Posted on Feb 18, 2014
How would reprimand unfavorable actions displayed via social media?
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Recently, especially in the past week, there have been a slew of stories and photos of service members conducting themselves unbecoming of the uniform and it has really hit a nerve. What is some advice you give to your own troops? I remind my own that they represent every service member past, present, and future and to always act professional. I also reiterate how fast information can travel on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram and the like. How would you go about reprimanding unfavorable actions displayed via social media? Any input is greatly appreciated.
Example:
http://www.ncosupport.com/military-news/soldier-social-media.html
NCOs, Please remind your Soldiers about the proper use of Social media both in and out of uniform. Making derogatory comments and posting pictures that may offend others can result in UCMJ action.
NCOs
Social Media
UCMJ
Officers
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 8
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I had an issue with this before in the past... We were on orders in MS and one of my NCO's decided to go to Mardi Gras in her ACU's and then took a picture of herself with beads around her neck etc... And posted it on FB... I got a phone call at 5am telling me to look at her page as I was friends with her at the time, and by the time I walked into my office my phone was ringing with the CPT on other line because she was also friends with him... I counseled her to which her response was " so and so was doing it, why am I being punished?" To which I stated "so and so is not my Soldier and it is up to their leaders what to do, and also you displayed it where your entire chain of command could see it.." I made her give a class on the appropriate wearing of the Army uniforms...
I tell my Soldiers to not post stupid things on FB because it makes the military in general look bad as we are seen as professionals in the general public eye... I have gotten responses like " oh and you were never stupid when you were younger SSG?"
Which my response is " oh yeah we were stupid, hell we were stupider than half of you, we were just smart enough to not take pictures and have proof of our stupidity.. We left no evidence.."
I tell my Soldiers to not post stupid things on FB because it makes the military in general look bad as we are seen as professionals in the general public eye... I have gotten responses like " oh and you were never stupid when you were younger SSG?"
Which my response is " oh yeah we were stupid, hell we were stupider than half of you, we were just smart enough to not take pictures and have proof of our stupidity.. We left no evidence.."
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The ONLY reason it travels so fast on social media is because of this group. You want to stop the spread of military black eyes? Stop reposting it. You aren't helping a single bit.
Lets talk about some stories this group forgot to blow up on facebook for the whole world to see. Like how about the dozens of officers that cheated on their proficiency exams. No big deal? Yeah, except it was for a job that has the potential to kill millions at the turn of some keys. Yeah Nuclear Missleers, looking at you guys. Or how about the Major General that went on a 3-day drinking binge in Moscow and fraternized with 2 suspicious Russian women.
Seems like we forget that underneath the uniforms are humans. Humans that screw up and make mistakes. The uniform doesn't make you infallible. Acting like it should puts way more pressure on the human inside it then they should possibly be asked to handle. And to turn around and broadcast it for the world to see makes this group just as guilty of social media abuse as the OP's.
As for the two scenarios i listed above, just like The Legend of Zelda, I've got Links.
Cheating Missleers: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/air-force-investigates-dozens-accused-of-cheating-on-nuclear-proficiency-exams/2014/01/15/ef334cba-7e22-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html
Binge Drinking MG: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/report-us-air-force-general-drank-too-much-fraternized-with-foreign-women-in-moscow/2013/12/19/7f3cdba0-68ed-11e3-a0b9-249bbb34602c_story.html
Please tell me i'm in the wrong here, Hypocrisy is one of the many reason i'm glad i was victim to the Constrained CJR cuts!!
Lets talk about some stories this group forgot to blow up on facebook for the whole world to see. Like how about the dozens of officers that cheated on their proficiency exams. No big deal? Yeah, except it was for a job that has the potential to kill millions at the turn of some keys. Yeah Nuclear Missleers, looking at you guys. Or how about the Major General that went on a 3-day drinking binge in Moscow and fraternized with 2 suspicious Russian women.
Seems like we forget that underneath the uniforms are humans. Humans that screw up and make mistakes. The uniform doesn't make you infallible. Acting like it should puts way more pressure on the human inside it then they should possibly be asked to handle. And to turn around and broadcast it for the world to see makes this group just as guilty of social media abuse as the OP's.
As for the two scenarios i listed above, just like The Legend of Zelda, I've got Links.
Cheating Missleers: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/air-force-investigates-dozens-accused-of-cheating-on-nuclear-proficiency-exams/2014/01/15/ef334cba-7e22-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html
Binge Drinking MG: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/report-us-air-force-general-drank-too-much-fraternized-with-foreign-women-in-moscow/2013/12/19/7f3cdba0-68ed-11e3-a0b9-249bbb34602c_story.html
Please tell me i'm in the wrong here, Hypocrisy is one of the many reason i'm glad i was victim to the Constrained CJR cuts!!
Report says missile service commander drank too much, fraternized with women in Moscow.
The scandal involves dozens of officers responsible for launching nuclear weapons, the military says.
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SGT Christopher Camacho
Two things stuck out to me in your response.
1) "...just like The Legend of Zelda, I've got Links." = Epic!
2) Seems like we forget that underneath the uniforms are humans. Humans
that screw up and make mistakes. The uniform doesn't make you
infallible. Acting like it should puts way more pressure on the human
inside it than they should possibly be asked to handle. And to turn
around and broadcast it for the world to see makes this group just as
guilty of social media abuse as the OP's.
I share many of your views and opinions of groups that share these kind of posts - but you happen to communicate the thoughts much more eloquently than I managed to do.
I'd elaborate more on the topic, but I feel you have it spot on.
1) "...just like The Legend of Zelda, I've got Links." = Epic!
2) Seems like we forget that underneath the uniforms are humans. Humans
that screw up and make mistakes. The uniform doesn't make you
infallible. Acting like it should puts way more pressure on the human
inside it than they should possibly be asked to handle. And to turn
around and broadcast it for the world to see makes this group just as
guilty of social media abuse as the OP's.
I share many of your views and opinions of groups that share these kind of posts - but you happen to communicate the thoughts much more eloquently than I managed to do.
I'd elaborate more on the topic, but I feel you have it spot on.
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