ARCOM for calling out inappropriate use in Social Media. Appropriate or not?

Yep... that's what I'm saying too. It's not what you do, it's who you know. It's very sad that's for sure. Awards and decorations have lost their merit...

I used to work with a Linda Biscoe in Sacramento. She was from Wisconsin. Any relation?

Hey! Naw, I don't think so... I'm from PA and I don't think I have any family out that way. It's nice to meet ya tho! :)

All the way Brother!!!!

The question posed was did her actions warrent an award. I agree many people got off topic and attacked her. But truthfully, do really think her chain of command should have awarded her for this? I agree she did her job and it was a job many people won't do now days but it isn't award worthy. She did what we are all supposed to be doing everyday. Like I put in my comment, the road she traveled is a slippery slope based on the whole "trolling" issue but what she did was still the correct actions of a Non-Com, just not ARCOM worthy.

SSG Friday, I completely agree with you about the award and that's why I wrote an ARCOM is entirely inappropriate for a 1SG doing her job. She shouldn't have received any award in my opinion, although good job for checking those troops.

Master Chief, I can see how this can diminish the value of the ARCOM. Many soldiers and other service members have earned this award through hard work and dedication, and going above and beyond. And awarding this award for just for doing what Non-Commissioned Officers do is disappointing at best.

Yeah that is a little over the top. Not sure as an E5 you can or should be making command decisions or voicing your "Opinion" to the commander. If it is addressing a NCO or soldier issue then knock yourself out. I did it all the time. When you are blasting the CO that is conduct unbecoming and even I would have dressed you down on that one.

SGT Michael Glenn Let me say this - and it's a generic statement that is NOT pointed at you personally - many young people are "not afraid" to speak out regarding things they view as "AFU". I would ask you to consider what your goal is to "speak out" in front of the commander. Do you believe you have information that only you are aware of? Do you not believe that your COC will hear your complaint and fix any REAL problems (emphasis on REAL problems - not perceived problems)? Or is it that you want to voice your opinion? Being frustrated because the unit is not being managed / lead in the manner YOU want CAN be an issue - but is the manner in which the unit is being managed / lead truly wrong or just not the way you want it to be run?

There is a time and place for everything - sometimes it's not the right time or place to bring up complaints. Respect in the military is a two-way street - you give the commander the respect they are due and you earn their respect for you. The commander has been in far longer than you have - perhaps longer than you have been alive and thus has seen and experienced more than you.

I realize that it's tough to keep one's mouth shut - been there, done that. I learned thru the school of hard knocks that one just doesn't blurt out whatever comes to mind. Certainly you have the right to express yourself to the commander - but at the proper place and in the proper time. Shocking the commander with things that may not be appropriate at the time is no way to earn a commander's respect. All you do is put yourself in the category of "An AFU, eat up with dumbass, soldier" - even if the assessment by the commander is true, that's where you put yourself.

And please - don't give me that street bullshit of "you will respect me cuz I say so" - cuz all I will say is you need to get out and go back to being unemployed on the street. You EARN respect in the military. Think about that.... when you hit bootcamp they didn't exactly treat you with a lot of respect - but you learned what to do and when to do it. You earned your promotions....at each promotion you were given more authority and greater respect because you earned it. Trust me, when you hit whatever unit you were first assigned to after bootcamp there was no one there that respected your skills or knowlege until you demonstrated them.

If you have a beef with your chain of command - take it up with the commander at the proper place and in the proper time. Certainly, at every step of the process, someone is gonna tell you they aren't letting you talk to the next person until you tell them the issue. That's normal. IF the person making that statement is a part of the issue simply tell them "it's a matter that I do not wish to discuss with you." If that individual refuses to let you go any higher then you file a grievance against that individual with the appropriate individual. Sooner or later you will get to see the commander.

If the issues you have with your COC are not worth all that effort......then perhaps the issues truly are NOT that important - or maybe the issue is you. Only you can make that determination.

Now, as to the matter of you not being afraid - just remember, you are no longer underaged (18 or less) - you are an adult. If you offend someone there can be real painful repercussions, depending on the who, what, when, where and how you offend. A good friend of mine found herself in jail for 18 months for mouthing off her opinion in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Another friend of mine found themselves in civil court for defamation and ended up paying $30,000 dollars and losing her car for providing her opinion at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

We all have opinions - and you're entitled to it. However, you are NOT entitled to spout your opinion just willy-nilly without expecting retaliation. The First amendment covers your ass, as a civilian, if you disagree with the government. However, the First amendment does NOT cover your ass under any circumstances when you have things to say against everyday, common individuals. In the military, if you intend to be respected, you learn when and where and HOW to express your opinion - otherwise you find yourself minus pay, benefits and stripes......

