Can a commander refuse a soldier's request to deploy with another unit? If so, is there any way around it?

2017-01-05T15:03:24-05:00

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Jan 5 at 2017 3:05 PM

2017-01-05T15:05:46-05:00

Its called a request for a reason.. keeping in mind, your service is at the pleasure and need of the Army.
Assuming you are in a valid position by mos and grade and your unit says there is a need for you i'd think your options are limited..

But I am not a Guard expert, so others may have a way to help you.

Food for thought.
If your in a valid position
If your unit has a valid need

where does "Selfless Service" fall between the units needs and your wants?

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Jan 5 at 2017 3:16 PM

2017-01-05T15:16:59-05:00

Well yes. You belong to a specific unit. It all comes down to numbers. The people who disperse the troops know which units have how many bodies, when to expect replacements, and when people are getting out. You can't just pick up and go to a deploying unit just because you want to. If you leave the unit, they need a replacement to fill your shoes. A body for a body.

Now to answer your 2nd question, of course there are ways around it. One of the easiest is being on good terms with the person who cuts the orders to different units. Another is finding someone within the unit that doesn't want to go on the deployment and getting orders for the two of you to swap. Once they've stabilized their numbers, that's it. But until that happens, there's always ways to work around it.

Response by LTJG Richard Bruce made Jan 5 at 2017 3:42 PM

2017-01-05T15:42:01-05:00

As a sailor if a CO told me to sail on another ship, I gather my things and go to the other ship. I can say "No", but not without negative consequences. A soldier/sailor/marine works for the public not a specific unit. A CO usually knows more than those who work for him. There is probably is a good reason for the transfer.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2017 4:24 PM

2017-01-05T16:24:11-05:00

You bet that a commander can say no to a request. That is why it is a request.
Having said that, if the answer is no, your best recourse is to go to the next level. After that, you are pretty much stuck, because you can bet both will talk to their boss about why they said no.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jan 5 at 2017 4:57 PM

2017-01-05T16:57:47-05:00

Yes, a Commander absolutely has that authority. Unless there is an order (S1/G1 order that would likely come via S3/G3 FRAGO) to reassign that person to that unit. This is usually preceded by a CSM led scrub of deployables, AAA-062s, and manning rosters to identify recommendations to fill the deploying unit and what the impact is to other units for the Commander/Chief of Staff to decide on.

Sad to say, but if a Commander 'gives away' a soldier, then his pleas for replacement in MOS/Grade will be met with Sheldon Cooper levels of derisive mocking. If they take someone from you, your plea for replacement can not be ignored. If that person is deemed excess by USR standards, then the case to release that soldier to another unit is better...but it takes the CSM and 1SGs to make all this work. Do not get your hopes up. Crowing you are excess often has unintended consequences that could shift your problem from bad to worse.

Was there a call for volunteers? Who asked for them?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2017 6:06 PM

2017-01-05T18:06:44-05:00

Yes the commander can. He has to meet certain requirements in terms of readiness to do his unit's mission. If your request can be met without damaging that ability, then most commanders will let you attach.

Now, needs of the Army will override this decision. If for some reason you were asked to deploy with another unit because of some skill that is needed, then there is not much that the CO can do. But this is not typical. Usually a tasking request will come down from (generally) Brigade level asking for subordinate units to provide names.

I thought there was a conditional release form that needed to be approved by the CO for this kind of action. DD 368 if I recall correctly.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2017 8:50 PM

2017-01-05T20:50:11-05:00

Like others mentioned, yes your commander can stop a deployment. You serve the mission of his/her unit. There are provisions where members can deploy with other units. I am not sure how the Army does it. But the Air Force, both commanders sign an MOA that you still belong to your primary unit. If they need to recall you the primary commanders mission is the priority unless dictated by a higher authority.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2017 11:04 PM

2017-01-05T23:04:51-05:00

Question 1: Yes. Question 2: No. I've tried it. If your request is denied, just keep soldiering how the officers appointed over you have deemed necessary.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jan 5 at 2017 11:51 PM

2017-01-05T23:51:26-05:00

Sure he can, especially if you are mission essential to his unit.

