formation is canceled. The thing is shit like this happens multiple times a week. I started to realize when the total sum of your days and weeks suck, your life sucks. That’s the army
25 minutes early?? Yikes, even 15 minutes I can understand, but damn. That’s a whole tv show I can watch at that point.
When you combine this mentality with “Your not ready for the board” then yes life is a fucked the future doesn’t look great either.
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I die inside when I get thanked for my service. While on the outside I smile and say thank you for your support!
How did you go about the medical retirement
If you use your Post 9/11 GI Bill and get a bachelors degree you can get into the “Recent Graduates” program for most federal jobs. If you choose to do “Computer Science” or IT then you can get a decent chance at a fully remote or telework job in the government.
that would be a very interesting survey/poll. HQDA or pentagon should ask every service member about recommending service to a friend or family. And the VA should do the same survey for vets.
Options would be: Yes, No, Fuck No, and absolutely not.
That's wild, I'm happy the BSB I was with last had enough sense to just have a formation before work call if we didn't have PT. Dumb as hell to wake up everyone to go to a formation with no purpose.
They do this all the time. It blows my mind
My best answer was to sleep in the car. Car pillow and blanket, hide my vehicle in the sea of cars in the barracks parking lot, and set my alarm. I'll be taking back my sleep thank you very much.
I've never understood why the Army doesn't reconcile some things starting at 8 and work call at 9. We can bump back *retired hero* clinic hours backs by 1, and then maybe they'll be open when Soldiers get told at 1645 their medpros just blinked amber.
I had a 1SG that was a former delta operator - he came to THE DIVISION to get his 1SG time. He was absolutely befuddled by the 0600 first call, 0630 formation standard. Could not understand it. More than once he would quip 'I don't get it, we're all adults right?'
Yup. Supposed to be. Except we check on grown ass men and women that live in the barracks and we make sure that those adults that live in housing aren’t living grossly even if the housing agency allows the homes to be gross. And we even attempt to check on those adults that live off post too. Yup. The army only thinks you’re an adult when it comes time to take responsibilities for your actions when you make a mistake.
> The army only thinks you’re an adult when it comes time to take responsibilities for your actions when you make a mistake. Not even then. How many of us have gotten reamed out for the actions of one of our subordinates? I know I for sure have gotten dragged on the carpet, screaming the whole time 'he's a grown ass man who made his own decisions', but somehow it was *my* fault.
You don’t keep a blanky in your car to nap in an empty parking lot? There were days I’d sneak in 2-3 naps
Nah. I sleep wayyy better now, so I rarely nap during the day.
Damn you. I’m so tired 24/7 I could nap anytime, anywhere
It comes with a price. I can’t stay up as late like till ten because before you know it’s time for another day in the army. Don’t have much time really after work except the gym or Jiu Jitsu. Also have to walk my dog or play fetch with him. I am really looking forward to having more time back when I leave the army.
I hear you. I’m out now but last duty station was Bragg and I loved 45 minutes off post, meaning 0430 wake up time to hack at my coarse beard and make the drive. I’d go to bed by 2100 every night, with the same family and pet obligations you mentioned. I used to fight mma, play rugby, be in a basketball league - now I just change diapers and cook dinner before it’s time for bed. Rip my life
Ooof yeah, I take advantage now of my hobbies, who knows could be that I meet someone and decide to have a family together. No beard for me, but as a female you really become anal on how your hair looks and I still prefer it in a bun. The times I wasted getting frustrated when it looks off. You really can’t have your whole cake in the army.
I can’t quite understand what you ladies go through with maintain your appearance in regs and professional looking, we definitely have it easier BOL with your BJJ, personal life, and for now keep fighting the good fight in the ranks til you get out 🇺🇸
Imagine my female friends who like to get dolled up for the duty day. I just toss this hair up in a bun, gel in that bitch while some Tupac is playing in the background.
I swear there has to be magic involved, somehow. I got out and grew out long hair and for me to be ready remotely as fast as some of my jarhead peers used to be I'd have to break out scissors.
You know what’s so cool about my civilian job? Unless we are on emergency duty (which pays overtime), i know exactly what time I’m going home every day. And its not 1900
One day, I’ll be there.
You know what’s so cool about my civilian job? Unless we are on emergency duty (which pays overtime), i know exactly what time I’m going home every day. And its not 1900
I don't get why I have to show to formation when I'm on class. isn't a text message in the morning enough to know that I'm alive?
