What advice do you have for working under a Command team that doesn't care about soldiers and has a coercive style of leadership?

2022-01-20T05:09:03-05:00

Here are some examples:

She thinks that herself and the LTS have maids for soldiers. This is the only unit I have seen, that the commander tells the LTS not to touch or layout any of their OWN equipment that they have signed for themselves. They want the SOLDIERS to do their labor for THEIR equipment. While they are not even present.

Another example, Commander asked Soldiers to empty out HER rucksack out of a container, and demanded that we brought HER ruck sack with her IOTV inside HER office. Shortly after that, she demanded that we ONLY bring the command teams RUCKSACK and IOTV into THEIR Respective areas in the office. As if we were their personal maids. I know I'm just a CPL. But I think that's wrong and using power and rank against solders to make them bend down and cater to their every needs. Yesterday, the commander created her OWN slide, used her OWN equipment (projector) and she was expecting the NCOS to cater to her and set up the projector for her. So she made a comment " I guess I aint got no NCOS"

We are deployed, and not one soldier, not once NCO can agree that she is a good commander. We are a small team of less than 30 people. Not a single soul, but the LTS care about her. She is very toxic.

Our first sergeant, follows right behind her tail.
There will be nothing for the soldiers to do, lack of computers for them to be able to do anything productive that will help them with their career progression in the office, but they complain when they see soldiers sitting around. There aren't enough computers for soldiers and we are early in the mission that we have no actual missions going on.

I just need tips on how to deal with this type of leadership. NCOS are all losing morale because every little thing is a priority to the command team, shit that isn't important... GARRISON SHIT... they set as a priority with dueouts for the same exact day. Give "homework" to NCOS and tell them they need to have all these chapters read to discuss on friday on the NCO Guide. Giving us tasks on top of tasks that arent really priority. But because there aren't enough computers in the office, people are stressing about getting shit done at 1730 after they've been released. It doesn't make any sense. They brought GARRISON to a deployment and NCOS are finding themselves doing the same exact stupid bullcrap that we were doing when we were in the rear.

I just need advice. I'm starting to question whether this is even worth me being away from my family for 9 months. Dealing with a commander and 1SG who clearly does not put people first, as much as she tries to fake it out to be that she is. And having no PL with a backbone to stand up and understands the problem, even when he complains just as much himself.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 20 at 2022 10:30 AM

2022-01-20T10:30:59-05:00

Two options:

1) You and the rest of the Enlisted (especially the NCOs) sit down and have a talk to ensure you are all on the same page that way come the Command Climate Survey is filled out as honest and truthful as possible. Of course, that's IF a CCS is send out.

2) You and the other NCOs take these issues, write them down and be very specific, and you go pay a visit to the CSM.

Curious question, though. Where are you deployed to?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 20 at 2022 12:30 PM

2022-01-20T12:30:20-05:00

So I'm going to sound like a total prick officer here, but from what the OP wrote:
I don't see SHARP
I don't see EO
I don't see physical risk such as throwing together a convoy without properly prepped equipment, convoy planning, and trained/licensed drivers, etc.....
I don't see misuse of funds or equipment, or theft.
I don't see a specific violation of the UCMJ or Regulations.

But I understand the concerns. What I do see are things that don't get noticed at a higher level until a unit is evaluated on mission capability and it falls completely on it's ass.

I see a CPL complaining that it sucks to be an E4 in Army. Well.......... yea.......... duh.................

Now........ when I was a SGT a peer of mine (female) was being picked on by a SSG and CPT. To summarize she was getting tasked with all the crap details, and the only one to take out the trash, ect... She was being marginalized. Not because she was female, but because she wasn't in the cool kids group.

Anyway............... What it boiled down to is that yes the SSG and CPT could treat her that way with all the crap tasks. It's part of being in the army and a subordinate rank.

Where the SSG and CPT got hammered was she was the ONLY SGT being treated that way. The distribution of crap tasks wasn't being allocated among other E5's.

It sounds like the CPL is in a situation where here is not a lot of teeth behind her complaints because it sounds like it just generally sucks all around for everyone among her peers. I just want to point that out. I've seen a lot worse happen in the Army and go no where. That is until the Unit completely fails at executing a mission, can't even back peddle to micky mouse together mission tasks and now Battalion or higher has to get involved.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 20 at 2022 2:44 PM

2022-01-20T14:44:00-05:00

Don't lose hope over an officer. This is how I approached command. I reduced some of the bullshit for the soldiers. I carried my weight and led by example. I also volunteered to do funeral details, spring cleanup, and gate guard with the soldiers. I think they appreciated that I would roll up my sleeves and work with them. Saying thank you and building up morale was important to me. I talked the helicopters pilots and they agreed to fly my soldiers around. It was also important that I cared about them and their families. I was very pleased with the Command Climate Surveys. They indicated they had a lot of trust in the leadership of the unit.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 20 at 2022 2:57 PM

2022-01-20T14:57:19-05:00

My old BC would have wrecked any junior officers for doing that BS, one of my old CPT's would too. One of my CSM's found a PFC cleaning an LT's weapon and he confiscated it. LT comes back and wants to know if it was clean, PFC told him the CSM had it. Look on his face was... Amazing.

At any rate, MSG Private RallyPoint Member makes good points. Make sure you're peer NCO's and seniors are tracking and are coordinating group effort, communication, and documentation of incidents and work/command environment.

Whether this goes the survey route or devolves into an IG complaint, command inquiry, or 15-6 investigation depending on how things go, the outcome will depend on the statements and credibility of the NCO's.

