Is a platoon sergeant authorized to prohibit SM from drinking sodas or anything besides water? What regulations apply?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 16:01:01 -0400

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Apr 25 at 2018 4:03 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 16:03:07 -0400

What is the background of the situation?

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2018 4:03 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 16:03:17 -0400

Any order or directive that is not illegal, immoral, or unethical is to be followed.
That said, it’s not standard, I’d probably ask some questions about the motivation for that restriction.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2018 4:20 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 16:20:37 -0400

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.

Response by SGT Eric Davis made Apr 25 at 2018 5:37 PM

SGT Eric Davis — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 17:37:23 -0400

Depends on the situation!

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2018 6:35 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 18:35:01 -0400

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.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 25 at 2018 7:06 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 19:06:45 -0400

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?

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2018 10:21 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 22:21:35 -0400

Have you asked why? I know he doesn't HAVE to tell you (sometimes "I said so" is reason enough) Ate you in danger of being placed on the Chunky Chicken Plan? Do you have trouble passing the AFPT? Articles 91 and 92 UCMJ might apply if you decide to consume beverages other than water after the platoon sergeant told you otherwise. Can your career handle it? Only you can make that call.

Response by SGT David T. made Apr 26 at 2018 1:42 PM

SGT David T. — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 13:42:10 -0400

After reading the comments below I am sitting her shaking my head. Seriously, this is what the NCO corps has been reduced to? PSG says no sugar drinks, yet does it themselves.... Sounds like a hypocrite to me. I would probably question the order too. Just because someone has rank, doesn't make them right. I seem to recall something about not asking soldiers to do stuff I wasn't willing to do myself...its been a while...my memory could be bad...something about follow me do as I do....hmmm

Ok sarcasm aside. SPC Private RallyPoint Member I agree this is some straight up BS assuming there is nothing more to it. However, you would be wise to not rock the boat too much while you are sitting in it. Just remember things like this when the retention NCO comes to see you. Keep things like this in the back of your head when deciding if you want to stay in or not so you can make a well informed decision. I am not advising you to stay in or get out, just look at everything when it is time for you to decide.

Response by MSgt Michael Lane made Apr 27 at 2018 11:48 AM

MSgt Michael Lane — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 11:48:10 -0400

To be honest I did ban the eating of powdered donuts in the office, just could not stand people walking around with white powdered lips.

Response by 1SG David Niles made Apr 27 at 2018 4:00 PM

1SG David Niles — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 16:00:39 -0400

If you don’t like rules, and you cannot stand being told what to do, then young buck, you are in the wrong profession. Get out, become self employed, self sufficient and don’t hire any employees. Every where you go there are rules, every place you work there are rules, hell even owning a business there are rules that if you don’t follow you could be fined or jailed, grab a bottle of water and drive on troop.

Response by PFC Jason Richland made Apr 27 at 2018 7:54 PM

PFC Jason Richland — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 19:54:12 -0400

I think he is authorized but only while you are on duty. What you do in your personal time or off post is none of their business as long as it’s legal

Response by SPC Jeff Gilbert made Apr 27 at 2018 8:47 PM

SPC Jeff Gilbert — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 20:47:27 -0400

You’re a medic, why do you not see the reasoning behind this in a combat zone. You obviously aren’t on the line. I was just a SPC on our JCOP. There were 30 of us and I was responsible for their well being. One day when our resupply came we had about 300 Rip Its. I said one heat cat and they’re gone. Well lo and behold it happened. Pissed off a lot of people by making everyone grab cans and pour that shit out. I was well within my rights as I was the sole person responsible for their medical health. Shouldn’t be drinking that shit out anyway. Water and Motrin. And change your damn socks.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 28 at 2018 12:14 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 00:14:29 -0400

If this is your mentality, it’s going to be a long road for you. This Army is competitive. You have to be on your game in every aspect of your life - Character, job performance, education, physical fitness, etc.

One day, you’ll be wondering why the SFC list doesn’t have your name on it. Read every centralized board AAR: PT scores tell the board who has the discipline to work on their own fitness. The same is true for officer program gateways - PA school, AECP, USUHS, Green to Gold, and OCS are all highly competitive. These programs want high performers who won’t waste the Army’s money. Meeting minimum standards doesn’t cut it.

I would stop arguing for the right to drink sodas and focus on long term goals instead. It’s a much higher reward in the end...

Response by PFC Elijah Rose made Apr 28 at 2018 12:57 AM

PFC Elijah Rose — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 00:57:54 -0400

I've seen plt sergeants prohibit non-transparent water bottles, a 1st sgt once prohibited all cafeine during duty hours, and individual wrapped hard candies were allowed but all other food items forbidden.

There is no regulation or scheme to it; there is mistrust, private agendas, and rank based favortism.

Response by SPC Walter Currier made Apr 29 at 2018 4:10 PM

SPC Walter Currier — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 16:10:12 -0400

with the additional information provided in other responses I would add that as a specialist e-4 you should be fully capable of reasoning whether the directive was lawful by going to the appropriate regulations or even considering the point of restricting personel to water. Its not just punitive, there is a benifit to the restriction Just as in basic training we were not allowed to drink soda but were allowed milk and water until the 2nd phase if I remember correctly. Its been quite a while...I assume that you are training for a promotion board at somepoint and if you are you should be learning to find out this kind of thing on your own. Not going to a social media site and shed a bad light on the military with a junior enlisted person questioning authoriy of his platoon sergeant. I would also say that its not my business that the platoon sergeant decided that he is allowed to drink sodas, and that the providers are exempt. I assume he has briefed the 1st Sergeant on his corrective action and its the 1st Sergeants place to question the platoon sergeant or give the advice to set a better example, not the random people on social media. Maybe with multiple failures it illustrates an overall lack of discipling in the unit. Deployment or in my opinion it is the soldiers responsibility to be fit and capable of passing the APFT and that its the units responsibility to provide training to assist the soldier in accomplishing that goal. The Army used to instill the personal discipline and pride in oneself to be fit and ready to perform what ever task that is presented. I guess that has changed in 28 years.