I think that we all tend to forget that we do serve "For the Good of and the Needs of the Army" It may not be what "WE" want, but it may be what the Army needs right now.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jan 6 at 2017 12:14 AM

2017-01-06T00:14:15-05:00

I used to be a Skipper here and there. Sure, I had the authority to deny. Sometimes I did. The reason was I needed that individual to meet my mission, not someone else's. However, I deployed my folk to other units to perform my mission as well. So if there wasn't a tie to my mission, it was a rare thing for me to authorize. Sometimes I did to say accommodate a school completion and loaning the SM out to another unit. That was me looking at the long game. Bottom line, my call. BTW, good commands sort their people for evals and fitreps into three categories; must promote, don't harm, and bottom third. Trying to circumvent the command you're assigned to screams to have you put into the later group.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2017 12:41 AM

2017-01-06T00:41:30-05:00

Your immediate Commander can deny the request, sure. But let's say your Brigade tags you to go on a mission with another unit.....then your Commander has to put up an extremely valid point by point argument as to why you CAN'T go. If not, then pack the bags.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2017 8:56 AM

2017-01-06T08:56:21-05:00

Yes he can and unless that deployment helps his higher command then no I would not go around him or her. If you just volunteered for a mission out side of your command structure then you need their permission to be released. From personal experience, I had volunteered for a 2 year tour at HRC when they moved it to Knox, I worked for 11th aviation command. I talked with my GS 13 on the civilian side and my full time deputy commander a full bird Colonel and was accepted. But about 2 weeks later my HHD commander got my orders dropped. So I resigned my Unit Administrators job and took my current position and transferred out of the 11th because I told my HHD commander that I was unhappy with his decision and he told me there was nothing I could do about it, well yes there was. I left them without a UA and I make more money and drive half the distance.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2017 6:33 AM

2017-01-07T06:33:01-05:00

SGT Private RallyPoint Member yes the Commander can refuse. When I was a Company Commander I had to weigh the balance between the desires of an individual and the needs of the unit. Where the unit was in the cycle of deployment did not hinder us from having Soldiers deploy, but if everyone left then we would have no unit. We had upwards of 18 deployed at one time in different units. However, not all of these were volunteers, but rather forced from higher.

Ways around it? Talk to your chain of command. See why they are not letting you deploy. Is it due to an upcoming deployment for your unit or is there a low number of Soldiers in you MOS? Remember if we sent everyone who wants to go at one time there will be nobody left at the unit to deploy later and the next unit will be pulled from all over and not work as smoothly as those who have trained together for years.

There is a chain of command you can go up to address this and request further consideration. However, once you step outside it that is where you may start having issues. Your time to deploy will come, it is only a matter of time.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2017 2:53 PM

2017-01-08T14:53:07-05:00

Yes, The commander is in charge of all soldiers under his/her command be they enlisted, warrant, or commissioned. You could try going to the next level of command but 1) you can't be exactly sure how high the denial is coming from 2) you still have to serve under this commander.

Response by SPC Kari Grove Wright made Jan 10 at 2017 9:18 AM

2017-01-10T09:18:47-05:00

We had a female in my unit want to deploy with her husband. He was a helicopter pilot, she was finance. She even offered to be a gunner for the other unit. It got denied several times. He deployed she stayed home.

Response by 1SG James Matthews made Jan 11 at 2017 9:21 AM

2017-01-11T09:21:26-05:00

Any request for transfer is considered but the needs of the unit outweigh the request. To go outside the unit chain of command is putting the requester in a bad light concerning promotion or advancement recommendations.

Response by LTC Gregory Davis made Jan 13 at 2017 6:29 PM

2017-01-13T18:29:06-05:00

What the hell is wrong with you? It's not like your a Private to think something like this up

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Jan 14 at 2017 9:25 PM

2017-01-14T21:25:04-05:00

I was a USAR battalion commander in 2007. My battalion was designated to deactivate. My CSM and I had gone to the Infantry Conference at Fort Benning and learned about a NG unit deploying to Afghanistan to train their security forces. We asked about getting attached to them for the mission and they were all for it. We both thought that since our unit was going away, it would not be a problem. We worked the issue between USARC and NGB for several months. Finally our Brigade commander said "No." I ended up deploying a couple of months later on a different mission but not with my CSM. Even today, I don't understand the rationale for denying it.