Posted on May 31, 2016
If a soldier is late to formation everyday, is that worse than being overweight everyday? Why do leaders barely care about the donut eaters?
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Posted in these groups: 
Height and Weight
Discipline
Height and Weight Discipline
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 29
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The reason, in my opinion, it is worse for a soldier to show up late for formation, every day, than it is for one to show up overweight, is the soldier who is on time is professional, despite an unhealthy lifestyle. A chain of command can remedy that way of life. The late soldier is unprofessional, and that can show, in times of war, in the guise of dead troops who may have depended on a soldier being somewhere at a designated time.
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MAJ (Join to see)
The accomplishments, abilities, and contributions of Soldiers who happen to be overweight are often diminished or invalidated when leaders can't see past the weight problem.
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1SG you make a very good point. If you are not in compliance with something than you are not. No matter what that something is.
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I don't know about the Army. A nAF doc mentioned that the reason we curb overweight people is due to the medical issues that go with it. Things like knees blowing out, back issues and other injuries that occur because of weight issues.
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Lt Col (Join to see)
The context in the article seemed like it was a approaching the topic from a military culture vs a discipline issue.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
Lt Col (Join to see) - Unfortunately our culture is divided along issues like Ops/Admin, Punishment/Admin, Letter/Spirit of the Reg.
I don't disagree with you, I was just looking at it from a different angle.
The reason Height/Weight is important is because it's a health measure (per your comments). The reason arrival time is important is because it's Operations. Two different mindsets.
I don't disagree with you, I was just looking at it from a different angle.
The reason Height/Weight is important is because it's a health measure (per your comments). The reason arrival time is important is because it's Operations. Two different mindsets.
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CPT Mark Gonzalez
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS - I believe both will end your service in time and being late everyday will probably be noticed first unless a guy is obese. You can be big, but if he passes measurements he passes measurements. Being late to formation or a meeting could bring heavy heat if it becomes a pattern.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
CPT Mark Gonzalez - Absolutely. I made the assumption we were talking about someone already on a BCP of some type, as opposed to a "borderline" though.
But from the angle you mentioned, 1 is "everyday" as opposed to "twice a year."
But from the angle you mentioned, 1 is "everyday" as opposed to "twice a year."
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I see this as partly a control and accountability issue; but, more importantly, the donut eaters are showing up. How can a leader be sure that the constantly tardy aren't the next deserter or awol headache. We have to be able to rely on our fellows to be there when TSHTF.
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You are only as fast as your slowest Soldier .
Being late is worst than your slowest Soldier .
A few pound is easy to lose .
Being late is worst than your slowest Soldier .
A few pound is easy to lose .
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1SG Molina, it depends on the command but I believe that leaders (mostly Senior Enlisted) are having a "come to Jesus" with the costs associated with retention, recruitment, and readiness of service members struggling with weight and physical performance. As a note on average it cost $70K to get one service member through boot camp. The cost skyrockets based off their speciality.
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Top
I have a feeling it's the reduction in the force that bring us to accept what we have now and just deal with it. I have "over-weighters" in my ranks and it sucks. Seams like the powers to be are not in a hurry to get them out.
I have a feeling it's the reduction in the force that bring us to accept what we have now and just deal with it. I have "over-weighters" in my ranks and it sucks. Seams like the powers to be are not in a hurry to get them out.
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The reason, in my opinion, it is worse for a soldier to be late for formation every day than it is for one to be overweight every day, is the soldier who is overweight is being professional and may not be allowed an optimally healthy lifestyle. A chain of command can remedy that. The late soldier is unprofessional, and that can show in times of war, in the form of dead troops who may have been depending on him.
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They have to be held to standards. Once those soldiers fail that standard, you have to have a consistent corrective training. Flag, 4856, or whatever the failure of that standard calls for.
Leadership needs to enforce those standards. A lot of leaders in formation today aren't that;leaders. They're NCOs promoted before they should have been, lacking confidence and experience. Case in point, I myself decided not to show up to pt for 3 weeks. I would show up to work call. I never once got a text, phone call, knock on my door, or a question "hey where were you this morning".
I know it was wrong but I have seen the level of leadership in my unit and decided to test that leadership
Leadership needs to enforce those standards. A lot of leaders in formation today aren't that;leaders. They're NCOs promoted before they should have been, lacking confidence and experience. Case in point, I myself decided not to show up to pt for 3 weeks. I would show up to work call. I never once got a text, phone call, knock on my door, or a question "hey where were you this morning".
I know it was wrong but I have seen the level of leadership in my unit and decided to test that leadership
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