Posted on May 2, 2017
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I wanted to open up the holistic/theoretical envelope and see what people wanted to change.
Don't feel constrained by the survey questions, just something to get the creative juices flowing.
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Responses: 80
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SPC Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic
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Get rid of the current promotion system. I've seen too many kids getting E-5 when they aren't ready. The Army's philosophy that everyone is a leader is bullshit.
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SPC Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic
SPC (Join to see)
7 y
SGT Phil Smith or at least bring back the old Spec system.
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SPC Ernest Conner
10
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Communication! Its always been horrible and needs to flow. EVEN if you don't like whats being said!
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
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Army wastes a ton of time
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
CPT Aaron Kletzing
8 y
Think of it through the lens of "process". In the Army, the process owns you- you have to execute the process even if it's terrible and wastes lots of time and doesn't bring the results you could get doing it differently. In great civilian companies, the process doesn't own the employees- they own the process. In the Army, people are so focused on process that they stop looking at outcomes- they only look to make sure they are doing the process right. That is a hallmark of an organization that has big problems.

Here is an interesting piece on this: https://www.recode.net/2017/4/12/15274220/jeff-bezos-amazon-shareholders-letter-day-2-disagree-and-commit
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CSM Eric Biggs
CSM Eric Biggs
8 y
Sir, I disagree with your sentiment. While I agree the Army wastes a ton of time, I disagree about the process.
You do not have to execute the process if there is a better way. That being said if the Commander says do it this way after you provide your reasoning why something should be done a different way, well then you do it the Commander's way. However if there is a better way, and/or a "Lessons learned" showing why a particular way is not good, you have the responsibility to bring that to the Commander's attention. If you fail to provide the Commander with all possible options and your reasoning, you have just failed your leadership.
The problem in the Army right now is we have to many junior leaders who don't have the balls to stand up to leadership whit bad ideas. We as leaders have to show our leaders all the better options and explain why there way might be a bad idea and present them with a better way and the reasons. But at the end of the day it is still the Commander's call. Don't get stuck on the process though, think outside of the box. You can still own the process. In other words for my fellow Grunts, if the process is the hole and the way of conducting the job is the peg; take the round peg, shave it down until it fits in the square hole if that is a better option than the broken and slow round peg in round hole.
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SFC Melvin Rogers
SFC Melvin Rogers
7 y
The whole point of Commander's Intent and clearly defined end-state is so that the "process" becomes immaterial and flexibility is allowed. As long as the end-state is exactly as desired and the Commander's intent is met any route that gets you there, as long as it's moral, ethical, and legal, is acceptable
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CW4 Craig Urban
CW4 Craig Urban
6 y
Fire trump. For not taking care of vets. Tiger woods is in bangkok on holiday. Drug addict
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SGT Dave Tracy
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Just one huh?
Hmm...okay, I'll go with:
Get rid of PRT.

"But PRT has experts saying its better and..." blaa, bla bla. The hardest PRT session I ever had--conducted by Master Fitness Trainers too!--wasn't half as vigorous as the weakest PT session I ever experienced. What's next, Hot Yoga?! Yeah, maybe(!) as they claim, it reduces injuries, but so does not getting off the couch! Doesn't mean it makes soldiers any healthier.
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SGT Dave Tracy
SGT Dave Tracy
8 y
They began rolling it out a few years ago. I was stationed at Ft. Bliss, and let me tell ya, when they introduced it, you weren't going to find anyone within combat arms doing it except for those who were broken (what does that tall ya about the "intensity" of PRT?).
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SGT Mechanic
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Go back to wall to wall counsouling. Get rid of worrying about hurting people's feelings. Get rid of political correctness
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SGT Donald Shoup
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The promotion system is broke. Too many good Soldiers get passed over because they don’t have “enough points” irregardless of the fact they are more of an SME in their MOS, their section than the senior ranking. Or they do actually make board but can’t pin because overstrength for the next grade.

Second is the rating system. In 14 years TIS, 11 years TIG I’ve only had two, yes only two raters actually stay on point with quarterly counseling/ NCOER support form. Can’t count how many times I’ve had raters tell me to write up my own NCOER, send it to them for review and signature. Then I’m looked at like I committed the unpardonable sign when I inform them I have enough integrity to not write my own NCOER. They’re my rater, write it. The rater needs to also be in the rated Soldiers section as well. How’s a 42A going to rate a 91B from another section?
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SGT Tony Clifford
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I think the biggest problem is actually with NCOER and OER. The vast majority of the time you never get those quarterly counselings that are required, the CSM always red pens the shit out of it, little you can do if you have a vindictive asshole write it. if you need a change of rater less than 6 months after your annual you're fucked because you won't have enough bullets to get a good rating. When I went to Korea I had a change of rater NCOER 4 months after my annual. I got a 1:1 and among the best on the annual and a 2:2 and fully capable on the change of rater.
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MAJ Corporate Buyer
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We need nametapes and rank on PT uniforms. We spend enough time in them and it's ridiculous the amount of times I heard someone say "Don't you know who just walked by? That was the Division Commander"! Name and rank is on everything else, why not during PT?
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MAJ Corporate Buyer
MAJ (Join to see)
8 y
SGT (Join to see) It's funny that you say that about being saluted. When I joined the Guard people who didn't know me would call me sir even if I was in PT's. I do think it has something to do with how Marines walk. Tall, upright, and with just a little bit of scorn on their face. Plus, I keep my hair cut closer to the Marines regulations than the Army's. The Army's is a tad lax in my opinion.
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CW4 Network Operations Warrant Officer
CW4 (Join to see)
7 y
When I enlisted, the standard was PT is for PT. If you recognize a leader, render the proper greeting. If we are wearing rank and name tapes while conducting PT, PT wouldn't get done.

We conduct physical training to ensure Soldiers are fit and ready for combat. We cannot do that effectively with the need to stop and render the greeting of the day and a salute a very few minutes.
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SGT John Berry
SGT John Berry
7 y
Years ago while in the National Guard while attending PLDC we had a soldier struck by a car. I am a paramedic/ firefighter. I started rendering first aid. Soldier had an obvious femur fracture. I fell into civilian mode and started directing treatment. Some guy shows up also in PT uniform and asks " what the hell is going on? ". My response is " Who the F$_k are you? ". If he had a bird on his PT I am pretty sure I would have thrown a " Sir " in there somewhere.
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MAJ Corporate Buyer
MAJ (Join to see)
7 y
CW4 (Join to see) - I disagree. When we go to the field the focus is on training also. Same as on the rifle range. Same as in the gas chamber. The focus is always on training. In the field we have a no salute policy. There's no reason why we can't have that during PT as well.
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SSG Pat O'Flaherty
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NCO's need the same educational opportunities as officers. It's a double standard. As an officer once you reach a certain rank your sent to all kinds of schools. Why should excellent outstanding other ranks not be allows to attend the War College as an example.
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SGT Food Service Specialist
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if we dont tix the nonsense in the Army, then you will find all of your Volunteers looking for ways out. the ridiculous mandatory training, the nonstop blanket punishments, the friggin promotion system that has everyone confused as to when a NCO can move up or out.
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