Comp time...the myth the legend. Does it exist? Should we even have it?

If I need a Soldier to do something last minute do to piss poor planning or the fact it needs to get done I give them comp time. Nothing wrong with it. Now when I ask for volunteers, they never hesitate!!

Boy, if I had a dollar for every time I was told I would get comp time and didn't get it, id be rich. Id say, give a Soldier comp time, when appropriate. Now if you tell a Soldier they will get comp time, give it to him and don't criticize him for asking about it. Don't say you are going to do something and not do it without good reason. You will loose the trust and respect of your Soldiers.

Before I give my two cents let me first say that I SUPPORT recognizing a Soldier for hard work, efficiency, and mission accomplishment.

With that being said, I inform my Soldiers that I will do my best to ensure that their extraordinary efforts are properly recognized, whether by military award, verbal recognition, or time off. I also remind my Soldiers that as a NCO I am not authorized to give them time off...only the commander is authorized to do so. I will however, champion for them and "apply pressure" to the command team to get them their just rewards.

As a Soldier, whenever I was told I would get comp time, I would write down how much time, when I was getting it and why I was getting it. My first line suggested this and it paid off having the information on hand. I also never tried to spring a comp day randomly, I always made sure to request it well in advance.

As a leader, I either write it down myself for have my Soldier send me an email reminder on the spot. Also, I try schedule the comp day with my Soldiers so there's no misunderstanding on either end.

As SSG Spencer said in his response, there are a few main things you need to ensure not to mess with to maintain morale and time off is one of them.

I keep up with my guy's comp time, I don't give it out for any little ol thing though

Does the Army still have 3 and 4 day passes,I agree comp time can be a pain ,i had a Soldier who had accumulated about 200 hours before my arrival and now they wanted to take 3 and 4 day passes,unless the reg's have changed,You would have take this comp time as soon possible,not save it up,this person was mission essential do to fact this was only lab tech,no one else can do the job,But passes you can control and use as needed for some R&R

I worked MPI. For a long while I was the only one on the duty roster (only 2 of us in the shop and NCOIC was off at a school). I worked for a long time straight and I'm talking getting called in right as I get home at 7 and sit down to eat, getting back around 1030 to be called in again at 1130, then getting home around 1 to get called in again at 3. the Provost Sergeant had the desk sergeants handle as much as possible without me actually having to come in so I could get some time off because this was a 6 day a week op tempo with sundays spent in the office doing all my paperwork. I appreciated any little thing (not having to show up for PT formation after working late at night for instance) my leaders gave me. And in return I gave 100% for my duty. It's a give and take thing, don't expect it, appreciate it when it's given, Leaders give it when possible while still achieving the mission.

Man was I burnt out after that time though.

Working the road as a patrol at Ft. hood we worked all sorts of days. 14 on 1 off and that 1 off was actually a range day. It's the job it happens. But on platoon duty we were let go every friday at 1 and a lot of times we were taken care of in other ways. Leaders buying food for their soldiers, that sort of thing (we were MP's so we didn't have meal cards).

Moral of the story. Take care of joes, joes take care of your leaders.

This is really a case by case question. Some details deserve some extra time off while others don't. 24 hr staff-duty definitely calls for comp time. where as getting voluntold to go clean the head before CoB does not. Also some units have a higher op-tempo and therefore should be given a little more comp time when they do have go out the door constantly and still get hey you'd.

It's all a balancing act. If you can give comp time and still accomplish the mission then go for it. Comp time is a cheap way to show appreciation and keep morale up.

I give my guys time when they go above and beyond their usual missions. This is in a form of a pass after working two weeks in the field or three weeks straight including weekends, etc.

On the mil-tech side I have seen it happen, but rarely used as many of those that work long days do not ask for comp time.