Posted on Jan 9, 2019
Should I report leaders who provided alcohol to underage soldiers?
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I received a field grade article 15 for drinking a 12 pack of beer with a couple soldiers who turned out to be underage, they both received summarized article 15's, I was recommended for the field grade by my PL and PSG. A couple months later they have a holiday party and supplied all the privates with a keg and hard alcohol, I took pictures of them drinking with minors (including the two minora I drank with) any guidance on what I should do? Report it? Or let it go?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 22
I would never discourage someone from doing the right thing. If you were to report such a thing, I would ask for a PCS or inter unit transfer. It's terribly hypocritical if things are as you say. Just be aware that there is going to be some severe boo boo face and probably some attempt at reprisal.
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SSG Eddie Helmling
Karma always works best ... Revenge tends to hit the fan and no one knows who will get hit with it
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Usually, I would say it's just drinking. However, you were held to a certain standard and so the leadership should be held to at least the same standard. I would report it to at least your immediate higher leadership. At a minimum, something can be done to change your situation. If nothing is done to the leadership at that point I think you can take it outside of that group. There is never a reason why soldiers should be held to one standard while leadership is allowed to run roughshod over them at their whim.
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SPC Erich Guenther
I don't agree completely, he is a Specialist and not really a supervising authority yet. He is comparing his independent action against what appears to be a Company wide party or Company level event which......every one I attended when I was in the Infantry was supervised for folks getting in over their heads and they were typically held in the barracks vs somewhere off post. Yes a company party can get out of control as well but I suspect the message of the Article 15 was his supplying alchol to minors who were drinking it unsupervised by the NCO Corps and without knowledge of the NCO Corps.........who were placed at risk if the minors then did something stupid while intoxicated.
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SGT Joseph Gunderson
SPC Erich Guenther - Doesn't matter. If they are punishing him using a regulation that states that you cannot allow underage soldiers to drink then his leadership too should be punished. You cannot bend the rules based on your position. Regulations do not work that way.
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When I was a PVT the drinking age was 18, so we didn't have these issues.
Later in life I found it very hard to get excited about the Soldiers drinking as long as they weren't tearing stuff up and enforced the standard only because it was the standard (whether you agree or not, standards must be enforced) and yes my recommendations were for light punishments for 1st offenders in cases where no one was hurt, or no property damaged, and they were just drinking.
So in my opinion turn them in to your 1SG and Commander, they are setting a bad example, being biased as they punished one Soldier and disregarded / enabled others to be in violation and aren't enforcing standards.
That said either be ready for the shit storm that will follow and be prepared to catch heck from your peers, and no doubt some NCOs or request a transfer out of the unit.
Later in life I found it very hard to get excited about the Soldiers drinking as long as they weren't tearing stuff up and enforced the standard only because it was the standard (whether you agree or not, standards must be enforced) and yes my recommendations were for light punishments for 1st offenders in cases where no one was hurt, or no property damaged, and they were just drinking.
So in my opinion turn them in to your 1SG and Commander, they are setting a bad example, being biased as they punished one Soldier and disregarded / enabled others to be in violation and aren't enforcing standards.
That said either be ready for the shit storm that will follow and be prepared to catch heck from your peers, and no doubt some NCOs or request a transfer out of the unit.
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