Barracks life, did you have somebody like this in your unit?

SPC Danny Cannon — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 01:53:42 -0400

https://www.facebook.com/usawtfm/photos/a [login to see] 05 [login to see] 81938605/ [login to see] 228606/?type=1&fref=nf
This is the room of an Army soldier in the 15th Trans Co at Ft. Sill. That's my old unit.
What would have happened if a situation like this occurred in your unit? My entire company (not just those who lived in the barracks) was living in tents outside off our barracks because our 1SGT did not think we properly appreciated our accommodations.
Lord knows how many times I did a "strip,wax,buff " rinse and repeat in our old barracks for much less. This is an embarrassment to myself and all of the other soldiers who served with pride in 15th Trans. This is my first post and I am trying to include a screenshot of the reaction of the CSM who heard about it the absolute worst way possible... via social media. I think he handled it lightly.
How should this have been handled. What options are even available now days?

Please help me understand...
A.) Is this an isolated incident,
B.) This happens in all branches at some point,
C.) This never happens, it must be a joke.
D.) Let me tell you what we did to idiots who acted like that....

Response by SPC Tom Maddox made Mar 10 at 2015 2:06 AM

SPC Tom Maddox — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 02:06:47 -0400

We use to give them blanket parties, I'm guessing that doesn't happen in today's Army

Response by SPC Danny Cannon made Mar 10 at 2015 2:13 AM

SPC Danny Cannon — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 02:13:58 -0400

SFC Private RallyPoint Member can you believe what they did to our unit?

Response by SPC Danny Cannon made Mar 10 at 2015 2:17 AM

SPC Danny Cannon — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 02:17:10 -0400

What would have happened in the Marine Corps? I wouldn't have thought this could happen period. I guess I was wrong.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2015 4:31 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 04:31:50 -0400

Just another casualty of years of sustained combat. NCOs have lost the "art" of taking care of their Soldiers in garrison. This room is the 1SG/CSM fault, they are the ones that should be held accountable. As a 1SG these days you have to mandate that your SGTs and SSGs check on their Soldiers in the barracks or they just won't do it. Now, not all of them are screwed up but a lot of them are.

If you do not have a policy stating how the junior NCOs will monitor the barracks you are asking for this kind of stuff. I made my team leaders check on their Soldiers every morning prior to P.T., I mean that's what they're supposed to do right? I mean, that's what I did and then I reported to my squad leader that all my Soldiers were accounted for or, one was not in his room. You shouldn't be finding out that someone is out of ranks when you are standing in formation.

There is a misconception that leaders can't check on their Soldiers in the barracks because of the BOSS (Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers) program. That is a crock of shit, you are responsible for their health and welfare, how do you know that they are living in sanitary conditions if you are not checking on them. Pathetic!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2015 4:55 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 04:55:59 -0400

This would have been game over. Chain of Command would have been all over that barracks like paste wax on the floor.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2015 10:34 AM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 10:34:58 -0400

At my last unit, all NCOs were required to do a barracks check at least once per week. Even if you did not have Soldiers in the barracks, you had to go check common areas the BN was responsible for. There was a separate sign-in book for Leader Checks, and our 1SG would check it weekly to see who had and had not signed it.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2015 6:53 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 06:53:48 -0400

Eh... let the the E5s through E7 loose and if they should be weak grab a CPL. If you do not have an CPL then you are a bad senior NCO and you need CPLs.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2015 7:51 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 07:51:02 -0400

eh... WWCptBMD LTC Private RallyPoint Member

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member yo bro

Response by PO2 Johnathan Kerns made May 6 at 2015 9:17 PM

PO2 Johnathan Kerns — Wed, 06 May 2015 21:17:18 -0400

While on shore duty, our Senior Chief (E-8) conducted a weekly barracks inspection (On Sea Duty an O-2 and E-8 inspected our berthing areas weekly). If someone had their living quarters in this shape it definitely would've only been that way for a few days max.

Response by PO1 Richard Cormier made Jun 27 at 2017 2:39 PM

PO1 Richard Cormier — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 14:39:53 -0400

I used to work as a civilian contractor on Ft. Bliss (1SGT Barracks Program) and saw many rooms like this. I had people calling their 1SGT complaining that I would not inspect their rooms or that I was discourteous of them. One conversation that I remember was a 1SGT telling me his man complained that I wouldn't cut him slack for a few personal items awaiting packaging. I asked if it was the playpen, the dog, or his girlfriend that he was complaining about? He apologized and went directly to the room.

This is/has been happening and now it cost the UNIT a lot more than the civilians they used to hire. When they deploy, they do NOT leave their best and brightest behind, they leave the sick, lame, and soon to be departed. When they return, they can't understand why the barracks are in such bad shape.

When you get in trouble for telling a soldier what is right, or you reprimand an NCO for getting in the face of a junior that wont follow commands, you end up with what we have. People afraid to discipline unless they are sure they can get the "dirtbag" processed out.

We need to expect more from, and support for doing right, what our NCO's are taught to do. If they can't take being yelled at, how can they take being shot at?

my $0.02 for what it is worth.

Response by SSgt Michael Cox made Jun 27 at 2017 2:43 PM

SSgt Michael Cox — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 14:43:40 -0400

One of the Airman in my section deployed with his room like this. Since his supervisor was deployed with him I was asked to take two other Airmen with me and clean it up. When the dorm manager let me into the room mice ran out of the pile of 7 pizza boxes. He still had his TV on and a porn DVD running the main menu. Bed was unmade and he had dirty laundry all over the floor. I don't blame the Chief or the First Shirt though I blame the Airman, his parents, and the dorm manager who should have inspected the room before deployment.

After turning off the TV and removing the porn video, I had the Airmen clean up the trash with gloves and paper masks while I made his bed and put all the clothes in his hamper. After we were done I notified the dorm manager who then called the Med Group since there were holes in the walls from the mice. When they were done they condemned his room and the two on either side just to be safe.

I believe he was given an Article 15 and forfeiture of $600 a month for 6 months.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 27 at 2017 3:07 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 15:07:13 -0400

There will always be slobs living in barracks. What works is NCOs checking on their Soldiers who are living in barracks. Every week, our 1SG would check the visitor log, where NCOs were to sign in and out (with times) when they came to check on their Soldiers.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 27 at 2017 3:17 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 15:17:19 -0400

When I was in AIT my platoon got marched through the room of a few soldiers. It was nasty. I mean just ridiculously disgusting. Pizza boxes in the wall locker. Old as hell. Dirty sink. Like actual dirt in the sink. Just a phenomenal mess. I do think we all got smoked for it and that's why we got to see it but then the drill sgt made the ones who lived in that room live in a tent for like a week. Maybe more? I don't think it was more than a week. But they had to go out and put up the tent every night and slept out there and then take it down in the morning so maybe they'd appreciate the room and take care of it.

That was the worst until I went to the CHU my soldier was staying in toward the end of the second deployment. He lived with one of the medics and came to me about how he's dirty. So I pushed it up through the chain. At first it did seem like he was just complaining because he didn't like the other guy. So I went over and looked and took pictures. My soldier's side was clean and orderly. The other guy - moldy cups of I don't know what. Just disgusting and the guy's a medic (in HHC mind you). We were at Tallil I think. So it had the PX, the amenities. No reason to be a slob and disgusting. I gave the pictures to the S3 SGM and he went to the 1SG and then they finally moved him.