What is the proper protocol for senior officers/NCOs to connect with junior officers/NCO/Soldiers in Social Media?

I remember the first thing I learned when I became an NCO was that my soldier's were not my "friends".  So if you believe that then how can you justify "friending" them on Facebook.

My thinking is CYA first and foremost Sir- if this soldiers requires conversation with you, I would suggest you either learn if his/her chain of command has been made privy first- we always like to handle soldiers requirements at the squad leader levels- where they should be handled! no real reason to chat our soldiers up using fb etc...

I've had this question asked to me before and I have told my Soldiers I would not accept them as long as I was their First Line. My main reason is that I do not want that connection to be the starting point of what blurs the line between personal and professional for us Supervisor/Subordinate. I've given the same reason on why my Soldiers and I cannot be friends....for the simple fact that I've seen how Soldiers treat NCOs they do not respect nor view as their senior but moreso someone they can smoke and joke with. When you cross over into the territory of going out with your Soldiers, partying, drinking and whatnot they start to get comfortable with you and that comfort will eventually spill over into the professional environment.

Once that connection is no longer in place, I am always more than willing to accept those requests.....mainly because I like to make sure they're staying on track with their commitments and goals.

What you say or do on your personal social media sites reflects on you and your service regardless. It's the same as how you act anywhere else. If you discredit yourself, you discredit the military. "No one is more professional then I"....remember that.

In all honesty, I see it is a good way to gauge the interests and proclivities of subordinates to know them. I wouldn't ever message some of the higher ranking officers on my facebook with words like Whats Up or anything mind blowing, I still use forms of address and I am able to get insight on situations quickly.

I am also not saying tag in funny photos, send funny links or Memes. I don't post anything wild on my facebook page anyways but just thinking before posting can really clear any trepidation. If it is not something I would say at the unit or in conversation with XYZ, then why would I type?

Sir, JUST SAY NO! Sorry just had to say it. In all honesty I would say avoid connecting with subordinates on social media merely for sanity sake. I am continually surprised when I happen to browse the web and see some of the things my subordinates willingly post for all the world to see.
Connecting with peers has never been a problem as we are all about the same age, same maturity and have the same mindset about what's appropriate.
As a BN CDR I would say have a closed door session with you CSM about this, perhaps his/her reasoning as to why they do or do not connect with soldiers can answer your questions.

Social media is a great way to interact with your peers and subordinates. However, you and they need to remember that they are interacting in a similar manner as meeting together at the Club or the food court.

You need to be respectful yet state your personal slant. Phrases like "personally" and "I'm taking off the rank for a bit" helps (you *never* take off the rank, but they understand that what follows is YOUR words not the command's words). You need to be aware that whatever you say or do reflects on the Army, your command, and your unit.

The best example of this is occurred as a Battalion Commander of a Public Affairs Operations Center in Iraq. The unit operated in rather close quarters in Kuwait and closer in Iraq. Conversations occur between subordinates and of course between superiors and subordinates. We had our opinions, ideas and some "this is screwy" comments also. They were professional, but personal. In a professional Army like ours, most of us know where that "line" is. There were conversations which were prefaced with "Sir" or "Ma'm" and some prefaced with "can I talk with you away from the rank, please?"

In my earlier days, it was prefaced by a command "permission to speak freely, sir?" That is kinda the same things which you should approach in social media also.

Accept your subordinates and peers' invites to join you in social media but remind them that it's NOT a substitute for using the chains of command and support to get things done. Most of them will know this, but a little reminder doesn't hurt. I played volleyball and lawn darts with several of my subordinates -- we cut up, tease each other, but it's done with respect and the appropriate level of ribbing. It builds espirt...

Final thoughts: like at that club or food court, you need to make yourself available as a human being -- for that separates our outstanding Army from all other nation's armies. When we lose the human aspect of being a Soldier, we lose impact that simple, honest and respectful communication can make. Also remember that when Patton slapped that Soldier in the dispensary and called him a "coward" didn't and wouldn't make for "thumbs up" comments then as now...make your comments known but keep your emotions in check. After all, most times they are looking to you...

I would deny any FB request from one of my Marines. I don't see it as having anything to do with being personable and everything to do with a professional environment. FB is an environment for friends/family and entering your professional life into it with subordinates is not something I would consider appropriate.

Now if you maintain a "professional" facebook page I would see that as perfectly acceptable and potentially even beneficial as a leadership tool.

The first generation to grow up with the social networking we have now is in high school and college. I certainly hope they can develop some common sense rules to pass down to their kids. I had no experience to draw on for my kids. But I do know this --NEVER under any circumstances post anything you would not want to show to your Mother or your Sunday School teachers. Once it is out there, you can't get it back. It can be world wide in a matter of minutes. If you follow that one simple rule, you should not need to be worried who your FB friends are. My CSM in IRAQ came to me one day with the subordinate FB friend dilemma. He was not going to friend any of our Soldiers. Made sense, but like LT Rosa said, there is info there. It can't be ignored. In a number of cases we were able to stay head issues, often personal problems that for some reason a person will post on the net but not seek help form their COC. I don't see it as an issue as long as you stay professional -- as with all things.