Command Climate Surveys (DEOCS)

MSG Ryan C. — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 14:39:51 -0500

Army Directive 2013-29 (Army Command Climate Assessments) dated 23DEC13, states changes to how units will conduct their mandated Command Climate Assessments.  The main changes are the following: 1.  The only assessment that will be used will be the DefenSe Equal Opportunity Management Institute Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS).  2.  All Active Army company commanders will conduct an initial command climate assessment within 30 days of assuming command, to be followed by 'a subsequent assessment 6 months later, another assessment 12 months after assuming command and annually thereafter while retaining command. 3.  All Active Army commanders above the company level will conduct an initial command climate assessment within 60 days of assuming command, to be followed by a subsequent assessment 12 months later and annually thereafter while retaining command. With the recent change to how often Soldiers are going to have to take these Command Climate Surveys, do you think that Soldiers are going to participate and provide honest feedback, or will they get frustrated with having to take multiple surveys and just, "check the block"?

Response by 1SG Steven Stankovich made Feb 5 at 2014 2:49 PM

1SG Steven Stankovich — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 14:49:22 -0500

I think that it will be important for the unit EOL along with the senior leaders to explain the Army Directive to their unit and explain its importance in the "bigger picture." Soldiers will need reminded of that with each survey. They will also need to be reminded of what level each survey is covering (CO, BN, BDE, etc). It is important to ensure that with each survey, these topics are discussed. I think that will help with receiving constructive feedback on the surveys.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Feb 5 at 2014 2:53 PM

Maj Chris Nelson — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 14:53:18 -0500

In the Air Force, we take this type of survey yearly...sometimes more than that! The local leadership (would be BN level or lower) and sometimes Wing Leadership (base/post level). Some fill it out, others do not. I feel that it is an opperunity to applaud things that are working....it also offers me a way to provide constructive critisim of senior leadership. I try very hard, if pointing out a flaw, to show a way that it could be improved....not sure if it works or not, but I hope that it shows some thought beind the rant! Sometimes even I will roll my eyes at the prospect of doing another one...but it is a way for me to project my concerns. When taken as a group (everyone that does it), a commander or senior leadership can evaluate where they are at in the program (if everyone answers truthfully).

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Feb 6 at 2014 6:49 AM

1SG Michael Blount — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 06:49:09 -0500

MSG - Problem I have with all these surveys is Soldiers don't see the point. I can't say I blame them. We're asked/told time and again to take one survey after another and nothing changes. I strongly suggest we quit making new surveys and fix what we already know is broken.

Just my ten cents.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 6 at 2014 7:16 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 07:16:05 -0500

Surveys are not always welcome with soldiers because they are hit with so many. Sensing sessions are up there as well because soldiers don't believe anything will ever be changed.

A good leadership team will use this tool as an honest assessment and make needed changes. A commander is authorized to have specific questions added to the surveys before publishing so they can target areas of concern. However they need to make sure act on those issues rather than write it off as merely complaining soldiers.

Many times the 1SG or other senior NCOs are the subject of many complaints and the commander needs to be strong enough to take action regardless of rank, but he/she also needs to be smart enough to see through some of the BS that is written.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 6 at 2014 10:42 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 10:42:25 -0500

If the Soldiers feel that the command pays attention to what's being said in the survey, they will gladly complete it, unfortunately that's not always the case

Response by SFC Charles Kolker made Feb 6 at 2014 2:53 PM

SFC Charles Kolker — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 14:53:45 -0500

I have seen some Companies give their Soldiers as few as four and as many as nine surveys over the past year. To me I cannot see any efficiency in so many different surveys. Arguably they are for different levels and separate issues (we've had a BDE level, BN level and Company level surveys, plus IG and retention surveys).

While I know these can be useful to each level and help them understand what Soldiers are seeing, it is becoming too much for the Soldiers to take seriously. In a recent Company survey in the first week they only had 15 people complete the online survey.

I believe that we should not be having units do them every six months, but spaced out by what the Command deems a reasonable amount. Maybe a unit would be better served by having a Company level survey every nine months, or annually. Allow the next level of Command figure out what would be best for it's units.

Response by MSG Ryan C. made Feb 6 at 2014 3:56 PM

MSG Ryan C. — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 15:56:34 -0500

Thanks everyone for all of your responses and input. It is really appreciated.

Response by SSG Zachery Mitchell made Feb 6 at 2014 8:04 PM

SSG Zachery Mitchell — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 20:04:57 -0500

I am the unit EOL for my Company. We got our new commander in November and conducted our command climate survey in December. At the time my company had 112 Soldiers assigned but only 26 Soldiers participated in the survey. I think adding more survey we will see less and less results/participants in these surveys. Every time I've conducted one of these surveys the results are almost always the same and the turn out is never very high. I think a lot of Soldiers see the same things being asked over and over with the same responses being given over and over and yet they see nothing ever really change. I feel a lot of Soldiers/NCO's have the same mentality that "nothing every changes when I do these surveys so why should I keep wasting my time doing them?". Start with fixing what we know is broken and what they have told us is broken. Show them that we are fixing the issues that they are concerned about and then maybe they will start participating more in these surveys.

Response by SSG Oliver Mathews made Feb 6 at 2014 11:00 PM

SSG Oliver Mathews — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 23:00:24 -0500

I honestly believe that Sensing sessions, or command climate surveys have a place and a task but they are often to late.

Case: Female Soldier being treated favorably by NCO support channel.
1SG was not aware because the SSG and SFC covered their tracks well enough that it left the other soldiers little room to stand on. The Female was provided time off to study for the Board, The SFC shined her Boots (airborne Unit). and covered multiple Drunk on duties.

Soldiers where not provided equal respect or opportunity. This was not rectified until the command did a anonymous command climate survey. This was done three days after The female soldier was late to formation, because she was to intoxicated to make it to her own Promotion Ceremony to SGT.

My point being that the command needs to be involved and active. Soldiers need to feel that they can use the open door policies. And that they will be protected from being persecuted by senior NCOs or Officers. Junior NCOs need to know how to stand up to senior leadership and protect themselves and there soldiers.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2014 1:46 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:46:46 -0400

I can say with a lot of confidence these surveys are done with a 'check the block' mentality. Even when the CoC has Soldiers print off the little completion page at the end of the survey it doesn't encourage anyone to actually care about the answers. Some people just want to get it over with, others don't want to risk having to take mandatory death by powerpoint classes because of their responses. Still others feel that their input has zero impact, so why bother? It also seems that when these surveys are due, it has to be done that day, and always when there is a lot of other, more important, stuff to be done. The last one I had to take had to be done that afternoon while we were in the middle of Change of Command layouts. Not very conducive to constructive input.

Response by SGT Krystal Stephenson made Jul 19 at 2016 9:50 PM

SGT Krystal Stephenson — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 21:50:40 -0400

Another issue is soldiers being forced to take command climate surveys. If they are forced to do it then they are less likely to give open honest answers. Many with just click to check the box or write Something that could be exaggerated because they are agitated they are being forced to take them .

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 13 at 2017 10:51 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 10:51:44 -0400

It would be really great if units actually gave these surveys out for the Soldiers to complete. The unit that I am in now knows that there are things that should be changed and yet keeps trying to cover them up. The command climate survey is a Soldier's only recourse for persistent problems, and yet you have units trying to cover their mess ups and refusing to pass out surveys. The Army as a whole has a major problem, and it needs to be fixed starting with the so-called "leadership". Or did we all forget the lead by example mentality?