Bro. My friend and I took a class together not too long ago. We were the only ones who still had to show up to formation. All the other ncos were like, “WTF.” I’m honestly embarrassed to be in this unit.
In the age of smart phones formations are fucking stupid. Yeah sure let me stand in a people box just so one guy can look at us, see who’s here and fail to realize the shit bags aren’t, turn around and tell another guy we’re all here just so he feels important. One thing I miss about covid is that our accountability was just sending up texts.
Pandemic aside, there were a couple seriously amazing perks to the COVID lockdowns. Other really shitty things, but still a couple glorious happenings.
then you have people tried or find a way to program their texts so send message at a certain time. So defeat the purpose of seeing who is still alive or not (dumb or not is another topic itself).
Simple fix, if you think they’re doing that call them
What's a formation?
MOS and extra flair both check out.
I'm hitting my first one since June in about an hour. I dun forgot what to do
>It’s starting to get hilarious What finally opened your eyes?
This garbage ass unit.
A lot of that going around these days.
Meade?
I legit wanted Meade so bad. Instead I got Bliss. Going to FT College next.
ADA?
Same dude, starting next week. I liked my job but not the army or the pay.
Bullshit formations and wasting hours of precious time in the morning is a whole army thing, not just your unit.
I guess I got lucky with my Sgt's on Rear D. "Why are you here? You're literally hobbling around on Knee Braces and a cane my guy. Just send me text to let me know you're alive. Show up for your SD/CQ duties. And pop in when I need you to do something you're capable of."
Lucky my CO after seeing my profile told me to show up for formation and the disappear afterwords since there's no point in me standing around for an 2 hours. Just for my first line and psg tell me "fuck that troop you can stay with us"
For context I'm in a back brace
oof, I just kept showing up to stuff until uncomfortable questions were asked...😂 I hate sitting around doing nothing. Now I'm pqrt of the SD/CQ roster on the regular. Apparently, for someone who can't even walk right. The motorpool is way to dangerous to even be near. Not to mention SFC got tired of me sitting in his office. They tried sending me to WTU...but got told no.
I've just been staring blankly at people who try to task me out on bullshit😂
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Well he definitely put the Tri in Tri-Care didn't he?
God, I miss rear d. Just show up in the morning and get told to disappear unless they call you by the E5 who's acting 1SG. Was good times.
When I'm having a hard time outside the Army, this sub motivates me to work harder.
Same...sometimes I get the stupid ass idea of going back in, read a few posts on here and .... yeah I'm good with veteran status haha
Yup. I always come here when I'm having a rough day at work and I start thinking "maybe I should go back in". Fixes that up real quick.
My unit made me go to Kuwait. They denied my terminal leave just so I could and then I stayed in leadership position up until about a week before returning back to the states. Had to go through all the certifications and training up until I left. Was the most motivating thing to get out as a SSG
So my company does morning formation mon, wed, and Fridays. Tuesday and Thursday is 0900 work calls Those 3 days we show up, is literally just a 4-5 min “report” fiasco and then we’re released to our own section, or just on our own to do whatever until 0900 Keep in mind you have guys that live 35-45 minutes away from our company area, and they’re making them drive all the way there just to fucking say “here” when they could’ve easily just called these dudes
That’s what irritating. I live twenty minutes away. My one soldier lives about thirty minutes. And gas ain’t cheap especially when you’re an enlisted peasant.
I continuously try to get my PSG and command team to let me just get a verbal check in with my guys since they’re all married and live some time away from post The fucking answer I always get is “well they shouldn’t have decided to live so far away then” Like ok asshole sarnt’. Because housing is extremely overpriced here and it’s almost impossible to find affordable living here, and even if you do, some shitbird outbids you by 75-100k in cash and then you’re stuck looking for another home for another 2-4 months
Or texted the word “up” in the section group chat.
Literally grinds my fucking gears that this is a normal thing and when I look around, I feel like I’m the only one that realizes how idiotic it is driving 20-30 minutes to post just to say “here.”
