Posted on Mar 12, 2014
Should an NCO be required in all military vehicles as a TC?
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Should an NCO be required in all military vehicles as a TC for all movement with the exception of Convoy Ops?
For example, a vehicle needs to move from the Motor Pool to the Arms Room to pick up weapons, should an NCO be present for that movement, or are 2 Specialist capable of accomplishing this task without incident?
NCOs
Responsibility
Vehicle
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 20
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I don't feel that an NCO should be a TC every time a military vehicle rolls. I think there are many junior enlisted Soldiers who are perfectly capable, as well as disciplined enough, to be an appropriate TC. I also feel it should be a case by case situation though. If you have that one "special" Soldier then an NCO or a Senior, promotable, SPC would be beneficial. But I do agree with you that requiring an NCO to be the TC is a bit much and detracts from the mission as well as daily duties.
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SSG (Join to see)
100% Concur. This rule has become a plague. Especially when you have a SPC (P) calling you to say, "SSG, can you meet me at the motor pool to help road test this truck?" When that same Soldier has 2 subordinates that she/he counsels every month sitting in the office with minimal taskings. Do you think we are just going along with this because it "has always been that way"?
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SSG Zachery Mitchell
I don't really know why we keep going with it but the "has always been that way" seems like the best answer
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SFC (Join to see)
I believe if there is a NCO available then it should be one in a vehicle. The safest option in my opinion is the best. But mission does dictate. If there isn't a available NCO present to tc then we must ensure a responsible soldier is in vehicle to ensure the safety of our soldiers.
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SPC Matthew Birkinbine
We have the same policy here in 3d ID land. I will say, it is extremely difficult to get anything done, from a maintenance standpoint, not doing proper road tests.
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I say 2 Specialist are good. These are the Soldiers one step away from NCO stripes, give them responsibility so when they make Sergeant they've experienced something.
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CSM Mike Maynard
SSG Murdock - what is a current policy? Requiring an NCO to be in a vehicle when it moves? What Policy/SOP covers that?
I'm pretty sure that this is not an Army policy. I know that there is a current policy letter at the Bn-level that dictates this.
First, based on our MTOE, there are not enough NCOs to require this - it would take multiple trips for us to move our vehicles.
Second, we must apply CRM to determine what is "right". Having a leader around when vehicles move/convoy would be sufficient to enforce the control measures.
So, I think our expectation would be that there is an NCO/Officer present within a serial of vehicles, but not in each vehicle.
Maybe this was a previous policy?
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SSG Zachery Mitchell
CSM Maynard,
It was a previous policy from our last COC. Nowadays most people just assume it's something that needs to be followed without actually looking for an SOP or finding out if it's still a policy.
I feel leaders should make the best judgment call, especially if it's only on base. Taking the expressway to the range or something is a different story.
I don't always have an NCO to send out to site call so I use my best judgment and send two SPC's. I can't tell a battery "sorry, I can't send a team to fix your radar because I don't have an NCO to TC the contact truck." I would only be able to accomplish my mission maybe 50% of the time if an NCO was required to TC every contact truck I have.
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SPC Chicquila Cox
I feel that it is a "cover your a@#" policy. "All sugar honey ice tea rolls down hill". So if something does happen and an NCO is not present, what's the first question asked? Where was your NCO? 2nd, who is your NCO? So where does everything roll? Right back on you as an NCO. It does not have to be policy to be common sense. First rule of thumb, cover your own a@# first. It saves a lot of trouble for you. Just because you are above an E-5 pay grade does not leave you exempt from going out with them to cover your own a@#. You are not above doing something that you once had to do anyways. if there is no other NCO present, go get the job done efficiently and expeditiously.
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SPC Matthew Birkinbine
I have to agree with SSG Mitchell on his point. I'll also add that doing road tests after repairs and services is a major must that doesn't always get accomplished properly. If the section doesn't supply an NCO as an operator (our battalion is stacked with senior nco's but we usually get a 2 yr or less lower enlisted to assist with services), and our 2 ncos don't want to go on a roadtest, or are otherwise indisposed, we have to operate at 5 miles an hour in the motorpool, which doesn't allow for operating the vehicle at its full range to get a good diagnosis of operability. More often than not, we don't get a good roadtest in because of the restrictions here in the land of the 3rd ID.
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I PCS'd from Benning not too long ago. Shortly before leaving there was a vehicle accident on the tank trail where a LMTV ran into the back of another vehicle...jacked the whole cab of that vehicle up. There was a SPC driving and for the TC?...Yep, you guessed it...a "NCO".
In a perfect world rank would be synonymous with ability, capability, capacity, and responsibility. Sadly...in the real world it's not. CRM includes the personnel supervising as well. Just saying.
In a perfect world rank would be synonymous with ability, capability, capacity, and responsibility. Sadly...in the real world it's not. CRM includes the personnel supervising as well. Just saying.
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