Sun Glasses while doing PT. Semantics or badly worded AR?

SGT Hector Rojas, AIGA, SHA — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 18:57:39 -0400

Interesting conversation with another NCO this morning.

2 of my soldiers were wearing sunglasses while conducting a release ruck march.
Mind you we are in Fort Carson, and one of the first thing the CG will tell all newcomers is WEAR YOUR SUNGLASSES when outside, UV Rays are roughly 30% "stronger" due to elevation and thinner/clearer air.

So this NCO calls me to the side and asks me why my soldiers are wearing sunglasses during PT to which I replied that they are not in formation and they are outside. In Garrison.

He then tells me that they cant wear them because is PT. And there are no sunglasses during PT.

So I roughly explained that both AR 670-1 and our own Fort Carson Standards Blue Book specifically tell us that soldiers can wear sunglasses "when in a garrison environment, except when in formation and while indoors".
Semantically, BOTH conditions have to be met. Formation AND indoors.

Otherwise, the regulation would say formation OR indoors.

One way or another, since my soldiers were not in formation, and definitely outdoors, I allowed them to wear their sunglasses.

Is this another one of those "this is how we've always done it" things? No sunglasses in PT just because someone doesn't like it?

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Aug 14 at 2015 7:19 PM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 19:19:20 -0400

Realistically the reg probably should say or but regardless of that. Based on your statement they were not in a formation anyway so they SHOULD (by the regulations you cited) be allowed to wear sunglasses unless someone can pull out a lower level guidance that further restricts its.

On the AF side it is no sunglasses inside OR in formation just for a compare and contrast.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 7:41 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 19:41:05 -0400

Common sense dictates wear of sunglasses. Few NCOs or officers would challenge such a reasonable precaution. This reeks of busybodies with nothing better to do sticking their nose in training.
If the eyewear is APEL approved eye-pro, no one should be dishing out guff.
I would have a hard time keeping tactful if some Muldoon approached my ruck march with this junk.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Aug 14 at 2015 9:20 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 21:20:13 -0400

One of the most hilarious quirks of the military is the intersection between practical reality and spit and polish from the 19th century.

Response by CPT Ahmed Faried made Aug 14 at 2015 10:37 PM

CPT Ahmed Faried — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 22:37:55 -0400

you handled it right.

Response by MSgt Darum Danford made Aug 15 at 2015 10:48 AM

MSgt Darum Danford — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 10:48:12 -0400

Our Wing Commanders have the right to supplement our Instructions as well, just like yours did. You handled this one right, some people like to bitch just to hear themselves talk. After all, PT gear is still a uniform.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2015 8:23 AM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 08:23:49 -0400

Was the other NCO doing PT while bickering with you? Sounds like one of those guys that wanders around nit picking during PT while not doing any him/herself.

Response by SGT Loren Hammons made Aug 16 at 2015 3:21 PM

SGT Loren Hammons — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 15:21:38 -0400

This is a hard one, the policy does not allow for the sun glasses but for safety reasons they should be worn. I had sensitive eyes in the desert and would not be caught without them. But they do make RPGs sunglasses as well.

Response by SGT David Monahan made Apr 3 at 2016 11:19 AM

SGT David Monahan — Sun, 03 Apr 2016 11:19:24 -0400

should not be a problem if they are issued .. of course for uniformity sake everyone in formation should be wearing them.....