During my deployment I witnessed commanders and 1SG's getting relieved of their position or have letters of concern / reprimand submitted to them by higher commands for situations like this and far worse. This caused some... Contention... As leaders at the lower levels and those around them seemed astonished that higher took action against them.

On top of that, monthly justice reports posted via military social media and in public locations confirmed what was happening at brigade and lower. While names and units were not mentioned in the public reports if you paid attention you could put the pieces together. As I recall, one commander actually got admonished for not posting the reports in a public location where all Soldiers could read it.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Jan 21 at 2022 10:08 AM

2022-01-21T10:08:40-05:00

As others have said the NCO's need to get together and get this situation nailed down and documented. Don't get emotional about it. Document everything. Document any evidence you have as well. Once you have everything on paper and everyone is on the same sheet of music take it to the 1st Sgt or CSM. If that fails go the IG route.

But you need to go through this with a fine toothed comb and ensure this is a legit issue and not just people complaining. Once you break glass for emergency you are under the light of scrutiny and if your ducks aren't in a row it will blow up in your face.

Response by CSM William Everroad made Jan 24 at 2022 10:48 AM

2022-01-24T10:48:58-05:00

MSG Private RallyPoint Member and SSgt Christophe Murphy hit it on the head. If you don't have faith that your chain of command (PLs) nor your NCO Support Channel (PSGs and 1SG) can provide appropriate advice to fix the concerns you have identified, engage that CSM. Just like SPC Private RallyPoint Member states, my BC would wreck a officer if half of this is the unit culture and not isolated complaints.

The first thing I would advise is ensuring that this isn't a case of a bunch of entitled Soldiers not embracing the "suck". Junior enlisted Soldiers' perception of what constitutes Soldier Care varies wildly from what a CDR/SNCO may think, for example working past 1730 hrs during a deployment doesn't really register on the scope of human rights violations.

Second, if you have Soldiers, fill their free time with actual training. In the absence of orders, Soldiers tend to do nothing, it is their natural state. Can't be mad at them for that. Someone failed to plan training. Not some read from the manual BS "hip pocket", but actual individual tasks that support the mission essential collective tasks for the Company delivered in accordance with training doctrine. Or rehearse for your missions. Put it in a training plan and get the 1SG to approve it. Make sure it complies with the battle rhythm of the unit. Your PSGs should be doing this, but in the absence of leadership, someone has to lead.

Third, if there are real issues, everyone has suggested to write everything down. But take it to the CSM. No one can tell the CDR to fix herself except the BC and you don't want to go to the boss without the CSM taking a peak first. This insulates the NCOs in the company against potential retaliation. However, be prepared. Don't go to the CSM half-cocked.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2022 10:59 PM

2022-02-08T22:59:05-05:00

So I’ll go out on a limb here and make a few calculated assumptions. 1) you’re in Kuwait 2) you’re Guard or Reserve and 3) you’re in a CSSB or FSC.

None of that is telling HOWEVER if you’re active duty here’s what I would do - and this is coming from how I would want to receive news from the bottom up as a former Company CO. Have the NCOs come together and discuss how ‘on the same page we are’ - from there bring it to the Platoon Sergeants and they need a unified front walking into the 1SGs office. The 1SG is tasked with good order and discipline and is very much responsible for the welfare of his/her Soldiers in her charge. Let the E7s convey their issues, not the petty stuff (half what you said is petty and below a BN CSMs red pen line) and let the 1SG engage the CO. If nothing fails to change or even get addressed, the PSGs go see the CSM, but that’s a last resort. You want to keep it at the lowest level and nothing this Commander has done will get her relieved. None of it will even make it to her OER if we’re being honest. But let your support channel handle it and give the 1SG an honest crack at changing the culture. If he/she won’t lead by example, then you can escalate but that’s going to beg the CSM asking the direct question: so NCO 1,2,3 &4 are you saying you can’t take care of your own Soldiers and need me to do it for you? The CDR is lazy and entitled, but that isn’t against the law. But it is poor leadership.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Feb 9 at 2022 10:34 AM

2022-02-09T10:34:11-05:00

Take a strong dose of a new drug called Kwitcherbitchin. Then realize you are in the Army.

I have never seen LTs actively laying out property for Command inventories. They may check in, but that is the NCO lane. Layouts help familiarize young Soldiers with the equipment they use, and what SHOULD be present. Sure the LT shows up and signs for it, but they honestly have more important things to do.

Same goes for cleaning common areas. There are 20 or so junior Soldiers in a normal platoon. There is one LT.

An officer leaving their gear and telling someone else to bring it to their already identified workspace or sleeping area would extremely rare and uncalled for. But if we are talking about a connex being unloaded, again, the Officers usually have someplace where their time will be better spent than standing around waiting for their gear to be downloaded. Asking an NCO to keep an eye out and make sure their gear is policed up is neither uncommon nor abusive. Now, if they do that and then go to the PX or MWR to chill while those stupid enlisted do the work, that is a different story.

But here is the biggest problem: You say that you and your Soldiers have no missions and nothing to do. YOU HAVE FAILED. There is ALWAYS something to do. When all else fails, TRAIN. But you didn't do that, and your CO looked around and saw her Soldiers idle. Since her NCOs FAILED, she stepped in to fill your time. If you don't like it, be proactive. Come up with better uses of your time, and your Somdiers' time. Improve your foxhole. Train. Review the tactical situation. Engage in cultural awareness. Grab an interpreter and give yourselves rudimentary language lessons. DO SOMETHING. It is an age-old rule: if you don't find something to do, something will be found for you. You didn't, and the CO did.