Are members forgetting the purpose of RallyPoint?

I envision RP to be more than just military related discussions. I believe it is about community more than networking and military Q/A. I stress "community" because a common bond has brought us here...brought us together.

It is a tool for younger service members to reach out to the plethora of experience from all branches; a tool for SM of all ranks to keep their finger in the pulse; and a community that every member shares, at the very least, one thing in common.

I've read threads of younger Soldiers looking for advice, looking to vent, or simply reaching out. The RP community reminds us of the one true, undeniable, and most important fact: you are never alone.

However, If a thread seems juvenile or way off base, scroll past it. I do.

I see that much of the issue is the arguments that erupt on certain types of posts. (Those are annoying to most people.)

It is my personal and professional opinion that everyone should have a filter in every aspect of communication with anyone.

(lesson learned the hard way #403: you are not obligated to share every thought, opinion, or emotion.)

This is not being fake or a "yes-man", nor does it mean that one can't be frank--which is to be open, honest, direct and sincere. (re: @WO1 Christopher Bergevine's comments on a particular response)

Regardless of rank or status, everyone here is a leader. Some lead a small number of troops, some lead large units, and others lead businesses or employees. We are each responsible for the most important and most difficult task of a leader--to lead one's self.

Traits of an effective leader that could eliminate (or at least greatly reduce) the issue at hand include (but are not limited to):

Judgment: before posting ANYTHING anywhere consider whether it's a wise choice of both substance and approach.

Tact: it isn't just WHAT you say that matters, HOW you say it is just as important. Since a full 93% of communication is non-verbal, the words you choose in an environment that lacks the benefit of tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language are even more important.

Endurance: mental endurance in this case. Will you be worn down by the opinions, ignorance, or immaturity displayed on social media and if so, how will/would that impact your endurance in offline situations - including battle?

Bearing: we can't control the thoughts or actions of others, but we can and should control our reactions and responses.

These things hold true in professional and personal relationships, with peers and superiors/subordinates.

This isn't a rank issue, a military issue, or a social media issue.

It's a respect issue.

Any organization is only as good as it's people. The answer is not to restrict topics or interactions; the answer is to be the example in our own actions and comments. If you see inappropriate content or conduct, don't engage in it.

If it should be addressed, remember it's always better to praise in public and correct in private.

I used to like Rally Point a lot more than I do now. "Professional Network", LinkedIn for the Military", etc. not so much. Too much politics, too much religion, too much dumb stuff have pushed me away.

If posting off topic/non military threads is a problem why not use the Feedback link at the bottom of the site. If more people actually used it and suggested ways to better RP this problem could be solved. I personally don't care if a soldier posts Facebook style threads on here, it almost seems like the private news network I was forced out of when I became and NCO. It is interesting to see what the junior enlisted talk about or are interested in when they are not in uniform.

Interesting comments. I check the discussion boards periodically and if I am not interested, then just ignore them.

I am curious to know how many discussions are posted daily and how many become trending. I would imagine only the ones that people want to talk about trend.

I guess I haven't been on RP long enough to notice the absurd questions. Everything that I have come across has been military / politically related. And everyone's input on the topics have been informative for the most part. I do agree that all topics posted here should be associated with our jobs, benefits, families, etc. if you want to discuss gaming systems, the next sci-fi convention or whatever, I'm sure there are forums for that.

As a retiree, I like being part of the military community in RallyPoint where we all have the common bond. We don't necessary completely bond with civilians. So I like the idea of having someplace to go to reconnect with other military folks. The conversations here mirror a lot of the conversations we had when I was in and when I get together with other veterans. We are all passionate about our service and our country -- along with the issues within our country. But we also like to "cut up" as well.

So while there are some topics that generate some acrimony and some that are silly, I say we welcome all of them. They are our way of connecting on multiple levels. Just continue being respectful.

If you are on active duty, cherish that time and the brotherhood (and sisterhood). You will have a hard time finding that same level of satisfaction out here.

Semper Fi mi familia!

I don't see a problem. In fact, I am rather pleased to see that RallyPoint has been self-correcting. If someone starts a discussion that isn't of interest to the members, it quickly fades to obscurity. If the topic is of interest or important to members, they jump in and it flourishes.

Interestingly, I have participated in other military-oriented groups in other venues such as LinkedIn, Facebook, etc, and the same holds true. However, the members in those other groups haven't demonstrated the same level of professionalism or decorum as I've seen in RallyPoint. One or twice I've seen a member on RallyPoint launch an ad hominem attack on another. Within the other venues, ad hominem attacks are a regular feature. Thus, I think everyone here should be proud of themselves.

Sure, there have been a couple of odd discussions, but all work and no play make Jack a dull fellow...

Actually, I agree. I want real topics with real discussion that pertain to military questions I have. If I want ridiculousness I'll log on to Facebook, post my question, and wait for the comment war. Sometimes, in the midst of a serious conversation here, a funny meme lightens the mood. Fine. But I prefer to keep the thesis here military related.

But hey, I'm just a SPC. maybe that's just that always looking for a mentor mentality....

I think those off topic topics are what keep me coming back honestly.