Posted on Aug 30, 2016
How would you handle a Soldier (one automatically promoted to E-5) with a serious learning disability?
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This Soldier was transferred to me because their previous SL was ineffective. I had them write an introductory auto-Bio for me and the SM admitted that they were diagnosed with an untreated learning disability as a child (I already suspected). SM had served nearly 7 years as a reservist and had difficulty with basic training tasks, repeatedly lost equipment, and had serious socialization issues.
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Leadership Development
Leadership Development
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 69
First, find out what the learning disability is so that I can work with it in a proper manner. Research, and if available, line up some head start classes for the SM to take. Then, line up the recruiter and the entire CoC this SM had in the past and put my boot square in their Six for not helping this SM.....with an additional boot for the recruiter.
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SSG Robert Perrotto
My 2 cents = find out what the learning disability is, research the disability, find out what can mitigate the disability, observe what the SM does well, and what presents challenges, and last, be realistic about your ability to successfully help this SM. Challenging behaviors is not an easy thing to handle, some people are better at it than others, so I would not assume the worst in this SM's previous chain. Sometimes the best thing a leader can do is realize that they are not the one to "fix" this issue.
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SSG Robert Perrotto
what I DO have issue with is, How did the CoC bless off on his automatic promotion, I might be wrong, but , I am pretty sure all it would take is the 1SG to say no, and a counseling statement as to why this SM is not being promoted.
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Automatic promotion does not equate automatic retention at the current rank. Losing equipment and a long term struggle to perform the daily responsibilities of a Sergeant are not negotiable behaviors. It is unlikely that this NCO will retain his rank for long. Use your resources to improve, but don't hesitate to cut sling load if your Soldiers are not being led properly.
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It's not your job to 'figure out' what their disability is. Use your resources and COC. Send them to work life or the Army's HR equivalent and/or have them get a mental health evaluation to see if they are fit to be in the military. Then get in your manuals and find out the protocol for handling a situation where a member consistently fails to perform at their assigned tasking. You are not doing anyone any favors by retaining a member that does not have the aptitude to perform their job. Ask yourself this: "Am I ok carrying or letting my fellow soldiers carry this persons weight?"
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SSG Joseph McCarry
Disagree with it not his job to figure out what his disability is. Somebody needs to help this soldier. Just like the school systemms of many jurisdictions. "Just pass him along to be somebody else's problem." Like Harry Truman said "The buck stops here." If the problem can be determined and corrected, you just saved not only an NCO but a person. I am not a "liberal" so don't go there. I just feel everybody deserves a fair shot and if you cn help with that "fair shot" then so be it.
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CPO (Join to see)
@SSG Joseph McCarry- I agree with you. Let me rephrase: It is not the supervisors responsibility to diagnose his subordinates learning disorder unless he is trained to do so. I am recommending that he reach out to the people that are trained to diagnose, treat, train and help members who are in this position. The supervisors responsibility is to lead all their troops within the bounds of their training and experience. Focusing more energy on one person over the others is unnecessary and unfair to everyone else.
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Based on what I'm reading here, I would think some form of Autism, maybe Asperger's? I am not a medical type, but having experienced a similar subordinate while on AD. You really need to try and get him evaluated and as soon as possible and then plan out a training plan to get him up to speed. There is also the possibility he needs to be separated for the needs of the service. Good luck.
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PO1 Harry Champagne
i think he/she should separated from active duty.could become a more of a burden than asset.( if not already) .
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Many of the responses revolve around working with the soldier so he can become productive. He is a Sergeant, s leader, an NCO, if he can't complete basic training tasks he shouldn't be an E5, he should be a PFC and when he is able to perform at the level of a SGT then be promoted through the ranks. An ineffective NCO is dangerous to a units cohesion and discipline. I would encourage reevaluating why he is an NCO and if he cannot perform as an NCO maybe he shouldn't be one until he can. It's ridiculous that the advice is to train the soldier whom should be training the junior enlisted. He is a SGT either he is able to preform his duties or not, his learning disability is an excuse to his being a poor NCO.
