I am being told to go to PT by the command on only 4-5 hours of sleep. As a junior enlisted, how do I solve this problem?

If we did not make PT we got extra duty which left less time for sleep ( extra duty was 2 hours long and physical which broke you down more ). So before trying to change the system look what the alternative maybe.

No cream puff here, War is hell you cant be a p---y and you need to get some nuts!!!

What a completely worthless contribution to the discussion.

I know right. If a day shift worker ever complained that their leadership were forcing them to PT at 0100 in the morning, I would kick them out of the military. What is with these kids these days.

SSgt Joseph Baptist Yes I would for not using the COC. Guess you would say Go ahead and do it your way, I am only here for a Pay check.

Here is a young soldier who is being placed in a difficult situation, possibly because the new 1SG isn't aware of the different schedules the soldiers in the unit work, and is looking for advice on how to approach her chain of command to resolve it. WHAT?
First what you post needs to make sense so lets see if I can help What is a COC last I knew it was part of your TEAM and SUPPORT group? Why would a young Soldier have to look for advice on how to approach her chain of command to resolve it? If you are part of that COC with that attitude you are part of the problem. Have you ever heard of trying to solve the PROBLEM at the lowest level Possible? This means not only NOT taking it outside the COC it means contacting your 1st line supervisor and asking for help, if that does not solve the problem you move up the COC 1 (one) step and try again. This does not mean going out side of the COC to solve problems.

Your response is to reflexively and unthinkingly give a soldier paperwork when they have done nothing wrong - and, although that may make you feel powerful, WHAT?

Here is where you may get an education You only use "PAPERWORK" as bad again that makes you part of the problem. "PAPERWORK" Is a document when used correctly assists the individual in learning not to try to solve problems out side of the COC but to use the COC in solving the problem, protects said Soldier and the person working with that Soldier IE: a record of the conversation between two People, sets Guidelines for the Soldier on how to best handle the situation short term, and lets that Soldier know what steps you are going to take to assist them in getting the problem Solved. Now if me wanting to Document a Conversation with one of my Soldiers with the intent to educate and assist is ME being on POWER TRIP then YOU have lost what it means to be an NCO and a LEADER. From the 1st day in BCT to the last day when I retired it was drilled into a Soldier head to use The Chain of Command, if you circumvent it then the COC has no function and if a leader allows this they should have never excepted the promotion and tried to become a leader not to mention we no longer need a rank structure in the military strip everyone of there stripes and just hand them a pay check.

You perceive me as a person on a power trip, That makes me perceive you as a person not willing to do what you were promoted to do. TIT FOR TAT
Have a nice day.

SSgt Joseph Baptist - What you fail to understand is PAPER WORK is not and evil and damaging thing but you see it that way. So you can not understand where I am coming from as long as you look at it as bad.
Last but not least what does RP Have to do with The SM's Chain Of Command? By the SM's own admittance she has only communicated with the 1st line Supervisor now goes to RP to solve her Problem rather than seek assistance through her Chain Of Command. Yes I CYA. I never have nor would I ever have a one on one or two on one with out paper work there Especially With a Female (the reason should be obvious) and in addition that has avoided bringing a problem to me but accepting what a 1st line supervisor has given as an answer that sets off flag and alarms that the SM for what ever reason thinks she will get the same answer and no help from me, JUST like you she will perceive that I will not help her with out giving me a chance to do my job. You cannot help a SM if they will not seek you help following the policy of USE YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND. SM's should never ever need a go between with their COC if a good NCO allows that why do we have the COC just send them to RP to solve their problem. MTC

You SSGT. now have lowered your self to the lowest level of leader I can think of. I'm sorry that you are too ignorant/obtuse to understand that RP is not an entity that can "solve problems for you". You SSGT have dropped to the lowest form of leader I can think of. You 1. refuse, can't understand, plain can't wrap your head around, counseling paperwork it is a tool to train, educate, and inform, set guide lines, set goals, on and on. NOT PUNITIVE.! 2. You live and breath what is wrong in the Military today Lead by cell phone, pass your responsibility to some one else, don't get involved, don't use verbal and written communications, let the SM solve the problem them selves so I don't have to get involved, assume rather than use know facts,. We closely agree on one thing (this situation is clearly the result of a leadership) but failing not oversight about the different shifts worked by unit members and the loss of SM's. This unit did not just start up yesterday it has been around a while and this young SM is caught in the middle where two of the coworkers She worked with are no longer their PCS/ETS and no one addressed that. You said "You appear to not understand that, in some fields and units, an E-4's NCO chain looks like this: Section NCOIC > 1SG > SGM/CSM > SMA." This is Clearly an Assumption not a fact because in her narrative she wrote "Now he put out to all the platoon Sergeants that everyone must show up to PT at either the 0530 formation or the 1600 formation. " NOW I addressed this at a PLT SGT Level assuming that is something you no very aware of. There is an obvious disconnect between her and the level of 1SGT. Now who is Ignorant? Now instead of going to the PLT SGT to get advice and assistance she moves to a Media page rather than using the PLT SGT. You choose to use assumptions rather than making a fact based decision then verbally berate people that don't agree with you. Now she is a SPC(P) and going to wing it on her own rather than use the COC, IE. PLT SGT.
You like to assume so much lets just ASSUME that the 1SG. and Commander didn't just PCS at the same time but were replace because of other reasons. 5 PEOPLE AT PT FOMATION REALLY? So who was going to PT when the new 1SGT and Commander came on board? My guess would be 4 PLT SGT's and the 1SGT. You want to make a GOOD assumption this is a good time for the COC to start doing their jobs. A good PLT SGT does not put them selves in a position where SM's need advice before speaking to them. But I guess you can't fathom that because you still believe that counseling paperwork is PUNITIVE.
The PLT SGT should be well aware of what said SM's work hours are in the first place and should already have addressed this to the 1SGT and maybe has, or maybe just needs a reminder (change of commands are crazy most times). You assuming that I have a power problem, or just don't understand, or just don't care or to Ignorant/obtuse to understand makes me believe you have never been in a position where you had to make these choices and decisions. I also read into your hate for counseling that you had a leader that always gave counseling as a punishment, and rather than getting educated on what Counseling is you take it as punishment. I always set down with my Soldiers and had (in writing) Counseling. I Always like to do the positive ones like I see you maxed your PT Test, and your Uniforms look good, your always on time, I also see you are getting close for promotion too, We need to get you scheduled for Leadership course. on and on.

Now that you have made me write a book because of your Ignorant assumptions rather than fact based, and your desire to hate Written counseling, and this nonsense of going to some one out side of your COC to get advice on how to approach your COC, how about admitting I might just be right or better yet just keep your opinions and let me keep mine.
HAVE A GOOD DAY