Posted on Nov 15, 2019
Can an NCO tell you not to schedule appointments Monday through Wednesday?
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A soldier with me has newly discovered a heart condition, prior to this our chain told us only appointments are on thursdays and fridays but also stated case by case basis. Now she has lots of tests to get done is a short span of time and her appointment follows on a Monday her nco is telling her to reschedule it but we all know availability isn’t on the soldiers time it’s on the facilities so if she rescheduled it she might now see another apppointment for a couple of weeks. A sfc told us today that a commander or anyone below him cannot tell you to reschedule appointments already made and can not tell you when to schedule them, being pulled left and right with there being no regulations pertaining to this but a sfc saying different I seek the public for a legitimate answer
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 8
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This is one of those situations where the best response is, "This is the appointment I was given, feel free to write your counseling statement", and just drive on.
Specialty care like a cardiologist is extremely difficult to get scheduled and if she is being evaluated for one appointment after another it's because she needs to be. Usually it's the buildup for an MEB or to determine if one is needed. That NCO who is telling her to reschedule doesn't outrank that COL cardiologist handling her case.
Usually I would tell you in writing where to find an answer, in this case your BDE/BN/CO should have a written policy about appointments. If there is not a written policy, then there is no policy. If there is, the easiest fix is to go to the CDR at that level and ask for the exception. Example : if the Company Commander had a policy that says only appointments on certain days, go to them to authorize it. If they say no, go to the BN CDR or CSM to override it.
I seriously doubt there is a written policy about appointments. Telling Soldiers they can't utilize the resources that are made available for them is a giant IG no-no.
Specialty care like a cardiologist is extremely difficult to get scheduled and if she is being evaluated for one appointment after another it's because she needs to be. Usually it's the buildup for an MEB or to determine if one is needed. That NCO who is telling her to reschedule doesn't outrank that COL cardiologist handling her case.
Usually I would tell you in writing where to find an answer, in this case your BDE/BN/CO should have a written policy about appointments. If there is not a written policy, then there is no policy. If there is, the easiest fix is to go to the CDR at that level and ask for the exception. Example : if the Company Commander had a policy that says only appointments on certain days, go to them to authorize it. If they say no, go to the BN CDR or CSM to override it.
I seriously doubt there is a written policy about appointments. Telling Soldiers they can't utilize the resources that are made available for them is a giant IG no-no.
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She is critical need to get her appointments whenever possible. Anyone suggesting otherwise needs their head examined and a visit to the unit CSM
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The NCO needs some remedial training on headwork after the SgtMaj or 1st Sgt allows the soldier to comply with the medical schedule
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LtCol Robert Quinter
SPC (Join to see) - The restriction of medical care to specific days is most likely the command's attempt to maintain workforce capability during the early part of the week, but the specific provision was added saying it was on a case by case basis. In your friend's case, you have a life threatening condition which is probably being treated by a specialist with limited appointments available.
Any NCO or for that matter, officer, who intentionally denies an individual with heart problems health care as scheduled by their physician is essentially saying they know more than the physician on your friend's condition and they are willing to bet your friend's life on their medical knowledge, which I will bet is zilch. Your friend should explain that to the NCO and, if the NCO refuses to allow the appointments as scheduled, advise the NCO that he would like to see the senior enlisted person in the unit to discuss the situation. Your friend's situation is precisely why the case by case provision was added to the rule. What's the NCO going to do when your friend drops out with a heart attack? The NCO is not thinking the situation through.
Any NCO or for that matter, officer, who intentionally denies an individual with heart problems health care as scheduled by their physician is essentially saying they know more than the physician on your friend's condition and they are willing to bet your friend's life on their medical knowledge, which I will bet is zilch. Your friend should explain that to the NCO and, if the NCO refuses to allow the appointments as scheduled, advise the NCO that he would like to see the senior enlisted person in the unit to discuss the situation. Your friend's situation is precisely why the case by case provision was added to the rule. What's the NCO going to do when your friend drops out with a heart attack? The NCO is not thinking the situation through.
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SPC (Join to see)
So friend took my advice and got it resolved so back ground the nco is a new nco that really bleeds regulations dry, I told her to mention case by case basis but then he goes into if a nco tells you something to do you do it. I particularly don’t play with none of that but she is kind of quiet and doesn’t stand up for herself but we resolved it. The way they are doing things is to make priority a mission which is within regulations HOWEVER like you said lol what are they gonna do call up to the facility and say hey btw we need to make your availability based off my soldiers needing appointments only Thursday and Friday. Not to mention we have no mission other soldiers are off on appointments as well so I believe it’s just the new nco having his power control and trying to tel her what to do rather than bringing it up to the plt sgt for them to say okay, tell her to come back to the shop after her appointment with a slip of proof, to easy! Thank you for the info and input LtCol Robert Quinter
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LtCol Robert Quinter
SPC (Join to see) - Glad it worked out SPC. I'm also glad it was a matter of inexperience. I bet there was something learned on both sides.
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Case by case basis. Sounds right up this alley. The best you can do is TRY to abide by such a strict schedule. The appointment is scheduled between the indivudual and the officer (doctor). A reschedule would require an agreement between those 2 parties. If an nco has N issue with it they can take it up with the doctor. An nco can request that you change it based on workload but not force you to. Thats why they add in " case by case". They cant even enforce that really, just stomp their feet. The Soldier in question has a deployment limiting condition. An nco who cares about readiness metrics at all would want that issue resolved in a timely manner not waiting for those rare thurs fri appointments. Do your best to comply. If you cant, dont be disrespectful when you tell them to effectively shut up and color.
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SPC (Join to see)
THATS WHAT I LIKE TO READ RIGHT THERE!!! that’s exactly what I told her but she wanted me to find a reg and I couldn’t so I came here. But he’s a new nco with his first bite of power and bleeds the regulations DRY! but she has it resolved, my question the whole time was, why didn’t he push it up to the plt sgt or squad leader for them to give the guidance, had he done that the issue would have been resolved always trying to make things way harder than they need to be
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Technically Yes if the commander puts it in a policy letter.
I would strongly advise the Commander not to do this as anything outside the BN aid station is totally out of the units control. This also could cause the command issues meeting their medpros standards, so it's kind of shooting themselves in the foot.
I would strongly advise the Commander not to do this as anything outside the BN aid station is totally out of the units control. This also could cause the command issues meeting their medpros standards, so it's kind of shooting themselves in the foot.
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The soldier has a heart condition. The soldiers NCO, nor any NCO, can not tell them they can't make an appointment. The doctors orders are the doctors orders. If the NCO, saying they cannot make a mon-wed appointment, has a concern about the legitimacy of the heart condition or appointments then he can bring it to the commander and the commander can look into it.
The NCO can not dictate the medical professionals schedule, nor can the NCO dictate the heart condition.
The NCO can not dictate the medical professionals schedule, nor can the NCO dictate the heart condition.
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I'm having the same issue. My command team is telling me that I can't have an appointment until after 1300 on most days. I am also going through an meb and that makes it difficult and scheduling my appointments because most of the doctor's office is closed by 1500. I was told when I asked to see the policy letter that it wasn't a policy letter and it was a direct order from my commander for everyone in the battery/ company.
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SPC(P) (Join to see)
Mine isn't for heart issues however I have back issues that I'm currently being med boarded for
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As a former commander, my position is medical needs, especially like this, Trump usual scheduled events
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