Is RallyPoint supposed to replace the chain of command and NCO support channel?

From what I've seen..I think much of it comes from lack of trust in their leadership and sometimes inability to fully understand the regulations.

The NCO support system and the chain of command is should always be the first route a soldier shouldtake and use but that system is only useful and good as it can be when the leadership and the chain want to make it open door policies are a great tool if your if the NCO's and the chain take care of its soldier's no matter situation. Rally point is a great tool it allows for all service members to learn from each other and other branches of the armed forces and helps to unify our services so we are a more cohesive military and very knowledgeable which is why we are the best in the world.

Maybe they're just being typical immature, self-absorbed millennials. They feel they can say or do anything they please. Nothing is good enough, and any reasonable standards of behavior violate their "constitutional rights." I guess if this is the only pool from which the military has to pull, I guess it's what we're stuck with.

Obviously a website can not replace leadership, but it was a good hook that made you all comment. Seriously though, I think when we get questions that should be answered by leadership it highlights all the posts about how standards have dropped and leadership sucks. If the new generation feels more comfortable turning to social media to answer questions then we have failed as leaders. Personally, I use RP as a last resort after I've done due diligence to find answers myself. As leaders we should be the first resource our men turn to.

So my questions to your question is this.

Why are lower enlisted coming on here for answers? What are they not getting from their CoC?

Why is senior leadership not addressing or knowing that there soldier has an issue? While I only lead a squad I knew if my soldiers had issues. If I could not handle an issue then it went to the Platoon SGT. If he did not handle it then I went to the 1SG. Mission First, Troops Always.

Why is a SFC asking why he is not in the support channel instead of asking how can I he better support his troops? You should know your troops better than your troops know you.

While I do not know you or your leadership, it does concern me that you think the problem lies with the soldier and not the leader.

The second paragraph of the NCO Creed should answer your question completely.

"Competence is my watchword. My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind - accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my Soldiers. I will strive to remain technically and tactically proficient. I am aware of my role as a Noncommissioned Officer. I will fulfill my responsibilities inherent in that role. All Soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership. I know my Soldiers and I will always place their needs above my own. I will communicate consistently with my Soldiers and never leave them uninformed. I will be
fair and impartial when recommending both rewards and punishment"

Mentorship and leadership come in many different forms. Social media is just one of those forms in today's military. However, there are times when we need to point Soldiers to their chain of command or NCO support channel. But that is part of mentorship.

Another case in point is the recent question regarding the measurement of the 2 mile run in the APFT. I provided my usual Trademarked smart ass comments/observations. Many people quoted FM 21-20 Which by the way is a Manual NOT a Reg.

Any way, there is absolutely NO regulatory guidance on specifically how the route is to be measured or marked on streets/roads. Some people measure the shortest distance around corners while others measure following the middle of the road. Sure, it may not make a big difference in the overall scheme of things but when someone fails (or passes) by a matter of seconds, those extra few feet make a difference.

Until definitive Regulatory guidance is provided, we will see this question again and again. Since that guidance can NEVER cover every aspect of every situation, NCO's need to do the best they can given the situation. This is a Forum for much needed assistance in overcoming these types of situations.

I think there are a couple of reasons for this. 1. They may not trust their NCO support channel and COC. I know by the time I got out, I didn't trust any of them at all. Tends to happen when you get thrown under the bus one too many times. 2. They may not want to look dumb. Asking questions in here is more or less a safe place to ask. 3. This is the social media generation and they are more comfortable with platforms like this. I think it's great they ask and complain here. Everyone needs something outside of the workplace to ask questions and gripe.

I think people ask questions on this site because it allows them some anonymity. They do not want to ask their chain of command for fear of being labeled as stupid or a boot. Just my two cents. You could argue that is a failure of leadership on the part of NCO's being approachable, or maybe the NCO's don't know the answers to some common questions, and the junior has lost faith. It is hard to say for sure.

I don't think our juniors are lazy but I try to instill in my subordinates what my seniors instilled in me (as well as my parents) and that is to give just enough info to aid the learning process. My detachment sergeant is one of the finest NCOs to serve in the Army and he rarely gives away the answers to questions. Rather, he guides us to the regulation(s) that will help answer. He then asks that we come back to him when we found the answer. This puts the responsibility on the junior to learn and gives them a sense of pride when they find something out on their own. This is how we should lead, in my honest opinion.

All that being said, there are still leaders who don't know the answer or don't know how to tactfully provide the guidance that their juniors need. This can be perceived as the poor leadership that we often hear of in these forums. While poor leadership does exist, we need to continue to be available to our troops and also be willing to admit to not knowing the answer. We can all learn from each other and we need to show that to our next batch of leaders.