Posted on Mar 15, 2022
What do you think are reasonable grounds to label a service member ‘Failure To Report’?
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To keep it short, I have an SM who is never late. So the first time he is going to be late he calls me at 0550ish prior to the 0615 hit time. Says he’s having car trouble and might not make it for formation. I then inform CoC for PERSTAT. The soldier TOLD me he was going to be late. I had verbal accountability of him and reasoning. Should he still be labeled FTR?
Posted in these groups: 
UCMJ
UCMJ
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 12
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
MAJ Ronnie Reams - There are some 1SGs who think if someone is not at formation, even if you have accountability of them, that since they are not present at formation it's FTR.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - Never had that problem in my enlisted days. Seldom 100%, even if only because of KP, interior, guard and other DA-6 duties and pass and leave. Some in hospital, too. All accounted for.
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
MAJ Ronnie Reams - Yes they were accounted for as in at their specific place of duty if they were at KP, DA-6 duties, guard, etc. Those are appointed places of duty. Someone who isn't at a formation or at their appointed place of duty, technically, is FTR.
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I'm going to expand a little on what SFC Kelly Fuerhoff did a great job of explaining. The Soldier reports to the Commander. The Commander prescribes the time and place of duty. You as a member of the chain of command report the status to the next level in that chain of command. Whether you are satisfied that the SM status is reported or not, it is not your authority to determine whether the SM met the requirements of reporting.
As SFC Kelly Fuerhoff pointed out, that is the commanders decision. It's also the Commander's decision if the SMs reason for failing to report is sufficient, and what, if anything will be done about it.
Giving verbal accountability isn't always enough. Squad leaders say they check sensitive items all the time, but they go missing every field problem so commanders require 100% hands on checks. Commander might be staging a 100% UA or health and welfare check. There are a lot of reasons the Commander may require a full report and as the TL you are not authorized to say "they're good".
Now, with all that, there is a difference between being in charge and being a leader. Any experienced leader here is going to say that you cherry picked the argument based on bias and gave us little context. Maybe your SM was supposed to be manifesting for a jump or a movement and it was critical. Maybe the CDR directed the NCOs to call out anyone not present. But we also realize that we are not robots and individual situations require individual responses. If you evaluate your leadership and they seem like people who have your best interest in mind, they probably have a reason for calling someone FTR. If your leadership doesn't seem like someone who has your best interests in mind, then watch them and learn what not to do. Sometimes you learn just as much from your bad leaders as your good ones
As SFC Kelly Fuerhoff pointed out, that is the commanders decision. It's also the Commander's decision if the SMs reason for failing to report is sufficient, and what, if anything will be done about it.
Giving verbal accountability isn't always enough. Squad leaders say they check sensitive items all the time, but they go missing every field problem so commanders require 100% hands on checks. Commander might be staging a 100% UA or health and welfare check. There are a lot of reasons the Commander may require a full report and as the TL you are not authorized to say "they're good".
Now, with all that, there is a difference between being in charge and being a leader. Any experienced leader here is going to say that you cherry picked the argument based on bias and gave us little context. Maybe your SM was supposed to be manifesting for a jump or a movement and it was critical. Maybe the CDR directed the NCOs to call out anyone not present. But we also realize that we are not robots and individual situations require individual responses. If you evaluate your leadership and they seem like people who have your best interest in mind, they probably have a reason for calling someone FTR. If your leadership doesn't seem like someone who has your best interests in mind, then watch them and learn what not to do. Sometimes you learn just as much from your bad leaders as your good ones
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You asked two COMPLETELY different questions.
What is REASONABLE? He reported to you; you have it under control. No harm; no foul; no paperwork.
What SHOULD happen? You should follow your directives and counsel the Soldier. Because that is what you were told to do, and it is not illegal, immoral, or unethical. He SHOULD be labeled FTR. Because that is how your CoC decided to label it, and it is not illegal, immoral, or unethical.
What is REASONABLE and what SHOULD happen do not always have to agree. And in the Army, they often do not.
Ultimately, the Commander is REQUIRED to account for each and every one of his/her Soldiers every single day. (S)he usually delegates this to 1SG, but it is the Commander signing the PERSTAT. The Commander is accountable for what each Soldier is labeled, therefore the Commander is the final authority on which label to apply. If you disagree, you make your case. If the Commander reports FTR, anyway, you suck it up and drive on. Unless the Soldier was actually physically present, which he was not.
What is REASONABLE? He reported to you; you have it under control. No harm; no foul; no paperwork.
What SHOULD happen? You should follow your directives and counsel the Soldier. Because that is what you were told to do, and it is not illegal, immoral, or unethical. He SHOULD be labeled FTR. Because that is how your CoC decided to label it, and it is not illegal, immoral, or unethical.
What is REASONABLE and what SHOULD happen do not always have to agree. And in the Army, they often do not.
Ultimately, the Commander is REQUIRED to account for each and every one of his/her Soldiers every single day. (S)he usually delegates this to 1SG, but it is the Commander signing the PERSTAT. The Commander is accountable for what each Soldier is labeled, therefore the Commander is the final authority on which label to apply. If you disagree, you make your case. If the Commander reports FTR, anyway, you suck it up and drive on. Unless the Soldier was actually physically present, which he was not.
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