Posted on Dec 31, 2014
CQ on New Years Eve after last minute change and after no holiday leave; suck it up or would you complain?
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This soldier is pulling CQ today, New Years Eve. The reason why he is upset and thinks it isn't fair is because he was deployed for the past 12 months in Afghanistan with a different unit while his unit was in the rear. He's the only soldier in the battalion that was deployed. He got back 3 months ago and as soon as he got back, he went to work everyday till 1700. They didn't give him half days or 4 day weekends for redeployment and he never asked for them either, he didn't feel it was his position to ask for days off.
He didn't take block leave because he went on leave in October for 29 days and was told that if he did put leave now, it would probably get denied because he just took leave, so he didn't. He just found out yesterday that he had duty today because they changed the roster last minute. He asked the NCO in charge of the roster to see if there was anything he could do because he wanted to spend this new year's eve with his family since last year he wasn't here, unlike everybody else. He was told "at least you get to spend Christmas with your family" meaning that that should've been enough. He now feels that his unit doesn't really care about him or his family.
Is this soldier overreacting? Did his leadership fail him or is he just complaining?
He didn't take block leave because he went on leave in October for 29 days and was told that if he did put leave now, it would probably get denied because he just took leave, so he didn't. He just found out yesterday that he had duty today because they changed the roster last minute. He asked the NCO in charge of the roster to see if there was anything he could do because he wanted to spend this new year's eve with his family since last year he wasn't here, unlike everybody else. He was told "at least you get to spend Christmas with your family" meaning that that should've been enough. He now feels that his unit doesn't really care about him or his family.
Is this soldier overreacting? Did his leadership fail him or is he just complaining?
Posted in these groups: 
Leadership
Leadership
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 61
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It looks like a leadership failure to me. Telling a soldier he can not take leave because he or she just took it. I would of said put it in. Also the NCO should of had a reason why CQ was changed. If the soldier thinks he was wronged he could always hit up IG
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The Military is not a Democracy Nor is it fair. Pull your duty. I was in 4 years before I made it home for Christmas. The next two same thing. New Years duty calls.
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When I was in the military and even when I was in Law Enforcement, the general rule was the single guys/ girls worked Christmas and the married ones worked New Years, it ended up fair for everyone. The other school of thought is, you don’t have to like it you just have to do it. Just sayin.
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Personally I feel his unit probably failed him and lower level NCO’s may have intimidated him into not raising this up the CoC. His peers also failed him for not seeing how leadership were putting the screws to him and allowing it to happen. When I was single and in the barracks during the Holidays, leadership assigned a Soldier who just welcomed twins from a complicated delivery CQ on both Thanksgiving and Christmas, claiming he had to suck it up like everyone else. When I saw his name on the Christmas roster, I jumped in and took his spot. It was mentioned before that they felt because he had been deployed, that leadership felt he was an outsider.
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Suck it up Buttercup! This happens in the military. I had ZERO holidays off for 4 years straight, and deployed several times TAD to other ships, getting back just before the holidays (and then worked into the duty section covering the holidays). The difference is, I didn't even have time to put in for leave over the holidays (got back from deployments AFTER the leave deadline), so I didn't even have an opportunity at holiday leave. Now, stop crying about life not being fair, and go do your duty and job!
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PO2 Lance Pofahl
Oh, and just to he clear, I did not get any days off after returning from my deployments either.
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Did twenty one years in the AF law enforcement. When it came to Xmas and New Years
We would either choose to be off Xmas ar New Years. Never heard a bitch from any of the troops..
Yes, sometimes I worked both holidays. Wasn't pleased but did it without moaning?
We would either choose to be off Xmas ar New Years. Never heard a bitch from any of the troops..
Yes, sometimes I worked both holidays. Wasn't pleased but did it without moaning?
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Sucks that he wound up with New Year's Eve duty, but just suck it up. He got some leave a little while back and has Christmas (a family holiday) off. No one said being a Spartan is all rainbows and bunnies.
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No he’s not overreacting based on his being the only one in his new unit with a deployment & should have reasonable consideration & provision for an effective decompression.
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