I am not hating on the man for his learning disability, more on the establishment for promoting someone that as said above cannot perform BASIC training tasks. Bust him down to an E3 and train him properly to become an effective NCO.
I am not hating on the man for his learning disability, more on the establishment for promoting someone that as said above cannot perform BASIC training tasks. Bust him down to an E3 and train him properly to become an effective NCO.
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SGM Harvey Boone
You get these situations some times I had one once where a CASP soldier threatened to go to the NAACP if she were not promoted (No time in grade or service just out of two weeks boot) and within two years she was a MSG that is the advancement system of todays Army there is something definitely wrong with that picture.
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SGM Harvey Boone
SGT (Join to see) - Sorry Son IT happens A first SGT just got her position because she was caught in a compromising situation with other members of her chain of command at Ft Bragg and has never been overseas or anything . Another SGM was CSM at FT Jackson never been out of the states. Think about it they do play the system.
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First, you should review his Service Records, then sit down with the SN Soldier and informed him of your concerns about his safety, security and his welfare and the security of the command. Then ask him what kind of problems he is having currently and in the past. You need for him to understand that you have concerns too. Mainly the welfare and safety of your soldiers that you are responsible for as well as himself. If this is an ongoing problem with his actions of misbehavior and he confirmed what you have suspected, then I suggest that you go up the Chain of Command and have the soldier seek medical assistance before he hurts himself and especially others. Just this Marines opinion.
Semper Fidelis,
J.K.Kaupe
Semper Fidelis,
J.K.Kaupe
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Discharge. Failure to adapt to a military lifestyle. Or doesn't have the aptitude to perform tasks at the level of rank he/she is currently at.
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The Reserve and National Guard both tend to hold on to people to keep up their numbers. But the soldiers problem should have been recognized well before he made Sgt. How did he pass WLC with a learning disability? If your CofC has an educational specialist or a psychologist available have him seen. If he's otherwise a good soldier find a job that requires rote to asks and little socialization.
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I did not Know they still Had Auto Promotions Past E-4 ... thought they were ended in the Early 90's
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CW2 (Join to see)
Unfortunately there was a batch of E-4 to E-5 automatics in the USAR over the past year. Honestly it is a total betrayal of the NCO corps by whomever made it happen.
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SSG (Join to see)
To my knowledge there is no such thing as an automatic E-4 to E-5 in the reserves, a SGM would have had to select him for a board then submit a packet for him to be promoted.
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CW2 (Join to see)
Sir, my counseling packets were forwarded to the chain for review but went nowhere. It is universally agreed that the SM has no business being an NCO and just as many agree they should be separated but no one seems to be able to point in a direction of travel to get there or even attempt to help. Everyone seems resigned to shrug their shoulders and roll their eyes. And I agree there are many interconnected issues all playing a role here. My evaluation of their performance was explicit and detailed as many of the issues as possible, but I still feel like I failed. Thanks for your input.
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SSG (Join to see)
I would encourage him to speak with behavioral health or his PCM about his concerns with his ability to learn. This will allow them to to refer him out if necessary to get help with his learning disability so that he can cope or overcome it. He may need to be placed in the MEB process. It's really sad to see that he's been pushed along his whole life and no one has helped him.
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SGT Allison Churchill
CW2 (Join to see) - What a shame that his schools didn't take more action when he was young.
Learning disabilities aren't necessarily a medical diagnosis--I'd maybe look into vocational rehab resources and education centers for direction. I'd hope that we have better testing available now in 2016 than whenever this SM was in kindergarten.
Learning disabilities aren't necessarily a medical diagnosis--I'd maybe look into vocational rehab resources and education centers for direction. I'd hope that we have better testing available now in 2016 than whenever this SM was in kindergarten.
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SGM Harvey Boone
With the medical staff the military has in some places he was probably misdiagnosed they definitely don't get second opinions they seem to think that their diagnosis is the only answer and most of the time they are wrong. ( True) Prime example when a DR tells someone that they need to lose weight down to 185 and the individual only weighs 180 at the time does any one see the picture .
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