Posted on May 21, 2020
What regulations exist addressing barracks room inspections? How can I determine if I have a legitimate complaint?
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So I'm not doing this to gripe or complain as much as I want to. This is for my knowledge so I can defend myself and others alike. I'm currently staying and the barracks of unit "B" because I did a lateral transfer to new unit "A". Currently working night shift and have been up since 1200 the day prior. Went to work at 1600 and got off work at 0430. (I still don't receive separate rations so I had no meal or mre during the majority of that time). I finally make it home in bed to sleep at 0500 to get woken up at 0630 by an NCO from unit B telling me everyone needs to go outside. Me absolutely tired as hell puts on some civilian clothing and goes outside to find out the MPS will be searching the building with dogs because they suspect drugs. A buddy of mine got called in not for drugs but for a training round from the 30 mm gun which is inert and not even able to fire but that's beside the point it was under a drawer in the very back underneath several items. They're gone through his room and searched thoroughly with only the first sergeant and a sergeant first class present. I don't know what his punishment will be but that's not my concern. My concern is that I was never even notified of this even happening, they have now ruined my sleep schedule and took them roughly 3 hours to finish. And I have no idea what my room is going to look like when I get back such as my $1,800 headset being thrown against the wall or my PC tipped over because they want to see what's behind it or my medical records that are in a safe that they shouldn't be going through. anything in the world they want to go through ruin who's to say that they're responsible when I don't even know who's going in through my room and I come to find out stuff is broken stuff is out of place stuff is stolen and let's see if they did want to charge me for something with no MP present and no drug dogs present that alerted the room saying I have something bad. And meanwhile this whole time I'm absolutely tired and have working here in a couple hours again to do probably another 12 hour shift. Like I said I'm not trying to complain on here I just want to know what grounds do I have to stand on if something like this occurred. And my current chain of command never knew anything about this or if they did they didn't tell me about it?
Barracks
Inspections
Sleeping
Army Regulations
Legal Assistant
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 81
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Well PFC let me tell you a little story years ago I got put on post police for being a idiot anyway top decided he was going to do a barracks inspection I found out the hard way why they do inspections I left my darn wallet on my bed and thank God top found it and not my battery commander because top found what I was hiding in my wallet and every soldier on here knows what I am talking about so top put the punishment on me for awhile but I could have been thrown out the army but instead I have been clean and sober for 27 years because of a BQ inspection so let's just say I'm grateful for that inspection
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I don't know how it is in the Army, I was a 1st Sgt in the AF, but when individuals in my unit worked night shifts I just asked them to place the no disturb sign on the door and I would respect that. As for searching the room, we were allowed to look inside of closets, in dresser draws but if we had to move anything to find something that was a no no. We had to have cause to actually go through draws or closet and use anything for evidence. If we felt there were drugs then we would have security people come in with their dog. I would tell my troops if they didn't want me to see anything, then lock it up.
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"Waa Waa Waa. I had to work all night and now they won't let me sleep. Top--you didn't ask my permission to check my room. I "feel" violated and marginalized." Only Regulation is--you are subject to it whenever. Put your Big Boy Pants on PFC and quitcha bitchin.
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You have no right to know about a health and welfare inspection until it happens to you. If you have anything broken or stolen during the inspection, you’ll have to prove that somehow. You might be able to go to JAG for assistance with filing a claim against the government. That’s just the joys of living in the barracks. It’s much better though than marrying a local girl for the BAH and then going off post only to find yourself divorced a few years later.
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Off topic, but please learn how to write. Learn how to use proper capitalization, punctuation, etc. Your professional writing skills need a lot of improvement. Good writing is very important while in the military. Good writing will help you long after you leave the military. Most employers will throw your resume in the trash if it has even a few mistakes. They don't want to have to teach you how to write when they can just hire another candidate with better communication skills.
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In the end, barracks belong to Military. Soldiers inside,belong to military, as well as all things contained inside,except for personal items. If your personal items were damaged, you can complain to your battalion NCO. Unfortunately this will only bring more attention to yourself, and you will be labeled a malcontent or trouble maker. It's better to accept barracks living for what it is. If dogs are an issue, and cause unnecessary hassles, do as we did. Take a sandwich baggie, and place pepper, chilli peppers,garlic, and anything else you can find that is extremely spicy under a wall locker or other furniture near entrance to your room. Do not get baggies that seal shut, this will ruin dogs sense of smell for several hours, and it takes several rooms past yours for MPs to figure out the dogs nose is dead, so to speak.
