Posted on Jun 12, 2019
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?
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We have a new 1SG and new commander. The 1SG noticed one day that only 5 people in the whole company showed up to PT. 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.
However, my section is the only one in the hospital that has a 1600-0000 shift. I am being told by my first line that the 1SG says that I have to be at the morning formation, no exceptions.
I don’t want to sound like I’m whining but at the same time it’s unfortunate that I have to explain to myself as to why this isn’t right.
As a junior enlisted I do feel stuck.
How do I bring this issue up and solve this effectively and professionally?
Also: Do you know of any Army Regulations that can support anything?
However, my section is the only one in the hospital that has a 1600-0000 shift. I am being told by my first line that the 1SG says that I have to be at the morning formation, no exceptions.
I don’t want to sound like I’m whining but at the same time it’s unfortunate that I have to explain to myself as to why this isn’t right.
As a junior enlisted I do feel stuck.
How do I bring this issue up and solve this effectively and professionally?
Also: Do you know of any Army Regulations that can support anything?
Edited 6 y ago
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 1688
New daily schedule: 0530 to 0630 = Pt. 0630 to 0700 = breakfast. 0730 to 1330 = sleep. 1330 to 1400 Lunch. 1400 to 0000 = work. 0000 to 0030 = dinner. 0030 to 0530 = "free time".
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For your best answer forst go through your chain of command, if there is no satisfactory answer, then check with JAG to see if there are any current regulations regarding your directive. Second, as a retired Army veteran, son your in the Army, everything you do is to train/contain your ability to function in a combat situation, part of that is to be able to function at top physical condition even under physical and mental stressers without effecting over allmission goals. My opinion? Go to PT, challenge yourself, and realize you can do more than you think.
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It is what service in the military is all about.Lives have been lost by not following the last order.No compromise can ever be accepted,ever.
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I am long out but I can commiserate. Life in the 24.7 world. Nights and weekends. In the USAF we usually did not have mandatory PT. We had standards and were expected to meet them. It depends on your job. Your geography. Peace or war. Certain jobs, unless in hot combat had standards that ensured your non duty time was not interrupted. If you dealt with those things that destroy nations if mishandled or making critical human life and safety decisions you were allowed protected time off. Yes, you woul have occasional training, but still enough time before next shift. If you are responsible for caring for those not subject to the UCMJ you can't put them at risk. If you deployed into hot combat would you be doing the same job? In combat yes you might go a few days without sleep. But not day in day out for a year or two. Are you in the job of engaging and destroying or precision high level of attention decision making? When the USAF still had SAC, it was understood that care for the human was just as important as the mission.
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1SGT is trying to solve a problem with a blanket fix. He needs to get with his small unit leaders and find something that actually works. Personal time is important. You start messing with people's personal time and the tone/readiness/quality of work is going to drop and the bottom line he was trying to pad with a little extra is going to come back to bite him in the ass.
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I was in a non-combat unit in the Marines. There was organized PT 3 times a week initially. But I was transferred to a different unit and because of the weird hours we worked, PT was "On your own."
Now that I'm on the officer side, my free time is dictated by the flight schedule.
The wing got together and saw how broke physically and mentally a lot of the pilots have been getting over the years, specifically helicopter pilots with the Helo Hunch. So the wing went and hired a civilian company that is composed of a personal trainer, a sports psychologist, and a physical therapist. Really AWESOME people. Group PT is offered twice a day 0700 or 1300 whichever is better for you on the schedule. They have their own "Flyers Only" Gym/workout space/HITT box. I've utilized them multiple times for mental stuff (Which is NOT put on your medical record), lower back issues, and getting back on a workout program that specifically addresses what I need to work on.
The gym is for Pilots AND Aircrew so there's a lot of comradery and it's a great way to actually get to know the people that you're going to be flying with in the back. Being prior enlisted I never really had an issue speaking frankly to my Marines/Sailors, but for the straight out of the academy or ROTC officers who are maybe a little more awkward in how they're supposed to interact with the enlisted, PT is a great way to build that rapport.
Now that I'm on the officer side, my free time is dictated by the flight schedule.
The wing got together and saw how broke physically and mentally a lot of the pilots have been getting over the years, specifically helicopter pilots with the Helo Hunch. So the wing went and hired a civilian company that is composed of a personal trainer, a sports psychologist, and a physical therapist. Really AWESOME people. Group PT is offered twice a day 0700 or 1300 whichever is better for you on the schedule. They have their own "Flyers Only" Gym/workout space/HITT box. I've utilized them multiple times for mental stuff (Which is NOT put on your medical record), lower back issues, and getting back on a workout program that specifically addresses what I need to work on.
The gym is for Pilots AND Aircrew so there's a lot of comradery and it's a great way to actually get to know the people that you're going to be flying with in the back. Being prior enlisted I never really had an issue speaking frankly to my Marines/Sailors, but for the straight out of the academy or ROTC officers who are maybe a little more awkward in how they're supposed to interact with the enlisted, PT is a great way to build that rapport.
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when i joined the Military i was told that they could work us for 20hrs and give us 4hrs sleep but that was the real Army, i don't know what type of Army we have now (Clear the way!! Bridge the Gap!!)
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From my experience this policy is at local command level. I bucked this before as well. I was told that if you work over midnight then you have do not have to report to first(PT) formation.
If I was in your situation I would request a meeting with the chain of command to see what the policy is and if you can get excused. It is effecting your abilities. Maybe it will work. Stewing about it will just stress you out. If they do not allow you to be absent then you have to adjust your resting times. I know that sucks. Other option is too move to other unit. Some units have crap leaders and you have to suffer for it unfortunately. I always got mad about BS like this but it never lasted. Soldiers, leaders complain and the chain of command will stop it eventually. I retired with a pension so they did not break me with their nonsense. I sucked it up and got to the finish line. You can too.
If I was in your situation I would request a meeting with the chain of command to see what the policy is and if you can get excused. It is effecting your abilities. Maybe it will work. Stewing about it will just stress you out. If they do not allow you to be absent then you have to adjust your resting times. I know that sucks. Other option is too move to other unit. Some units have crap leaders and you have to suffer for it unfortunately. I always got mad about BS like this but it never lasted. Soldiers, leaders complain and the chain of command will stop it eventually. I retired with a pension so they did not break me with their nonsense. I sucked it up and got to the finish line. You can too.
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