Posted on Oct 4, 2014
Can a CSM prohibit a SGT from establishing joint domicile?
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Me and my husband (also a SGT) came to South Korea on Command Sponsored orders for our son (me) and Joint Domicile orders (him). While my company has been extremely supportive to accommodate our needs, his unit is telling him that he is going to have to stay in the barracks the next 2 years (at Suwon Air Base) and come visit us during the weekend (we are at Humphreys), and they are telling him they won't give him the closest base to us (Osan). They are not letting him come see us or stay with us during the next 3 weeks either (in processing). I thought the whole purpose of joint domicile was to have dual military live together. I get the in processing part but can they really make him stay in the Bs even tho his unit's post is within 50mi from mine? Why leadership sometimes feels the need to mess with Soldiers just because they feel like it?
Update: Thank you to all that replied. To answer some of the questions, my husband is Army, 14T ADA, and he could be stationed in Osan. We were successful at establishing our joint domicile. Once my husband respectfully told his CSM that he was going to reach IG and legal the CSM had a change of heart and stationed him in Osan. Thank you for all your advice!
Update: Thank you to all that replied. To answer some of the questions, my husband is Army, 14T ADA, and he could be stationed in Osan. We were successful at establishing our joint domicile. Once my husband respectfully told his CSM that he was going to reach IG and legal the CSM had a change of heart and stationed him in Osan. Thank you for all your advice!
Edited 10 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 40
This is just a guess.... It seems his orders and his base type are in conflict with each other. It seems the CSM is trying to follow the base guidelines for that base, while the MOS branch awarded something that doesn't work for that base. The problem appears to be with the unit assignment not being compatible with the orders, (either in base type - no "off post" privileges, or its distance away from yours - 50 mile radius is a long distance for 100% alerts to handle) in which case a unit reassignment for him is appropriate to match his orders. A CSM operates in accordance with what orders he or she is given, whether that be base commander's policy, or threat-con level, or deploy-ability status of the unit in question (One of these seems likeliest). A CSM can use some discretion whenever a specific skilled task is highly needed, or when a soldier has been in trouble (It doesn't sound like these are the problem here). Privileges (like leaving post) can be revoked for many reasons.
If reassignment is best, and that base/unit won't do it, you gotta go higher - maybe 8th Army HQ. When I was there, I was offered a similar assignment, where my wife and kids would live off-post and I could visit every other weekend. The orders simply allowed for moving costs and for her to live in country - it didn't give me visiting privileges. Those came from my unit. For the unit I was in, we were all locked down for rapid-deployment 12 days in a row with 2 off following that. The C-of-C wasn't going to deal with people off post trying to get on post every time the whistle blew. But I was in infantry and further north. The only way for me to get better privileges would have been to have been stationed further south at a "friendlier" base.
Another possibility is that the post he is at is not used to orders of this type, and may not know what to do with them. If he is in-processing still, he may be getting conflicting information. His actual First Sergeant or C.O. at his destination unit will be the ones to award "off post" privileges. Even in my unit, I knew several persons who the C.O. allowed to live "off post" as long as they kept their nose clean - no trouble with M.P.'s, no missing mandatory stuff, always made it to alert formation on time, etc.
If reassignment is best, and that base/unit won't do it, you gotta go higher - maybe 8th Army HQ. When I was there, I was offered a similar assignment, where my wife and kids would live off-post and I could visit every other weekend. The orders simply allowed for moving costs and for her to live in country - it didn't give me visiting privileges. Those came from my unit. For the unit I was in, we were all locked down for rapid-deployment 12 days in a row with 2 off following that. The C-of-C wasn't going to deal with people off post trying to get on post every time the whistle blew. But I was in infantry and further north. The only way for me to get better privileges would have been to have been stationed further south at a "friendlier" base.
Another possibility is that the post he is at is not used to orders of this type, and may not know what to do with them. If he is in-processing still, he may be getting conflicting information. His actual First Sergeant or C.O. at his destination unit will be the ones to award "off post" privileges. Even in my unit, I knew several persons who the C.O. allowed to live "off post" as long as they kept their nose clean - no trouble with M.P.'s, no missing mandatory stuff, always made it to alert formation on time, etc.
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SSG Melvin Nulph
Outstanding, I believe the information you gave will opened their eyes or give them a better insight to the way things may have to be run in his new unit in S. Korea as well as many others, dealing with the way things are in the world today.
You did a damn good job with the vage information on the subject that was given.
You did a damn good job with the vage information on the subject that was given.
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Well I Agee with the others. Joint domicile is just that. Joint. I would also go to JAG and contest his commands orders.
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SSG William Ellis
Yes, I agree.... Have the JAG do an inquiry (unofficially) , just so you can get some answers..
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When I was in back in the 80s there were, CSMs and Commanders, like that. I would talk too a Jag officer adout that.
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The biggest issue I see here is that you and your husband are in separate branches of service. If that's the case, and your husband is AF, he is limited where he can go. Are both or one of you in a critical MOS? That would determine what the long answer would be, short answer see IG.
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SSG Kristell Lee
SSG Once my husband respectfully told his CSM that he was going to reach IG and legal the CSM had a change of heart and stationed him in Osan.
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50 miles in Korea is a lot different than 50 miles in the US. I think this is more complicated than a paragraph allows.
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I can't believe that the people in the Army are still playing silly games. What sens does it make for a SGT in the US Army to stay in the barracks while Joint domicile? If I was in that situation, I would take it over his head, that's foolishness... What if the roles were reversed and it was the SGM's? I bet he wouldn't want to stay in the barracks!!!! Smh... Silliness...
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Joint domicile is just that joint domicile. But depending on unit needs could be and exception.. Highly unlikely.
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SGT Jay Ehrenfeld
Over reide the order,the BN commander or the post commander can so but it very rare they do. If CSM refuse to he or can be replace by the post or group CSM if necessary
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This sounds like the unit leadership is not explaining what is going on. Communication is essentail in an effective unit.
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