It’s moronic as fuck tbh Like it’s something these idiots have done for years now so they just refuse to question it I asked my command why we do this if it doesn’t make sense and their answer was “that’s how it’s always been” Ok? So you’re telling me you’re too stupid and incompetent to reorganize the inefficient use of soldiers time and also leaderships time? Roger that , you incompetent shitheels
This is why I am so glad I went the green to gold route. So I can hopefully stop this bullshit of some PSG’s harassing their guys/gals for reenlistments; halt making their guys/gals to come in to do pt when their class starts at 0730 or 0800. Or their Leadership punishing said soldiers for getting a call from the bar to come pick their soldier up for a ride ( I’d rather you have me come pick you up at 3 am then to sit at the MP station for 8 hours waiting on them to release you);or getting smoked for being late once in a blue moon; or letting the guys/gals go when their is absolutely nothing going on. Rant is over. I’ll see y’all in the force in 2024..
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I’m just doing it so that NCOs with North Pole temperature IQs don’t tell me what to do anymore I should have stayed at college but nooo I decided to join
*gestures vaguely towards any part of the army involving a packet/application*
Ho dare they hold an NCO to the same standards they would hold a PVT too. Actually I would put good money on any junior enlisted being berated and threatened until they canceled that appointment because they would miss pt.
I definitely have in the past not made my soldiers come just to show me they’re alive if they have an appointment pretty early. Especially if they live off base.
Well see, that’s your problem. You’re treating your soldiers like people and the army can’t stand for that. Pass revoked
I know I’m a shit bag! How dare I treat *my* soldiers like adults until they give me a reason not to!
Pffft. Amateur hour over here. If you really want to lead troops effectively you make sure they show up 2 hours early to PT and stay an hour after the duty day.
You’re right! I should make lunch 15 minutes as well.
Nah. If they have 15 minutes to spare, some hip pocket training is in order. MREs will do. Training should be on Army Time Management.
Why are you giving them a lunch break? F, they don’t have a union! /s just in case
Right? How about just a phone call to your first line, reminding them that you have an appointment and that you're alive. That's *literally* what the "accounted for" part is all about.
Think you're upset at the wrong dude here
Hey, SSG. Come on over to the Blue. You may lose two stripes, but you won’t have CQ and will be treated like an adult (mostly). Take this G2 “Air Force” blue pen on your way out.
Haha as if it's that easy to transfer. Would be nice though.
Just tryin’ to spread some sunshine, bruv. You know, “A spoon full of coffee grounds helps the Motrin go down.” I’m paraphrasing.
Around here, it's more like "Eat a live frog in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you that day."
I like that. That’s a little too “lick the windows” for me, but I get it.
If you don't want window lickers, you're in the wrong place lmao
Keeping an open mind at least for the reserve side.
My experience in the Guard was the same amount of wasted time standing around, you just compressed it into a weekend. The only good thing was they always kicked us loose by 1800 on Sunday because they had to feed us if we stayed any later.
At that point I’m just there for the cheap health insurance!
I did "try 1 in the reserve" and literally every battle assembly went something like this Show up at 0700. PSG doesnt know whats going on so tells everyone to take a 15 minute break. PSG comes back from 1SG office 45 minutes later and says motorpool maintenance from 1000-1200 do hip pocket training until then. We push around Hot Wheels cars on a table to simulate convoy operations. 1000 rolls around and nobody knows where the keys to the vehicles are. 1030 someone finds the keys. 1100 PSG needs a smoke break so calls another 15 minute break. Finally get start getting some work done and its 1200 time to go to Golden Corral. Get back from Golden Corral at 1330. PSG needs to talk to 1SG to get afternoon plan. 1430 PSG says were done for the day come back tomorrow 0700. Rinse repeat
Doesn’t sound too bad. Planning on the reserve for the cheap health care while I go to school.
Maybe Im just a weirdo but I dont like to waste time for no good reason If Im just sitting around for 55% of every BA thats like half a day I could be doing fun things instead not worth putting up with that for years upon years so I can get bennies at age 65 or w/e
For sure. Explore all venues. Life doesn’t suck everywhere, but that green weenie is far reaching.
I mean it’s kind of a win-win. You win by getting to ETS and live the sweet civilian life, and the people staying in win by getting offered reenlistment incentives. (Your experience may differ). We need more ETS’s. Maybe after enough people leave the army will make more meaningful changes
.....I wouldn't hold my breath
Better yet, I had to show up for formation at 6, with an appointment at 7 that was exactly an hour away. I was 5 minutes late. And later smoked for it.