You have made many asssssssssumptions about quiet a lot here, I am not young and never got off on going around mumbling about how I thought a chain should be ran, and even stood up for some of the dumb ass fools who I served under who couldnt lead their way out of a wet paper bag, I didnt have to respect the person but did respect the rank. The situations I refer to were not some willy nilly rant of a disgruntled soldier who was throwing a tantrum.My ISSUES involved things such as Commanders throwing Soldiers down stairs, E-7's drinking on duty and ordering soldiers to attack other soldiers, NCO's hanging with enlisted in bars off post and pulling rank to try to screw a soldiers Girl friend and then have the soldier fried when he stood up to the E-7. As you can see all are grave issues where a soldier lost their bearing on being a soldier and thought that because of their rank they could do as they pleased, if you think that way Ill tell you to your face your a piece of Sh*t. I will agree with you on there is a place and time and when the need arose I always attempted to go through what chain was not messed up or involved. I had two Ar -15's in my career, one was for being Awol because I was arrested for speeds in excess of 160 which was mandatory 24 hours in jail back then, the second was because I got into it with a E-5 as a Corporal and clocked the SOB after he assaulted me and I struck a E-6 who had jumped in to the mess who I thought was going to hit me. I didnt get into trouble for hitting the E-5 as he was in the wrong and all saw it, I got into trouble because I hit the E-6, and he tried to stop Top from doing it but Top said he had to set an example. I have 2 honorable discharges 2 ARCOMS, 2 AAM's, 3 GCR's , several letters of Commendation for outstanding duty and 3 coins for outstanding (and interesting) performance, hardly the profile of a whiner and a poor soldier.... gather some actual facts instead of assssssssssssumptions on my situations and back ground and maybe we can try this again. I did like the long read BTW, shows you put SOME thought into this, just a tad bit more and I think you'll be there!!!!

SGT Howell, the situation was as follows, my unit was deploying to Yakima Firing Center and I was the Unit Armorer.My bags were packed in a Duece like everyone elses as I had planned on going like everyone else. I had worked long and hard to get the Arms room to a passing grade and the BN CDR had ordered a ARCOM be awarded for this.The day we were to deploy he stopped by the company and told the Co that I would be staying back to work in a few other arms rooms to get them up to snuff. I was chastised by my Co and 1sg and openly accused of running to the BN CDR to get the position when I hadnt, I knew nothing of it until I was told I was a maggot and was staying behind. I asked to retrieve my gear and was told it would be sent back once the company arrived because Top wasnt going to have an entire duece unloaded just for one soldiers gear. The Ta-50 was not returned as said but I wound up receiving one empty duffle bag when the unit returned. I asked on the spot where the rest of my gear was and was told by the supply SGT that I had not packed any TA-50 and I must have lost or sold it and would be doing a statement of charges for it which I questioned and refused to agree to. I was threatened by the SSG who took me in front of Top who chewed ass for a while trying to order me to sign the statement of charges. I out right refused and said I wanted a survey of charges done and all hell broke loose. I was told I could not go anywhere and that I would be court martialed if I went to the IG on the issue.I left tops office and struck out across the post to the IG and filed a complaint which led to me being picked up by Top and the SSG who were furious about what I had done.I was placed on restriction and couldnt go anywhere without a escort after that. A few days later I was called to the supply room where I was given a few pieces of the missing gear and told to keep my mouth shut and I would get the rest, problem was the gar had another soldiers name on it. I went to the soldier with the gear and he said they were doing the same to him... So another trip to the IG and another ass chewing from my "CHAIN".I was again locked up and told I could forget going anywhere until AFTER we rotated to Korea in a few weeks and that I was going to be put out on a BCD once we got to Korea. This is where the Post Commander was going to inspect our unit and I was then told I was going to be locked in my room to prevent me from telling him how messed up things were. I wound up jumping out my window, running all the way across post and almost made it to our BNCDR's office when I was cut off by the SSG and a few of his goons, seeing the CSM I started cussing him up one side and down the other to get his attention, which I did...after explaining to him what was going on and my reason for my disrespect to himan investigation was opened and the SSG and top went down for stealing multiple soldiers gear and selling it to pawn shops on South Tacoma Way, I was transfered to another Unit when we got to Korea and low and behold went from a screwed up soldier on paper to a squared away soldier... the rest as they say...is another story. Unless all facts are given, yes it would seem like I was being a cocky asswipe who deserved to be tossed out with BCD, but knowing the whole situation, I would hope that others see why I acted like did .

Nice. I know who it is. :D

Best SCO I EVER had!