Can a Commander deny a soldier's reenlistment without a Bar of Continued Service?

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 May 2023 02:19:30 -0400

I have a soldier who is trying to reenlist, SM has had some difficulty recently and is making good progress getting back into good graces. SM is a good soldier, very knowledgeable, and has the making of a good leader. The 1SG has expressed that he does not want the Soldier to reenlist, but there is no Bar of Continued Service. The SM has passed HT/WT and ACFT. Can the Commander deny the Soldier's Reenlistment without a BAR?

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made May 15 at 2023 8:17 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Mon, 15 May 2023 08:17:12 -0400

Submitting for re-enlistment takes a lot more than passing HT/WT and ACFT. Just like anything else the Commander has discretion to approve or deny requests. Has Senior leadership or said name individual had a conversation with the Commander to see why they feel the way they feel? I'm sure if you ask why he will explain his rationale. But to answer your question: Yes a Commander can disprove or deny a request even though a bar isn't in place.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2023 9:49 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 May 2023 09:49:24 -0400

I had a Good Soldier not reenlist because he didn't want the commander at his ceremony and the commander wouldn't sign off on it if he couldn't be there.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made May 15 at 2023 2:55 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Mon, 15 May 2023 14:55:13 -0400

If His Commander doesn't think he will be a asset to the unit, then yes he can refuse to re-enlist him. Enlisting is a privilege, not a right.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 16 at 2023 7:21 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Tue, 16 May 2023 07:21:43 -0400

Yes, however that’s a little odd. Have you and the platoon leadership put in your support to the Command. If so and you are willing to fall on your sword for the Soldier ask for an open door with the Bn Leadership. If the Co and 1SG are out of line and you can show the Soldiers progress they may get involved and fix it.

All to often junior leaders are afraid to approaching leadership and even challenging them. Right is right.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2023 4:08 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 May 2023 16:08:18 -0400

That commander will probably rue the day he lets the soldier re-enlist against the recommendation of the 1SG.

That said........ learn to game the system. If one is a less than par solider, quietly disappear into the Individual Ready Reserve without getting hammered by the commander's denial being documented if said soldier is otherwise not prohibited/barred from reenlistment. Then pop back up someplace else.

To get folks out of the system and not let them back in is a pretty high bar if they are otherwise green on medical, green on ACFT and height weight, and don't have gross discipline problems documented.

My philosophy is the system as it is gives more than enough chances. If it gets to me, then chances are up.

I'm only a puny CPT, so my signature is not the final say. It is however, the first signature of a pathway that has significant momentum.

I've never seen unsatisfactory soldiers (and civilian employees) behavior change until it becomes very real the system is working towards actually getting them out. They don't typically believe its real until the letters/communication start coming from JAG and HRC, etc... Then it's usually too late.

Among the worst things leaders can possibly do is continue to force their subordinates to retain poor performing team members that are bringing down the overall performance of the team when the window of opportunity presents itself to remove those problem team members.

A unit's performance ratios can be improved just as mathematically as easy by increasing the Good to Go in the numerator or simply by removing the No-Go's from the denominator.

***************
Here is my favorite reenlistment story (if you read this far):

I had a solider come to me wanting my waiver to reenlist. He was an APFT failure and flag, so the system would not reenlist him automatically. He needed my signature on a waiver. This was a guy that I had reduced once, and was a continued problem.

So basically................... by being flagged, and by being at the end of his contract he handed me his ass on a silver platter.

I told him, in no uncertain terms I am not going to give him the waiver, and that he has been a problem for me my entire command time (this was the month before I ended command). So now...... in order for me to get rid of him...... all I have to do is NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whereas if I do something (sign a waiver) I (the USAR) will continue have problems with him.

Now......... I put it on him........... Hey, you have two weeks to pass an APFT. So if you can come in before that time the full time AGR staff will conduct a record APFT for you, and with your APFT score updated I'll be forced to remove the flag, and without the flag you can reenlist without any of my input.

Guess what happened in those two weeks.

The SOB passed and I know the AGR staff didn't do him any favors. Everyone wanted him gone.

Now.............. after all that hoop jumping he made everyone do he was also one of the Pre Trump MAVNI soldiers (non us citizen working toward citizenship). So when he went to sign his contract his citizenship comes up flagged (he never updated it in the system). Don't' know if it ever got fixed (I was out of command by then), I think he was stringing the system along again, and after all that nonsense his citizenship was a hard stop. There was no rank in the army that could waive that.

My point:
I tip my hat to professional shammers that use the system to protect themselves, but we shouldn't give more chances than the system has already designed in itself.