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First off, a Health and Welfare Inspection is not something that happens all the time. If its done by the unit, its more than likely an inspection to see how the soldier is living and often times, the soldier is standing there while the inspection is taking place and to allow the inspector to ask questions of the soldier. Also, since the command is aware that the soldier may have just gotten off duty, he\she may be one of the first to be inspected, so they can secure their items and get some rest.
Keep in mind, during any inspection, the person conducting the inspection, can not just go through and take things out of place or throw things around the room. Any item removed, would need to be place where the soldier can place the item back to its original location. The same thing happens when the MP's come in with a dog and want to go through several rooms. They know what rooms they're interested, but they may choose 4 rooms on the 1st floor and 6 rooms on the 2nd floor, which the rooms they enter, will include the room(s) of interest.
Also, if 2 or more people live in a room, they all would be present while the room is being inspected and should something illegal be found in the room and no one owns up to its belonging, everyone in the room will have a chance to speak with "JAG" prior to any punishment being handed down. But, if one person owns up to the belonging, that person, still has to see a JAG Officer, prior to any punishment being handed down.
Keep in mind, during any inspection, the person conducting the inspection, can not just go through and take things out of place or throw things around the room. Any item removed, would need to be place where the soldier can place the item back to its original location. The same thing happens when the MP's come in with a dog and want to go through several rooms. They know what rooms they're interested, but they may choose 4 rooms on the 1st floor and 6 rooms on the 2nd floor, which the rooms they enter, will include the room(s) of interest.
Also, if 2 or more people live in a room, they all would be present while the room is being inspected and should something illegal be found in the room and no one owns up to its belonging, everyone in the room will have a chance to speak with "JAG" prior to any punishment being handed down. But, if one person owns up to the belonging, that person, still has to see a JAG Officer, prior to any punishment being handed down.
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USN here. We had a base CO on Diego Garcia that hated my unit. He would pull health and welfare inspection all the time. We hired a Filipino contractor as a side gig to clean our room every day. We threw extra cash and got our uniforms squared away. We enough time after work for San Miguel’s and Lumpias. Base CO moved on to another command.
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Dear Zac,
I have to say from my admittedly dated perspective that you have unrealistic perspectives. I do understand your viewpoint. I was an enlisted soldier and a SGT before I earned my commission. Your room in the barracks, whatever unit owns it, is NOT a private space for you. You have no expectation of privacy or fixed hours of sleep or fixed hours of duty. And you have no reason to believe that you can keep something "private" in a safe in your room. When I served, there were no safes allowed for anyone except the Army. A soldier could not lock up or conceal anything in a private safe inside a government-owned building. It's all about the needs of the service. If an inspection reveals illegal items (like a 30 mm training round) in a soldier's possession, then you can expect the command to look further. I do understand your distress with valuable personal property being damaged, but you don't have the right of approval or consent to inspection of your quarters. I wish you well, but until you earn the right to live in government quarters or off post, don't expect the right to privacy. Please note that I am NOT an attorney, so please don't raise legal niceties in reply.
I have to say from my admittedly dated perspective that you have unrealistic perspectives. I do understand your viewpoint. I was an enlisted soldier and a SGT before I earned my commission. Your room in the barracks, whatever unit owns it, is NOT a private space for you. You have no expectation of privacy or fixed hours of sleep or fixed hours of duty. And you have no reason to believe that you can keep something "private" in a safe in your room. When I served, there were no safes allowed for anyone except the Army. A soldier could not lock up or conceal anything in a private safe inside a government-owned building. It's all about the needs of the service. If an inspection reveals illegal items (like a 30 mm training round) in a soldier's possession, then you can expect the command to look further. I do understand your distress with valuable personal property being damaged, but you don't have the right of approval or consent to inspection of your quarters. I wish you well, but until you earn the right to live in government quarters or off post, don't expect the right to privacy. Please note that I am NOT an attorney, so please don't raise legal niceties in reply.
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If in doubt, ask your chain of command.
Not satisfied? You can always go to the IG or JAG. Make sure it isn't frivolous.
Not satisfied? You can always go to the IG or JAG. Make sure it isn't frivolous.
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