Bad leaders for not checking Soldiers FB daily?

SPC (Join to see)

As far as health and welfare, if you are putting a tampon in your ass, you either need to seek medical treatment or you are doing it so terribly wrong.

Priceless. MSG Brad Sand

Checking what is public from time to time isn't an issue. As a leader in the civilian world, I do that on occasion. However, a leader should never send friend requests as they aren't friends. It becomes creepy and blurs the lines in leadership relationships. To pretend otherwise, is to make an excuse for voyeuristic fetishes or the need to just be plain nosey. If you want men to behave as men, stop treating them as children.

I feel you should only look into a soldiers public facebook or other social media if you feel that there are warning signs of a Soldiers well being or concerns of a soldier mentioned to you by his peers. IE Soldier displays un provoked mood swings, withdrawn or other depression warning signs. We are not experts as Leaders in all warning signs but you have to use your gut.

Agreed SGM. The only reason I look at someone's FB is if they're the subject or witness to one of my investigations.

*cough**cough*Don't be careless on your FB or make it private as possible*cough*cough*

Makes it tougher to keep the skeletons in the closet.

SGM Charles Brainard, that's why I said "private as possible". I know nothing is private, but it is always worth a try to make it so. And yes I agree, CSM (Join to see), but that's why if we want them to stay in the closet, we don't post them on social media :-)

Presidential race was out for me a long time ago. So those skeletons can stay put in the closet..... where they belong.

CPT (Join to see) , it is a method. But not one I would ever recommend or teach to a new LT.

Checking in on Soldiers should involve face to face contact. Not just cyber stalking. Now, if a Soldier had a demonstrated history of posting things that they shouldn't, then checking up to ensure that they are not continuing to do so is the thing to do. That would be something I wrote in the "leaders responsibilities block on page 2 of the 4856. After all, You inspect what you expect.

SSG Hernan Briones EXACTLY! We should be checking on our Soldiers' welfare. I believe there is a line about that in some creed someplace.

While I agree that checking on the person is critical, reviewing their posts is also helpful sometimes.  Many of my Marines would never admit to having "problems" like PTSD and act like tough SOBs when at work, but when they post comments/updates while alone, it helped me identify issues they were hiding so I could get them help.  I also made a point of monitoring social media prior to and during deployments for restricted/classified info.  Our enemies can easily piece together troop size, placement, deployment dates and even when we are surging into a particular area.  Respectfully, the bottom line is (and I can tell you all are very troop-welfare oriented): SNCOs need to use ALL resources to protect our troops and the mission.  S/F 

GySgt Gary Maziarz , I can certainly get on board with checking when it comes to the potential for PTSD or worse suicide. I would submit, that if we as SNCOs and leaders in general truly know our troops, we wouldn't and shouldn't have to rely solely on our subordinates social media habits. Their postings should only serve to confirm/deny what we already perceive based on the fact that we should already know the people standing in our formations.