Posted on Mar 7, 2014
SFC Brigade Personnel (S1)
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A photo was sent to me on my Facebook page reflecting a GI Party in my unit on 6 March 2014. It had been raining all that day and during that period of the GI party. This was conducted because NCOs can't keep there rooms clean. Government furniture including mattresses, lamps, and personal belongings where placed on the basketball court (while raining). Do we need a block of instructions on how to clean a room, NCOs? I will be glad to come assist them if they do. That is what Leaders do.
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SGT Ben Keen
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While I agree the rooms should be kept clean placing government property in the rain seems a little ridiculous.  Who is going to pay to have those things replaced or is it expected for Soldiers to sleep on un-serviceable beds?
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Capt Jeff S.
Capt Jeff S.
9 y
Yes, it seems rather stupid. Who in their right mind would have people take furniture outside and leave it in the rain?!! I'd be calling in the SNCO's that came up with that brilliant idea and they'd be getting some remedial leadership training...

Now with that said, if they could show there was no damage to the furniture AND this was in response to an overall and ongoing lackadaisical effort being made by the troops to keep their area clean, then I'd back the SNCO's.
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SSgt Wallace Smith
SSgt Wallace Smith
>1 y
Could be the furniture was so filthy that it wouldn’t matter if it got wet or not. I was in the USAF SP Law Enforcement and I use to do ‘no notice walk thrus with the MWD and some of the rooms were pretty bad. Some I was scared my MWD might catch something
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SSG Operations Sergeant
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the leadership should made every soldier fold their socks and roll there tee shirts. if I go into my NCO room and see that it a mess will my soldiers rooms reflect his. Meaning some squad leader was failing to conduct his morning checks. I remember as a young private up until SPC everyday my Team leader making sure my room was squared away and I cleaned the common areas as well as studying the material from the ranger handbook. Things have changed and soldiers just don't care anymore.
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SGT Ben Keen
SGT Ben Keen
10 y
How quickly we are to jump on the "Soldiers just don't care" bus.  How do you think your Team Leader learned the value of doing room inspections?  It wasn't because he cared more; it was because he was taught the value of doing it.  And that is not to say you don't; I'm sure you understand the importance of getting up an hour before your Soldiers, squaring yourself away and getting up to check on them.  All I'm saying is, Soldiers, just like the rest of population are humans and take from the examples set by others.  Be that example; maintain your firing line; make the changes you can make and hopefully others will see your success and mirror your actions.
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Capt Jeff S.
Capt Jeff S.
9 y
Generation z
You both have valid points. I'm going to side with SSG Charles Ridgeway with his comment about things changing. 15 years ago I was seeing it.

Millenials are not the same as Baby Boomers or the Greatest Generation. You will always have your standouts and exceptions, but by and large the Millenials don't have the same meat eater instinct. They tend to be more overweight and out of shape, spend more time indoors playing computer games, and tend to score lower on tests. They've been told they are winners just for participating in sports and they haven't had the same kind of stress put on them. The peak of the bell curve seems to have shifted to the left. They've had their test scores padded so that they appear to be scoring the same. Don't get me wrong, you STILL have the very bright and exceptionally talented and they are as good as or better than those preceding them; BUT! they are just fewer and farther between. I realize this is going to ruffle a few feathers, but it's the truth.

Lack of motivation is something generally ascribed to the academic performance of Millenials. While volunteering to help kids with math at the local high school, I was appalled at how many couldn't do basic math. We have juniors in high school that can't divide 18 by 3 in their heads without the assistance of a calculator. I tend to think that these kids probably couldn't pass the ASVAB, but it leads me to believe that with so many having problems like this, that the overall ASVAB scores have dropped and more people entering are scoring lower overall than they were, say 35 years ago.

My question is, are we still getting the same caliber recruits or have they followed the downward trend in our society?

The military has made some changes to appease political correctness and I'm not keen on the changes. From what I can observe, basing those observations on seeing what people write here on RP, discipline has taken some hits.
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Capt Jeff S.
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SSG Sidney Galloway
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Sounds like a contagious case of "I'm an NCO, I'll do what I want" was going around. I know times have changed, but NCOs have been setting the standards to which Soldiers are supposed to aspire. *Their (not "there) lowering of their own standards (whilst probably demanding more from THEIR subordinates is unacceptable. Sounds like they needed their crap thrown into the rain.
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