Posted on Jun 8, 2015
Is it wrong for an Air Force Sergeant to help an Army Private?
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Scenario: Air Force Tech Sergeant (E-6) gets involved in helping an Army Private (infantry) get home from deployment in order to be home with his wife who is having their child. The wife goes into labor and is admitted into the hospital early. A Red Cross message gets sent, but it stops at his company NCO at the deployed location. The NCO refused to send the message up to the CO (O-3, Capt.) because he was in a meeting. The Private needed the CO's approval to allow him to get on the HOP to fly to the states so he can be there on time. The E-6 calls his duty station (stateside) Staff NCO at 1130pm in order to get a hold of his CO at his duty station to approve the Red Cross message to be sent and get him the ability to come home. Without the involvement of the Air Force E-6 calling the privates chain of command, he would have been stuck at his deployed location. He was able to make it home 1 day after the baby was born, 5lbs, 15oz.
What are your thoughts about another service members involvement to help the Army Private?
Where was the Privates' duty location NCO and why wasn't he/she as proactive?
Why is approaching an O-3 in the Army such a difficult task?
Deployed locations are what they are, deployments. Getting home isn't an easy task. Some will say, the Private is deployed, we have all at one point in time have missed birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and even babies being born. It's a sacrifice he needs to be aware of. Suck it up.
What are your thoughts about another service members involvement to help the Army Private?
Where was the Privates' duty location NCO and why wasn't he/she as proactive?
Why is approaching an O-3 in the Army such a difficult task?
Deployed locations are what they are, deployments. Getting home isn't an easy task. Some will say, the Private is deployed, we have all at one point in time have missed birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and even babies being born. It's a sacrifice he needs to be aware of. Suck it up.
Leadership
American Red Cross
NCOs
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 20
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There is nothing wrong with anyone in one branch of service helping a member of another branch of service. Good for the SSG for taking the initiative to do what needed to be done to take care of a fellow troop.
And shame on the NCO that chose not to do the right thing. Our job is to take care of troops whether it is good timing or not. Shame on him for making someone else do his/her job!
And shame on the NCO that chose not to do the right thing. Our job is to take care of troops whether it is good timing or not. Shame on him for making someone else do his/her job!
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Capt (Join to see)
I agree! I'll be honest, I have deployed with Army, trained with Army and even went into combat with Army. I have seen good and bad from the Army perspective. I thought that this was a rare event, to see an NCO be hesitant to approach his O-3 with a Red Cross message.
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MSG (Join to see)
It should be a rare event...in fact it should be so rare that should never happen at all. If a Red Cross message is sent there is a specific time line that must be followed. It is everyone's responsibility that comes in contact with that message to move it along quickly and efficiently. It's not a supply request that can wait an hour or so....it's something the needs to be acted on....immediately
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We all fall under the large umbrella of the Department of Defense right? I see nothing wrong with a leader in one branch helping someone in another branch as long as the help is within the regulations of both branches.
While I'm not fully aware of all the facts, as a former Operations SGT who would have gotten that Red Cross message, you sometimes need to know when to interrupt the CO and when not to. But in a case like this where a Red Cross message is coming in for a Soldier, I would have no problem giving my CO the notice. It all goes back to "well if that was me on the other end, how would I wanted it treated".
Glad to hear the SM was able to make it home!
While I'm not fully aware of all the facts, as a former Operations SGT who would have gotten that Red Cross message, you sometimes need to know when to interrupt the CO and when not to. But in a case like this where a Red Cross message is coming in for a Soldier, I would have no problem giving my CO the notice. It all goes back to "well if that was me on the other end, how would I wanted it treated".
Glad to hear the SM was able to make it home!
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I think the answer is fairly simple. The NCO afraid to approach the O3, did not see the world outside of his/her bubble. Instead of doing what needed to be done, the NCO choose to avoid the possibility of bringing unfavorable attention upon himself/herself by interrupting the O3's meeting. In this situation, I would hope the O3 was made aware of the NCO's lack of action and take steps to ensure it doesn't happen again. The world today has grown further and further away from doing the right thing regardless of potential consequences.
The AF E-6 should not have needed to get involved, but the system is never perfect. It should never be frowned upon for SMs to help one another.
The AF E-6 should not have needed to get involved, but the system is never perfect. It should never be frowned upon for SMs to help one another.
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Capt (Join to see)
I agree, the Air Force E-6 should not have needed to. I was more curious as to how come the duty location NCO or leadership for that matter didn't know that he was even trying to get home in the first place. I always thought that If I had a junior person under my responsibility, and he/she was going home for an emergency, I would contact the Unit to let them know, "hey, SPC so and so is coming home on this day because of this situation".
I think this situation needs some additional light shed on how we are in fact treating our soldiers and what the New Generation has for expectations.
I think this situation needs some additional light shed on how we are in fact treating our soldiers and what the New Generation has for expectations.
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SGT Kristin Wiley
There's the ideal standards that NCOs are supposed to live by
"I will know my soldiers and will always place their needs above my own"
The reality is far from that standard. It's one of the reasons I don't believe in NCO business, because it fosters an environment where NCOs aren't held accountable. We are allowing unreasonable excuses to be used in place of common sense. The common sense answer was to get that soldier home ASAP. The unreasonable excuse was that the NCO should not bother the O3 when he's in a meeting, and the NCO 'didn't know any better' because he wasn't given direct guidance on reasonable exceptions. Guidance should not be necessary in common sense situations.
"I will know my soldiers and will always place their needs above my own"
The reality is far from that standard. It's one of the reasons I don't believe in NCO business, because it fosters an environment where NCOs aren't held accountable. We are allowing unreasonable excuses to be used in place of common sense. The common sense answer was to get that soldier home ASAP. The unreasonable excuse was that the NCO should not bother the O3 when he's in a meeting, and the NCO 'didn't know any better' because he wasn't given direct guidance on reasonable exceptions. Guidance should not be necessary in common sense situations.
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