Posted on Apr 25, 2018
Is a platoon sergeant authorized to prohibit SM from drinking sodas or anything besides water? What regulations apply?
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Regulation
Army Regulations
Platoon Sergeant
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
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I have told my Soldier that he is not to drink anything except water, unsweetened tea, and coffee black.
Background, he is fat and needs to cut calories. This alone cuts 500 calories a day from his diet. Does he understand why I did this, yes, because I explained it to him.
Background, he is fat and needs to cut calories. This alone cuts 500 calories a day from his diet. Does he understand why I did this, yes, because I explained it to him.
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SGT Dave Tracy
When we were in the field--and a desert environment mind you--we weren't permitted anything beyond water or mixes that came in our MREs.
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2LT (Join to see)
As a MFT (and former Army 1SG), this is not only the right answer, but awesome to see someone taking active steps to manage a Soldier who is fat. I'd vote it up more times if I could.
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SSG Tom Montgomery
Personal responsibility is very important. You are not a nanny. He should be counseled on being overweight and the possible consequences. He should see a nutritionist and be prescribed a diet. You ordering him on what to drink is beyond your authority.
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Good Grief- in a nutshell YES- may not find it in the regs at 1st. the PSG is responsible for the training, health, welfare of his troops. Is the SM perhaps out of shape, failing AFPT, or tape tests? Is the soda affecting his duties. If the answer to any of these is Yes, the PSG has 2 options- try to help the SM, watching his diet, extra PT, watching calorie intake- or just throw the SM out of the Army- which would you prefer?
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CWO3 (Join to see)
3 days in the brig on bread and water used to be permissible under UCMJ, for USN and attached Marines at least. Seems it had to be afloat. The ole timers used to talk about COs holding NJP/Mast until afloat, so they could use it. Navy dropped it in 2018.
https://www.stripes.com/news/navy-to-scrap-bread-and-water-confinement-1.562209
https://www.stripes.com/news/navy-to-scrap-bread-and-water-confinement-1.562209
Navy to scrap bread-and-water confinement
Bread-and-water confinement is a nonjudicial penalty that ship commanders can mete out to misbehaving sailors in the lowest three pay grades. It dates back to when warships had wooden hulls and sails.
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No disrespect, but that's where the term Generation y comes from with me. Many here served long before me, and I retired 20 years ago. We rarely, if ever questioned authority. If someone said jump, we didn't ask why (y) or in which direction, or how high. We jumped. We trusted our leaders and their experience enough to know that it was probably for our own good. Not telling you to disregard illegal orders, just that we see several posts a week on RP on "can somebody do this to me?" Use your Chain of Command and find out, read the orders for yourself, and then decide. You will be a Sergeant someday and won't have RP, so start thinking and acting on your own. Or seek advice from your NCOs. We were told in Boot Camp that discipline was "instant and willing obedience to orders without hesitation". Don't take offense, but instead think about it. Do you want your orders followed, or are they up for debate too? It's a two way street.
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
That's the problem - you should ask questions at any level if you don't understand. No one should ever just blindly follow anyone.
Why won't he have RP to ask questions on when a SGT someday? I and many other SNCOs and officers are on here regularly answering and asking questions.
There's nothing wrong with seeking answers but I hope people exhaust all other resources first.
Would I want someone to question every single order I give? No. But if they have questions or concerns, I want them to address them to me.
Why won't he have RP to ask questions on when a SGT someday? I and many other SNCOs and officers are on here regularly answering and asking questions.
There's nothing wrong with seeking answers but I hope people exhaust all other resources first.
Would I want someone to question every single order I give? No. But if they have questions or concerns, I want them to address them to me.
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CWO3 (Join to see)
You're right. Obey first and question later would have been a better statement. Creating a climate with every order up for debate is a step toward a breakdown in the entire structure of obedience to orders. Unless it is believed to be an unlawful order worth challenging on the spot, i.e. Lt Calley. This incident and most others here on RP don't meet that criteria. Example: Can my PS tell me not to dip? Can my PS call me at home after hours? What I meant about RP was that unless he carries his device 24/7, as a Sgt and leader he will have to make decisions on the fly, without consulting RP first. Thanks for your perspective, and hopefully I've cleared it up. If not, feel free to question.
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