Posted on Jun 12, 2019
SPC(P) Medical Laboratory Specialist
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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?
Edited 6 y ago
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LTC Marvin Gibson
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He's got a point!...
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Cpl Bernard Bates
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I was at Ft. Knox in 64 the Company fell out at 0515 every morning 6 days for Pt. I notice serveral drafted personell never fell out and they were never reported as absent. So I purposely didn't fall out for rollcall and Pt. My name was turned in as absent so the other missing draftees names had to be turned in also. On Sunday Morning myself and the other absent personel had to go to the EM Club at 0900 to clean the place up. I heard them bitching about some lifer didn't fall out for PT. and that's why they got turned in. I had a smile on my face the whole time we were on the cleanup detail. They fell out for awhile after that. More than once when I was in the Marine Corp I fell out for Pt and rollcall on a couple hrs. sleep after a night of drinking. In the Corp if you didn't fall out rollcall and Pt. you had to be sick and were sent on sick call. If nothing was found wrong with you even with a hangover you did extra duty. But when your young you don't care you live for the moment. Best time I ever had. Semper fi.
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LTC Charles "Pappy" Patchin
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Life is a bitch.
Having burned shit with the best of them, I'm thinking that you should put in for a compassionate discharge because you don't love yourself enough to be a real soldier.
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MAJ Patrick Hairston CISSP, AWS Certified Cloud Architect
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"As a junior enlisted I do feel stuck." You are supposed to. It's a test to see if you can do what you are told.
"How do I bring this issue up and solve this effectively and professionally? " You ask for a private meeting with the 1SG. Lay out your case. If he says no, then you go to PT at the time designated.
"Do you know of any Army Regulations that can support anything?" Nothing. This is basic soldiering. It's you completing a task. It's you having the fortitude to complete the mission in uncomfortable circumstances. You arent working for Amazon, google or a bank. You are in the military. Adapt to your circumstances and you will be fine.
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MSG Mechanic 2nd
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my question is are the rest of your section going to PT, and many things in the army aren't right, like mass cals when they hit you respond no matter what time its your job
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2LT Public Affairs Officer
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Having worked on swings like that before I would follow the advice you got about building a better schedule. Time management skills can only help you, but for addressing this if you find that it continues to be an issue try to think of as many ways that you yourself can be proactive and if there are gaps, ask for help filling THOSE.

Things like "I've given myself adequate time to address the typical chores/issues I might run into but any sudden issues cut into my only adequate sleep time. The best solution I can see for me to address this problem is X." go a long way.

It might not work but this way you've put in your due effort and if they can't provide you an issue then when an issue escalates or if you start to struggle to meet mission requirements you can readdress it having been ahead of the curve.
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SSG Shawn Mcfadden
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Edited 6 y ago
Time MANAGEMENT. That is your ONLY solution. That should have taught to you when you went to WLC(Previously known as PLDC).
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SGT Tier 3 Exchange Online Support Escalation Engineer
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I have been getting 3-5 hours of sleep the last 10 years. My answer is suck it up and do your job. Your a soldier now. Trying to get out of it will only put you on shakey ground on your chain of command. When you really want them to be team SPC Davis.
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SP5 Michael Smith
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How did you make it through basic training? That's part of being a ready soldier. Trust me, should you ever be involved in combat, the enemy isn't going to wait to engage you just because you got to bed late!
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PO2 Joseph Fast
PO2 Joseph Fast
6 y
Hmm, I know when I was going through basic training I didn't live off base, have to take care of my home, leave everyday, but had to come back at 0100 in the morning to do PT. What kind of basic training did you go to?
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PO2 William Collins
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PUSSY
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SPC Richard Stevenson (Munden)
SPC Richard Stevenson (Munden)
6 y
That was less than constructive, man. Chill.
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PO2 Joseph Fast
PO2 Joseph Fast
6 y
SPC Richard Stevenson (Munden) - Most of these people can't read for shit. They still haven't figured out the complaint is equivalent to a day shift person being told they have to work out at 0100 everyday and most of them think OP is a guy.
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SFC James Pritchert
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The answer is the obvious and not the answer you want to hear. Go to PT formation and keep your profile low. Personnel and policies will change as they always do. Depending on your post service job, things can get a lot worse.
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LTC Raymond Buenteo
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I have a suggestion. Get off your candy butt and go to PT. It’s not about fair it’s about duty and PT is one of your responsibilities
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PO2 Paul Dempsey
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1sg is keeping you guys fit and working as a team unit. Nothing in your contract makes you special. If things go sideways you'll thank him for keeping you and the unit in shape. I did many 16 hour days than had colatarel duties. Some days you get the bear and some days the bear gets you. Once the 1sg sees improvement I'm sure he'llease up some
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PO2 Joseph Fast
PO2 Joseph Fast
6 y
This does kind of make her special. After all if this schedule were translated for day shift people, day shift people would have to come to PT at 0100 to understand. From my understanding she is the only one who has to come to PT at 0100 (her shift equivalent).
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SGT Joseph Cashman
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Sorry, if you are looking for sympathy you are looking in the wrong place. Part of you being a fit soldier is performing PT. Like many others who have posted I served in the "old days" 1975-1979. Monday morning "PT" was in formation exercises followed by a in formation 2 mile run. Eventually our command allowed as to break formation and those soldiers who were faster managed to get to the showers before everyone else. PT is part of the Army. Deal with it and when your enlistment is up maybe you will find a nice CEO job (doubtful) and be able to avoid any kind of physical exercise.
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PO2 Joseph Fast
PO2 Joseph Fast
6 y
She isn't looking for sympathy. She is trying to fix her 0100 work out time. If we compare her shift to day shift and the work out time, it's basically the same as making a day shift worker come in at 0100 to workout.
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SGT Robert R.
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Bc340619
I saw this image, reminds me of my junior enlisted days and somewhat relevant here.

