Posted on Apr 21, 2015
Has anyone else been demoted for standing up for or taking care of your troops either in the rear or out in the field
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I was demoted (Article 15) for taking care of my troops while in a field exercise. We had been out in the field for right at three days, our water ran out the afternoon of the third day. Upon calling for a drop I was told that we were to locate the cache left for my squad. After going to the coordinates given for the cache turned up no water, I once again called for a drop. I was told that I must be at the wrong location. After rechecking our coordinates (Myself as well as my Team leaders and some of the enlisted with high marks in land nav) we confirmed that we were at the right place. We were going into the evening of the 4th day at this point and a couple of guys needing IVs for dehydration. I made a judgement call, and took my squad back to FOB. When remanded for doing so, and finding out that higher had forgotten to drop supplies at our cache point, I lost my composure, and told my 1st Sgt, and CO that REAL leaders would not have forgotten something as vital water and supplies. When told to "At Ease SSgt" I, in so may words told them where they could put it. I was a Sgt two days later which pissed me off, and once again put my foot in my mouth and went down to a SPC not too long after that. Looking back, I know there was around 2 million ways I could have handled the situation better.
Leadership
Infantry
UCMJ
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 21
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Sure you could have handled it different, but so could they.
When a "troop" (in this case you) is at a breaking point, you need to get him out of the situation that is causing him to break. The 1SG should have extradited you immediately
"SSG, Let's go for a walk NOW. Sir, we'll be right back. I think I heard a Badger or some other woodland type creature digging in our trash and I need the SSG to help me chase it off."
Something absolutely "absurd" so that the CO knows he is getting you out of there before you say something you'll regret. While he's got you "away" you can vent.
But...
You weren't busted for taking care of your guys. You were busted for losing your bearing AFTER taking care of your guys... in the wrong company.
When a "troop" (in this case you) is at a breaking point, you need to get him out of the situation that is causing him to break. The 1SG should have extradited you immediately
"SSG, Let's go for a walk NOW. Sir, we'll be right back. I think I heard a Badger or some other woodland type creature digging in our trash and I need the SSG to help me chase it off."
Something absolutely "absurd" so that the CO knows he is getting you out of there before you say something you'll regret. While he's got you "away" you can vent.
But...
You weren't busted for taking care of your guys. You were busted for losing your bearing AFTER taking care of your guys... in the wrong company.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS spot on. SSG Warren Hall composure, like you said, is your greatest ally. I've had Soldiers and NCOs lose their composure in front of higher ranking NCOs and Officers before, and the best thing anyone can do, of any rank, is immediately remove them from that situation.
You were absolutely out of line, which you recognize, but someone should have also removed you from the situation the first time. The second time was just poor judgement unfortunately.
I'm not chastising you - I think you did the right thing returning to the FOB. However, every "leader" is different, and may not be willing to own a mistake. That's the time where you remove yourself, or have a battle buddy (PSG, PL, etc) with you. My PSG and I had code words we would use to help each other identify when one or the other was hitting a breaking point so we could remove each other from the situation or deescalate and discuss.
You were absolutely out of line, which you recognize, but someone should have also removed you from the situation the first time. The second time was just poor judgement unfortunately.
I'm not chastising you - I think you did the right thing returning to the FOB. However, every "leader" is different, and may not be willing to own a mistake. That's the time where you remove yourself, or have a battle buddy (PSG, PL, etc) with you. My PSG and I had code words we would use to help each other identify when one or the other was hitting a breaking point so we could remove each other from the situation or deescalate and discuss.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
MAJ (Join to see) "Badger" was the code word we tended to use. "Is that badger back?" It's amazing how quickly a conversation stops as people listen for an imaginary animal. Buys you a quick 5 seconds to get someone out of dodge before things go sideways and unrecoverable.
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LTC (Join to see)
CPL Hall, you were right in taking care of your soldiers and they were wrong in neglecting such a vital thing for soldiers health. Looking at your profile, and decorations; seems like you were a dedicated soldier but as you admitted got busted a couple times Most of us have issues where we would like to tell off the boss; not a great idea for career success or for even getting your point across in the best way, but the best of us will do it once in awhile. We are not perfect. With your pattern of getting busted several time' seems like you may have issues of anger management or perhaps PTSD. I would recommend using your VA and or TRICARE benefits to get counseling and support (if not already doing so). Since you are retired and on Rally Point, stay active; and spend some time helping fellow veterans! Good luck to you!
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For what it's worth I think you did the right thing heading back to the FOB. Your Chain of Command failed you badly that day. As for the rest of it, I don't know that there's anything to discuss. We all have things we would've liked to do differently after the fact. I would hold your head high knowing that you did the right thing and potentially saved some of your troops lives that day.
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SSG Warren Hall
I did what I felt was right, and if that meant I got a reprimand for it...well so be it. I don't regret doing what I did for my guys. I could have reacted better, but hind sight is always 20/20.
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Reading your story, it does not sound like you were demoted for taking care of your troops. You were demoted for disrespect, and lack of discipline.
I agree with your decision to have went back to the FOB for water, good initiative on that choice. There will always be times when we get verbally reprimanded throughout our career and most of the time you just have to take it with a grain of salt so to say.
I agree with your decision to have went back to the FOB for water, good initiative on that choice. There will always be times when we get verbally reprimanded throughout our career and most of the time you just have to take it with a grain of salt so to say.
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