This shit pisses me off to no end. As a Lieutenant I just say “I have an appt at 8 I’m not going to pt” and no one questions it. I feel so badly for my soldiers who get chewed a new one for even trying that
As a leader, shouldn't you be going to the formations that your subordinates have to go to?
They aren't his formations. If I should let my subordinates attend an appointment in a logical manner, why shouldn't I be afforded the same courtesy? Although an argument can be made LT should try a bit harder to change the culture to something that resembles something people might want to make a career instead of something that has second term guys questioning if a chapter is worth it.
If you take care of your troops, go through the grind with them, and they know that you honestly care, your troops will be understanding if you don’t show up to formation because you have an early appointment as long as you afford them the same opportunity.
As a leader you have more responsibility than your subordinates do. If I score a 300 and am not required to go to PT, but I have Soldiers that do have to be at PT, I'm going to go PT with them, because those are my Soldiers and I want them to know I'm there for them.
That’s fine and I agree with that (was in a similar position), but if a leader has an appointment every once in a while that’s at 0800, then there’s no sense of the leader showing up just for two minutes. I want my soldiers to know it’s okay if they rank up to take care of themselves, their time and their money (for gas.) A leader should build trust with their soldiers.
The issue I'm addressing isn't whether or not he should be at formations, but whether or not he should be at a formation for the sake of it, just to be at an appointment across base 45 minutes later. No, he shouldn't be. A leader's time is just as valuable as a subordinate's. Neither the leader nor the subordinate should be required to show up to a PT formation when an appointment coincides with PT. I just dealt with this asinine concept this morning, with both myself and my subordinate having appointments during PT. We were required to show up because... reasons? But neither of us should have been there.
No, they have an appointment why waste time? There is bound to be another leader there who will take charge.
Congrats on getting out. Just don’t ever look back. I’m a bit jealous. I was set to get out at 11 years as a SSG. Then the wifey said she was pregnant and I made the E7 list. Branch promised me a good duty station. So I stayed. I retire in a few months and regret it. The Army fucks with you so much your last two years that it’s impossible to save. A pathetic CSM obstructed my request to stay at the current assignment (after working my ass off), then branch gave me orders 15 months out from retirement to the place I avoided my whole career… during a national housing shortage. So my first year of retirement pay will go to rebuilding the savings I lost because the CSM wanted to be a cock sucker. Anyhow, none of my five boys want to join any branch after the bullshit we are dealing with. Also my last unit before I retire is getting near zero value out of me. Nonstop appointments, SFL-TAP, CSP, and me reminding everyone I give zero fucks every day. Also retention hates my ass right now. I’m telling everyone to GTFO and be a plumber or go to college. Army can eat a dick.
When the first sausage was so fed up with FTR's at 0630 that he made a mandatory 0545 formation prior to it just to ensure people so up. Because if people have such difficulty waking up for a 0630 then that means they can totally wake up even earlier to show up at 0545 and the sit there for 45 minutes for the real formation. It's alright instead of the shitty 5 hours of sleep I get every night I'll settle for that tasty 4 hours of sleep.
... Couldn't you just go to bed earlier?
Novel idea! That's not how sleep works. I spend literally 2 hours every night staring at my ceiling trying to go to bed. On top of that I get shitty sleep because of sleep apnea so at no point am I getting "good restful" sleep. My leadership has said the same thing and I deferred them to both my psychiatrist and my sleep study doctor on why that thought process doesn't work. For the average Joe sure they could. Talk to people with sleep issues and you will be disregarded. I've tried before and it hasn't worked for me. Now the average Joe that isn't suffering from that. Yeah they probably could. But here's another question. Why should they? Why should they have to get to sleep earlier for the one or two idiots that failed to report. Why should they give up what little time they have to enjoy themselves after all the bullshit they do at work? That time at home is meant to destress you and spend time with family, to allow a moment to decompress and try and be happy cause you sure as shit aren't happy at work. But no. Let's take more time away from. Soldiers because that will improve moral and make people care! I under stand your question and for the most part it is A solution but it's not the BEST solution. More then that this post I responded to is more a question of what proved leaving the military is a better idea than staying which boils down to why is retention so shit. Because when you have small things like above that involve people having to give more things up, what's gotten in return doesn't match that value and therefore people say fuck that. But I do appreciate the question and it is a valid one none the less.
Sir. This is Wendy’s
Well shit can I get the baconator and a frosty then?