Shut up, Stand up, and Show up (maybe even throw up too). It does your career good.
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SGT Charles Tittl
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Embrace the suck
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SPC Heath Hansen
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Welcome to the United States Army.
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PFC David Ziegler
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there where many nights I never got a bed to lie on let alone to sleep lol - pvt candy ass I feel so sorry for you ( not in any way )
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SGT Postal Clerk
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Modern-day disaster. Can remember that 4:00 trash can lid being the alarm clock and on the formation at 4:20. One mentioned getting in just in time to change and go puke while running, now those were the days. Get a little rank and think you can be immune that never happened. It may seem like discomfort but someone mentioned perhaps some better time management. I would suggest you have no complaint for today it is your job to figure out how to do it. If you are fortunate enough to get to combat you will be amazed what 30 minutes of sleep will do for you and those who expect nothing less from you.
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PO2 Joseph Fast
PO2 Joseph Fast
6 y
You mentioned waking up for the 0420 PT formation. Her's is more like a 0100 PT formation. She has ya beat by about 3 and a half hours.
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SFC Don Kehote
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Shut your Yap. There are soldier suffering far greater than you. We are legally at war. You'll damn well do what command tells you to do or go to jail. The hell with your sensitivity.
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LCDR Robert Russnogle
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Simple. Go to PT
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SSG Robert Tucker
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GET THE FUCK TO PT AND SHUT YOUR FUCKING WHINEY LITTL MOUT !!
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SFC William Bethea
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I have spent multiple combat and noncombat deployments, getting only 2 to 3 hours of sleep most nights. You adjust for it and do yoir job, then catch up on sleep when you can.
Remember you joined the military, it is very different than a civilian job. If you can not accommodate yourself to the military, ETS when it is your time.
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SGM G3 Sergeant Major
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Specialist, perhaps you could speak to your shift supervisor and ask to report to duty 15 minutes late due to the First Sergeants accountability formation(unless he wants you to actually complete PT, for which only the 0530 time is a viable solution). Better yet, ask your Platoon Sergeant to speak to both your first Sergeant and/or your shift supervisor to find a compromise that works for all involved. Otherwise, sleep for a couple of hours complete PT take a shower and then go back to bed.

Post Script: Like SFC Davila stated, when my fellow E4 mafia and I would were at our first duty station. Wwe would come in from a night out just in time for PT and then we would try to sleep it off during personal hygiene/breakfast and lunch hours. Take another nap after duty and then do it all over again.
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SGT Roger Sharpnack
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I'm guessing that you're not an Airborne Ranger.
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1SG Juan Mafnas
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Specialist, do you remember being at Basic Training with only limited sleep time and then begin training very early the next day? If you worked an 8-hour shift at the hospital and had to attend PT at 0530 hours, you can go back to sleep afterwards until you have to get ready for your shift. Just because you work in a Garrison environment does not exclude you from always training and preparing for combat where you could be deployed at a moments notice. I highly suggest that you look at getting control of your time management skills and make some adjustment to your daily schedule to meet all the training requirements and work schedule. Your first line supervisor should also look at a rotation of soldiers in the work schedule at the hospital so that everyone in your platoon has an opportunity to experience a different work environment that will prepare them for combat situation. You have made it this far in the Army as a Specialist so I know that you have the skills and training to adapt and overcome to complete your mission.
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CPL Gary Dishman
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But I didn't have to show up for Formation are PT as back in Germany I drove for the BIG BRASS as in LTC and up and I had to be in their office at 0700 and ready for the day . That was the best 3 yrs as I never did PT are Formation's if I wanted to know what was going on I would ask my 1st Sarg. other than that I never showed up .
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CPL Gary Dishman
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Suck it up as I have been out at a concert half drunk and we had to be up at 0530 for PT and we had only get if we was luck 10 minutes and most days we never made it all the way through PT . And when I was in Desert Storm I worked from 1800 til 0600 and then I had 4 hours of guard duty and then I had to drive as I was a mechanic and I drove the company 20 ton wrecker and most days I made it back and most day's we didn't . So suck it up are ETS and I sucked it up and did 20 and if you can't handle the heat then get out of the kitchen and your lucky to work inside as I was an Army Engineer Heavy and we was the one's they called when things needed to be destroyed .
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SFC Senior Human Resources Nco (S1)
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Do I believe you should receive a "late call," yes. Are you entitled to one, absolutely not.

But really, I can't believe a SPC in the same Army as me even has the temerity to bring this question here.

If anything, you should talk to your FLL, and see if they can run it up the chain that SM's working late night or overnight, should receive a "late call."

It sounds like the new leadership there may be trying to flex a little, to get your unit to toe the line.
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US Government (non-DoD) civilian
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The enemy doesn't care how much sleep you've had. Suck it up, butter cup.
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US Government (non-DoD) civilian
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6 y
PO2 here. I serve, I also work for the government....so yes, I am in my lane.
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US Government (non-DoD) civilian
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6 y
SSgt Baptist. Not offended in the least. I know who I am, what I do, and who I represent. The majority of my time is taken up by my civilian occupation, so I choose to list that. I do stand by my original comment, however. Suck it up. The enemy has no compassion, and neither should we. No excuses.
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