Can a CO make a company wear eye protection all day to prove a point?

Yes. Soldier knew the standard. Soldier's buddies knew the standard. I would venture a guess that there were a few (if not more) Soldiers within the unit that saw said Soldier not wearing them and didn't do any corrections. Hence the Commander's decision.

Agreed that the CO can. Unless CO was the first set of eyes on, it should never have gotten that far. NCO's should have seen and corrected.

Yes, yes he can young Jedi. Punishing the miscreant is fine but there's something to be said for instilling an environment of peer enforcement.
Bet you folks will be more apt to correct your buddies when they aren't squared away, just think next time you all let a buddy slip you could be wearing brain buckets or OTV's, or doing chock block drills all in the name of instilling discipline and team work.

Ask yourself these questions ...
-How many folks saw carl roaming around without his eye pro and didn't fix the deficiency?

-What was carls' squad / team leader doing that carl thought he didn't need to wear his gear?

- If carl got his eye poked out (sucks to be carl), how much crap would you guys be taking and how much special attention would you be getting?

Best thing to do is keep each other squared away so the NCOs and Officers don't have to dream shit up to get your attention. But that's just my opinion.

Of course he can. He's the commander. The point he was trying to teach is that the actions of an individual don't simply impact that individual. Our actions have a blast radius. I'm guessing this is less about eye pro and more about doing what you're told. The individual will learn a lesson. His battle buddies will learn to watch out for each outer. The Team Leaders and Squad Leaders will learn how to do proper PCC/PCI's. The Pl's and PSG's will learn to spot check.

It's eye pro today. It could be something that costs a life tomorrow.

You have a problem with eye protection? Ask anybody who has suffered a sharp stick in the eye!!! I have buddies wish they had eye pro in Ranger School back in the day!!!

Mass punishment is wrong, no matter what the punishment. It sends the message that you can do what you're told, and suffer consequences anyway. That is a stupid message to send to subordinates.

Not the best approach but certainly within a CO’s authority. He hurt no one and I am sure he got the point across. His chain of command failed the Soldier or Soldiers who caused this reaction. Remember safety is paramount and while it is a leadership responsibility,?there is also that peer component. It was harmless, thank you for your service.

I did ask if it was necessary to invoke a discussion as to "should he."

What's the beef? Whatever the policy is at your station, that's the "law". WHATEVER PPE is required, it's required by everyone! When it comes to PPE, your CO can make the policy, and that's the way it is. I worked 28 years @ Argonne National Laboratory, as a Journeyman Lineman. We, employee's and contractors, were required to have ALL of our PPE anytime while on the property, and to wear said equipment anytime while on the job site. If the "safety police" should stop by and found someone without any item of his PPE on, he would be written up. If a contractor was written up 3 times, he was off the property forever! Now, that's the way it is on the "outside", and you people think you're picked on? Grow up!!

Yes, it is necessary. If that was the uniform for that event, as prescribed by the Commander, EVERY SOLDIER in the Company is supposed to wear said uniform. Period.