Posted on Oct 21, 2016
“I'm going to fail height-weight on purpose and get booted” – how would you handle this?
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This actually happened to me while I was a battery XO in Hawaii. My brigade had just gotten back from OIF and we were in that weird period of tons of people leaving the unit, and tons of new people coming in. I was in the motor pool like a good XO and one of the guys came up to me and asked to chat in private – he was a SPC (E-4) who was on soft shoe profile and had been for a few months. He was also on some PT profile, which many were skeptical of but that’s not the point. He was also quite overweight and in bad physical shape.
“I don’t want to be in the Army anymore,” he told me. “I’m just planning to keep failing height-weight over and over until I get booted out.” So I talked with him and we went back and forth about what’s really going on with him, etc. But he just stayed firm on: (1) wanting to get out of the Army ASAP; and (2) planning to put no effort into passing height-weight, to get booted.
Obviously I know what actions I took here but I don’t want to spoil it for everyone. How would you have responded in this situation?
“I don’t want to be in the Army anymore,” he told me. “I’m just planning to keep failing height-weight over and over until I get booted out.” So I talked with him and we went back and forth about what’s really going on with him, etc. But he just stayed firm on: (1) wanting to get out of the Army ASAP; and (2) planning to put no effort into passing height-weight, to get booted.
Obviously I know what actions I took here but I don’t want to spoil it for everyone. How would you have responded in this situation?
Height and Weight
Army Regulations
UCMJ
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 259
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as a employer, you can tell him that most of us will hire a vet over a non vet and we can sniff out quitters or people that feel owed, most young people in the service have no real idea what it is like working in the civilian world and are in for a world of shock when they enter it without at least a bachelor degree. Capt. sir as long as you have done everything in your power to educate this young man hold your head high because you didn't fail he failed himself.
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SSgt Bruce Wood
We al live by rules and regulations and if you are in charge you have to follow the law unless there are other circumstances that allow you to deviate from the law.
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If it was an out of the blue thing he could have been assaulted while deployed or bullied and just tired of the treatment. Remember a male is less likely to say anything than even a female assault victim.
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The assumption is that he doesn't want to help himself or he doesn't know what he's doing to himself. I Feel differently . This guy has a plan, and he's telling it, so council him as you should , Bar him from reinlistment and send him home. No need to try and distroy his life in the process.
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SSgt Bruce Wood
There has to be consequences and other troops has to see it or you will have others trying the same thing especially if there is no consequences. It is hard but you have to follow the law. It was made for a reason.
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I had a young sailor like that once. I tried to convince him to just finish his enlistment because it would be better for him in the long run, but he was adamant about getting out ASAP. So I sat him down, ran down the pros and cons of not finishing his enlistment and left it at that.
I think those of us that have been in a leadership position for a while can tell which juniors we can save from themselves and which ones we cannot.
I think those of us that have been in a leadership position for a while can tell which juniors we can save from themselves and which ones we cannot.
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
There were no spare socks and bar soap?
Sir, sometime the solution is worse than the problem? Do the proper paperwork and cut sling?
There were no spare socks and bar soap?
Sir, sometime the solution is worse than the problem? Do the proper paperwork and cut sling?
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Simply let him know that if he truly wants to go this route, it then becomes the Commanders discretion as to what type of discharge is recommended. And, based on the one recommended and approved, he could lose some or most of his benefits. And, if he still wants to go that route, then the packet will be started with the appropriate documentation. And based on how some Commands process separation packets, the Soldier could just end up ETSing on schedule before the packet is approved. Not saying that will happen, but just a possibility.
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Obesity is it own curse. That soldier doesn't realize that he is creating a lifelong problem for himself. But you can't fix stupid. Let him go on a G.O.S. discharge and bring in a hard charger that wants to be there.
I wish God would have given us a natural diet of bacon, cheese, butter and rice. But he didn't. I've been on the wrong side of the mountain and its a damn steep climb back
I wish God would have given us a natural diet of bacon, cheese, butter and rice. But he didn't. I've been on the wrong side of the mountain and its a damn steep climb back
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SSG Laurie Mullen
Yup, it's easier to maintain than to take it off. Going through the fight right now with the added bonus of hypothyroidism.
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