Posted on Dec 13, 2017
As an NCO, I can not force my soldier to buy Jump Boots just because it’s the 101st Airborne tradition, correct?
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Any leader who is forcing soldiers to buy Optional or "Unit" items that isn't issued or given via a Supplemental Clothing Allowance, is wrong. If a BN CDR or higher authority want uniformity for these Optional items they need to work with IMCOM to get CIF to issue them, or authorize said Supplemental Clothing Allowance for those items to be purchased.
Coercing Soldiers by saying you won't get a waiver or some other negative counseling for failing to show "loyalty" is inappropriate and not consistent with Army Regulations. The excuse of "this is how its always been" is never a reason to force Soldiers to do anything like that, its lazy leadership and a poor example for Junior Soldiers regardless of unit type.
Coercing Soldiers by saying you won't get a waiver or some other negative counseling for failing to show "loyalty" is inappropriate and not consistent with Army Regulations. The excuse of "this is how its always been" is never a reason to force Soldiers to do anything like that, its lazy leadership and a poor example for Junior Soldiers regardless of unit type.
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MSgt John McGowan
I have changed my mind, Try to get boots issued, if you fail tell them to get boots, Not a good fight to be in, you pick your battles where you do stand a chance. I think you are on a downward slide. In other words bite the bullet. It will not be your first or last battle. But you have to show some fight. Accept the loss and stay out of the I G's office Good Luck And Anand your ground while you can.
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MSG Eddie Robinson
the Issue of making someone "buy" items that are not part of the issued items would be very much a detractor of being a true leader. However, if an item is to be replaced with the clothing allowance, you may ENCOURAGE, them to get items that are more appropriate for use in your particular unit.
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SSG (Join to see)
If the clothing allowance was say $1500 or more tax-free then yes, but even a new pairs of boots is $80, so for the average Soldiers thats an unreasonable cost to bear. That allowance is only given once a year, Soldiers have many clothing expenses throughout the year with uniforms—PTs and ACUs and their ASUs—so yes it is unrealistic and unreasonable to force them to buy a non-issued item out of their own pocket. Unless the unit is going to create a fund to subsidize those costs, which we know they won’t.
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WO1 (Join to see), I would take precisely the opposite view of this situation! If you're in an elite unit, you should want to wear Corcorans! I graduated from jump school on the DZ on 9APR70. Before we bussed over to SFTG at Fort Bragg the following Saturday or Sunday, the Black Hats "suggested" to all of us that we go to the PX and get jump boots. They said that's why we got the extra $55 a month (jump pay for enlisted back then)! Here's a photo of me in my shiny new Corcorans, just before we shipped to Fort Bragg. I've always owned Corcorans since that day and still have the pair that I was wearing when I retired in MAY98! I can't even imagine wearing issue boots with a dress uniform!
By the way, E-2 pay back then was $138.30 per month!
SSG(P) Lauren Manuel SGM Erik Marquez SFC (Join to see) SGT Bryon Sergent SPC (Join to see) MSG (Join to see)
By the way, E-2 pay back then was $138.30 per month!
SSG(P) Lauren Manuel SGM Erik Marquez SFC (Join to see) SGT Bryon Sergent SPC (Join to see) MSG (Join to see)
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SFC Greg Bruorton
I still have my Corcorans with their last spit-shine from the Retirement Ceremony at XVIII Airborne Corps Hq. That was 38 years ago . . . I never belabored the point of not buying them because they were part of the uniform.
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1SG James Matthews
Retired in 81 and my Corcorans are still in my closet with a spitshine on em. Corse you gotta look at it this way--the 101 is Airmobile--are they still on jump status?
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LTC Stephen C.
1SG James Matthews, it’s now designated the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and hasn’t been on jump status for many years, although there may be small elements of airborne or MFF jumpers (speculation on my part).
LTC David Konop
LTC David Konop
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CSM Charles Hayden
LTC Stephen C. As a Leg, I bought my first Corcorans as a E-2 wanna be E-3!
In December 1953 and Jan 1954, I spit-shined my Two Buckle, Rough-out on the Lower-half boots at Ft Knox, As a striving young Soldier, I would give my Rough-outs a spit and a lick and place them on the Emergency exit balcony of our wooden barracks.
After the KIWI ‘froze”, I would continue the spit shine.
COL Lawrence T Smith, CDR, School Troops at The Armor’School appreciated my efforts and subsequent selections as Supernumerary of the Guard Mount by sending me, thru channels, 5? letters of commendation for having been ‘Colonel’s Orderly’. Apparently he didn't give a xxx’s xxx about the cracked KIWI polish on those boots on the ‘day after;.,
In December 1953 and Jan 1954, I spit-shined my Two Buckle, Rough-out on the Lower-half boots at Ft Knox, As a striving young Soldier, I would give my Rough-outs a spit and a lick and place them on the Emergency exit balcony of our wooden barracks.
After the KIWI ‘froze”, I would continue the spit shine.
COL Lawrence T Smith, CDR, School Troops at The Armor’School appreciated my efforts and subsequent selections as Supernumerary of the Guard Mount by sending me, thru channels, 5? letters of commendation for having been ‘Colonel’s Orderly’. Apparently he didn't give a xxx’s xxx about the cracked KIWI polish on those boots on the ‘day after;.,
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WO1 (Join to see)
"As an NCO, I can not force my soldier to buy Jump Boots just because it’s the 101st Airborne tradition, correct?"
Yes, and I bet you already knew that.
"Also my unit told me if my soldiers don’t buy the boots than they show no loyalty to the unit and will get passed over for waivers and will be frowned upon for not having them."
Right, as well as..when the unit has a formation, and "that" SM does not have the called for uniform, the CDR/1SG may exclude them from that formation/ event. And then you have a SM that is available for that BDE tasking....or CQ, or road guard , or what ever needs to be done while the unit and 99.76459% of the unit that does have Jump boots is in formation, then the company BBQ and early release.
Your SM can be an individual, or a member of the team, it is his choice ..Inform, encourage, lead by example and then let that SM make a choice. He gets to own his choice.
"As an NCO, I can not force my soldier to buy Jump Boots just because it’s the 101st Airborne tradition, correct?"
Yes, and I bet you already knew that.
"Also my unit told me if my soldiers don’t buy the boots than they show no loyalty to the unit and will get passed over for waivers and will be frowned upon for not having them."
Right, as well as..when the unit has a formation, and "that" SM does not have the called for uniform, the CDR/1SG may exclude them from that formation/ event. And then you have a SM that is available for that BDE tasking....or CQ, or road guard , or what ever needs to be done while the unit and 99.76459% of the unit that does have Jump boots is in formation, then the company BBQ and early release.
Your SM can be an individual, or a member of the team, it is his choice ..Inform, encourage, lead by example and then let that SM make a choice. He gets to own his choice.
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WO1 (Join to see)
The issue that my soldiers have is that we have a ASU inspection right after holiday block leave and I want to make sure they won't be in trouble right after the financial struggles of christmas season.
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