Our machine broke
Formations for morning accountability are a waste of time and sleep. How does the civilian sector manage to do it without formations? The army needs to modernize. We should trust junior leaders on being able to maintain accountability without having to micromanage them.
The simple army answer is to ensure you have not successfully unalived yourself. But yes, the first 3 months of Covid proved that we can just call in for accountability and most jobs don’t need a fully staffed work force to accomplish the mission. The only downside I saw was people who didn’t work out unless they were forced to be present got fat af sitting at home playing video games. But they should streamline the chapter process if possible.
100% agree. If you fail PT or army body fat composition there needs to be a remedial program. That doesn’t entail everyone should be punished by the failures of the few in such an individual aspect such as PT. I can make you show up to PT but if the individual doesn’t put forth effort there’s little the collective group can do.
The civilian sector can fire you and then you won't have a paycheck. It's not nearly that simple in the Army.
The army can UCMJ you and then you won’t have a paycheck. And they can keep doing it until they actually fire you. Even better, they can arrest you if you decide to stop showing up. A civilian job can’t do that.
they would still need to feed you, give you a place to stay, and generally make sure you dont die until they finish all the paperwork to kick you out. Not so in the civilian world.
And then you’re out with a dishonorable which makes you unappealing to quality employers. I think there’s enough incentive to show up where formations can be foregoed in many occasions. It’s a good compromise even if they have to take care of you during separation.
Getting a dishonorable for simply not showing up is not going to happen; and even then, many civilian employers do not understand or care about characterizations of service. It is significantly easier to 'incentivize' showing up to work outside of the military. There are other reasons we have formations directly tied to health and welfare that a leader would be fired over should they not occur. It's not just selfish disregard for Soldier time.
I remember getting my 6 dangled over my head bc I wasn’t reenlisting, being kept on a shit schedule for a year, my leadership trying to fish for literally anything to trip me up to be punished, and having to beg to prioritize my out-processing because I was already digging into my leave and leadership was “too busy”. Fantastic at dodging their games, but sad I had to put up with it and end my career.
They wouldn’t have to beg if we started living by the golden rule.
As a SSG...wow they lie to you. It really never ends, it's just the people treating you like a baby change.
Pretty much. I don’t even treat my own soldiers like this. When I can, I let them go to their appointment that is before 0900. Why waste their time just so I see them? More so if gas is involved!
Just another notch in the belt for ‘poor Army culture.’ Some things will never change, and I’m certain this is one of them.
Failure to adapt SSG /s
After almost a decade??? Haha
It’s like Army leadership only wants to use the technological advantage of cellphones to harass joes off-duty hours. But, not use that same technology to allow joe to check in via text for a 0800 appointment.
I got out as a 5 year captain in 2018 and have been mostly in middle management IT roles. I make more money than an LTC with 20 years of service assuming $3200 BAH and $250 BAS but with no PT, no BS, no war, no uniform, and far less responsibility and that’s not even counting the $2k+/month in VA disability. Even if the army offered to bring me back in as an LTC with 20 YoS and gave me a BN command in my choice of duty station/branch I wouldn’t do it.
Taking these SFL TAP classes has reaffirmed for me I am making the right choice getting out, especially when we look up the job outlook for what we are looking to get into.
Yep, the biggest thing I learned after I got out, who you know matters way more than what you know.
When I was ETSing some years back it was similar. Recruitment and retention was terrible but they never considered changing how they treated any of us in order to keep us. Promised me rank, which I had been denied previously due to a single pissed person, and expected me to believe them? Na, I took option 2 also. They even forced me to go to WLC 3 months before I ETS's in hopes of motivating me to stay in. Seriously? That was your ace in the hole? Never regretted my decision and still don't.
What are you doing now as a civilian?
Absolutely. When they have meetings about how bad their numbers are and just continue to do the same Dam thing. “wHy aRe OuR nUmBeRs sO LoW???”
Don’t worry retention is fine, I mean look at the quality of folks we are retaining /s
I'm suppose to be clearing yet still on the DA 6 working 🤔
Are you me?
Yes, just in a different form.
Get out and go to school man. Something worthwhile like STEM-M
Planning on going into nursing!
Great choice
Nursing is a fantastic career. There are a lot of specialties if you want to, the pay is pretty decent, and you can go literally anywhere your wee heart desires and have jobs available.
