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Staff Duty NCO during the duty hours is it really necessary? If you ever walk around your Battalion HQ you will see people in just about every office. With that in mind why is an NCO and one /two runners needed to be their a complete 24-hours. I know when I have BN Staff Duty I spend more time at my Motor Pool office or company then I do at the staff duty desk. So my question is should the NCO report in the morning to relieve the off coming NCO then leave a contact number? So that they could conduct his or her daily duties and be called if there is an emergency like the SDOIC? Then return after the close of business to complete the rest of the shift at Battalion?
Posted in these groups: 
Staff Duty
Staff Duty
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 13
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I experienced a few different manners in which staff duty has been handled: when I was a young Soldier and tasked as the runner, my SDNCO and I would report in at the appointed time in the morning and I would be posted as the phone answerer while the NCO would get briefed then go conduct his normal duties and then return to relieve me for chow and then finish out his duties prior to returning at 1630/1700. I have also experienced, while an NCO, both the runner and myself reporting at 1630 after conducting our daily duties (during work week)to assumed our duties. Then finally, mostly in TRADOC, I have experienced where the runner and myself report in and begin our duties at 0900 and both sit there basically for 24 hours, and this was as a SFC.....while I have seen CQ duty go away and then return again throughout my career, I do not foresee Staff Duty going anywhere as there are motor pools and facilities that must be safeguarded and checked during non-duty hours. The only change I would make is allowing for the NCO and runner to catch a few hours of sleep during the duty, alternating of course, so that when they are finished with their tour, they are less apt to get into an accident due to sleep deprivation, because normally even though it's a 24-hour tour, you are up usually 2 hours prior and then an hour or so afterwards.
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I can honestly say I have never seen a true 24 hour staff duty during the week. In most of the units I have been in the SDNCO & Runner report at 16:30, get a brief from the CSM and assume duty at 17:00 until 09:00 when they back-brief the CSM on the goings on of the night.
Now on weekends, it is/was a true 24 hour duty though.
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1SG Shane Hansen
Have any of you approached the 1SGs or CSM about it? You can't go wrong if you have a solution or "way ahead" to make things better.
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SFC (Join to see)
1SG, Throughout my career I have voiced my concerns and recommendations, along with my peers, although I have not done so at my current unit, it has never made an impact previously.
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SGT James LeFebvre
1SG, sadly, my last unit operated on the full 24 cycle during the duty week. And our chain wouldn't hear suggestions on better ways. I would try to let my guys get a bit of shut eye when I could.
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I am still trying to understand why the shift is 24 hours, when we know it is unsafe to drive after staying awake for that long...
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CPT William Jones
When I was in many years ago Staff duty at Bn and up was to have someone to answer phone and make small decisions or call The CO for bigger problems. During the duty day all offices are manned and there is no need for a staff duty Nco or Officer. Guard duty may be different as some guard posts are mounted every day all day.
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SGT Randall Smith
Back in the old days when stationed in Germany and assigned to Bn HQ I would pull the 1600 to 0800 shift every third week. I was a PFC in the SYSCON office . We had to have some one on the radio 24 hrs a day. We had check in with all the sites every other hour. The duty rotated between me a Sp4 and a Sp5 in the office. We were also responsible for the S2 office next door, the S3 office that we worked out of and the S1 office at the end of the building. The third floor was personnel and they all went home at 5pm after locking the doors. The first floor always had a armed guard. It was the Crypto rooms.
Had three men show up about 3am one morning and they gave me a hard time. What was a E3 doing as Duty NCO. The company only had a coupld of NCO's.
Had three men show up about 3am one morning and they gave me a hard time. What was a E3 doing as Duty NCO. The company only had a coupld of NCO's.
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CPT William Jones
anytime you have a question read the unit sop,if that doesnt answer your question ask the top sgt of the unit or the CO under open door policy. If they dont know the answer is someone in the past ordered it to be done and no one has changed it.so then drop a suggestion in the box and maybe that will get it changed.
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