Posted on Jun 4, 2019
1LT(P) Quartermaster Officer
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I have a Cadet that failed to properly utilize the CoC to ask me if he could be excused from Annual Training to attend a months-long internship across the country. He's known about the internship for months, but waited to tell the unit until today, two days after he had left.

Apparently he initially called our brand new training NCO to get his orders rescinded, and upon being told that wasn't possible at that NCO's level, attempted to call the Commander once before taking matters into his own hands and just deciding to go anyway. He knows as a "3rd LT" in our unit that all the Os including him report to me as I am the XO.

My CDR is understandably pissed, and wants me to counsel him so we can begin the process to get him moved to a different unit. Should I counsel him for failure to communicate with chain of command about his plans now, and then give him another for being AWOL once AT starts, or roll both the counselings into one? Anyone have a counseling example for failure to communicate/plan/set an example, so that I don't have to recreate the wheel?
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LTC Field Artillery Officer
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1LT(P) (Join to see) - good questions & post. Some people are just not leaders period, he's a cadet/university student & likely immature by the actions taken. He should receive a counseling on Form DA4856 and counseled as others have stated. He should be given a counseling & follow-up plan to keep the unit more informed of the schedule going forward. Weekly calls/check-ins could be recommended as a course of action/follow up plan. All can be documented on the DA4856.

Screwed up, yes it was! But the Cadet should and needs to be given the opportunity to improve performance & prove they have learned something by the mistake in missing movement/Annual Training. Even though it states on the order that not following orders is subject to UCMJ action. I've never seen an UCMJ at a Reserve or National Guard unit I have been in unless the Soldier is a "non-participant" and doesn't ever attend drill.
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SSG Brian G.
SSG Brian G.
6 y
Even if they don't attend drill, I have never seen UCMJ on a reservist. They simply send out the letter stating you missed drill and give you the chance to make it up. Too many UA's for missing drill and they auto-defer you to IRR and they then ride out their contract time and that is that.

We had a troop that while I was in reserves he would miss a drill every few months. Then missed AT. He was back two months after AT as if nothing had occurred. Then he missed 4 in a row and he was placed on a list to be dropped.
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LTC Field Artillery Officer
LTC (Join to see)
6 y
SSG Brian G. - For UCMJ, I should have put "chaptering' or all the administrative tasks it takes to get a Soldier off the books who isn't drilling. UMCJ actions are difficult to impossible in the Reserve Component.
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