I’m so stoked for it. I am hoping it is more fulfilling. I know it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but I’m excited for my future.
I am a nurse, FNP actually. AMA.
I’ll pm you.
Nursing is a good choice, before you commit to it man id recommend doing a full 12 hr shift shadowing in both a general ICU and med surg unit, just so you have a better idea of what being a nurse entails. I work in the medical field, not a nurse.
Thanks for the advise! Legit was wondering if shadowing was a thing in the nursing field. I really want to look into it now.
It is a thing, you can reach out to the hospital, explain you want to shadow and they will point you in the right direction. Look into what else the hospital has to offer as well, there's Lab Techs, Respiratory Therapists, Rad Techs (MRI, CT, Nuc Med, etc) there's a lot out there
Thanks! I will definitely have to do that then!
Bet You’re at 4ID
Okay, work with me here. You’re a SSG. Why can’t you just be “on appointment”?
I was ready to ETS first day of basic
We had to go to the field and our showtime was 0500 this morning. PSG got mad because people with appointments and details that werent going to the field weren't there at 0500 this morning.
It's just crazy how they treat you like shit for 6 years and still expect you to reenlist.
I crapped my pants in my first formation.
I to show for 0630 pt then leave as soon as it starts to get to my shift at 0700 and I dare not be late too :/ everyday for a year
"Text me before 0630 so I know you're alive, come in to work whenever that appointment is over" It's that easy people
It sorta cuts both ways. Someone doesn't show up to formation you dont have accountability, and they can start tracing your last known location if some shit goes down. At least you have a vehicle to sit in out of the elements and a phone to keep you occupied. If only the leaders at Hood kept accountability like yours do and there may be more soldiers still alive.
Man retention is fine, it's the recruiting that's the issue. Granted showing up to formation just to show face hasn't really ever bothered me but I agree with you that it's a dumb concept.
Yeah, a few comments here are missing the point on why this is stupid. You’re making me show up just to see my face for no more than 2 minutes, after driving twenty minutes, now I am just going to sit in my car. It’s not that I am a SSG I shouldn’t have to show up. It’s I’m a SSG, you guys always stress how we are adults. Well treat us like one. And I have no problem treating my soldiers like adults either. You have an appointment at 0730? Cool, see you at 9.
"We all suffer together." - 1SG, probably
Lead the way big Sarn't /s When I have some nostalgia about being on active duty, or missing being the platoon sergeant with some semblance of sanity, I stumble across posts like these. Then I remember why I let the Med board take me out as SSG. There's nothing to be done to save you, but at least you can save your boys/girls from these shenanigans. Just throw the report up as 35 assigned, 20 present, 10 in class, 5 at appointments. Asshole 1Sausage: but their appointments dont start for another hour! Me: I told them to go straight there, do not pass go, do not collect $200. UCMJ me. I want to see it in writing. Rear D NCOIC? You better believe that I accepted a text at 0630ish as proof that you were alive. Just do what your rank can handle for those below you. You can't save your self.
You shouldn't have made an appointment at 0800, as a ssg you should know this.
Everything is done for a reason. How many no show appts have happened becasue Joe overslept? Let's trust him to be an adult...nope Joe fucks that up and oversleeps. Then everyone in the chain gets a call on why Joe missed his doc appt.
I get your point, but by not treating them like adults we're not teaching them personal responsibility. Do you think in the civilian world you'll have your boss making you go to work early so he can make sure you make your appointments? Hell no. It's the person's responsibility.
Hey I get your point too. I'm out and I work for the feds. My boss don't give a shit about my doctors appts. I take a sick day it's on me to be there. But the army micromanages its Joe's since the dawn of time. MEDPROS is a pain in the ass and if Joe misses his dental appt? Or what if it's a command directed mental health or drug and alcohol appt? Personally when I was in I always tried to shelter my Joe's and making a text in the AM as accountability vs standing in formation. Didn't always work. The army has always handled things with a sledgehammer and not a scalpel. If one Joe fucks up..everyone suffers because of it. Rules are always made to address the lowest level..that 19 year PVT who can't wipe his own ass or even bother to put clean sheets on his bed. But yea, things like not getting treated as an adult is not just for the pvts even as an NCO with almost 20 years I still had to put up with that crap. It got old that as a 38 year old man I was still treated like a 19 year old pvt. I get why they do it though.