What type of reprimand for not doing CAO/CNO duties

1SG Jeffrey Bergeron — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 16:38:37 -0400

during red cycle all senior NCOs and CPT and above are put on the Casualty Notification Officer, Casualty Assistance Officer (CNO/CAO), and told to go get training. Once on the recall roster given to the Casualty Assistance Center they will call and call and have to call the next person on the list , the one that answers the call gets the duty. This detail has no reprimand , and the result is "just don't answer the phone " and the Senior NCO or Officer that does answer the phone "does the right thing" gets duty. This should be fixed, Senior leadership needs to be held accountability for not taking the honor of assisting parents or spouses at their most desperate time.

What type of punishment should be imposed?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2014 5:09 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 17:09:13 -0400

1SG I would recommend using a DA6 for the duty as opposed to a roster with everybody on it, and whoever answers, gets the duty. That way one person knows they have the duty and there is no one to caver them if they decide to sham out and not answer.

Punishment is impossible in your scenario (in my opinion) because you have to be able to prove that they did in fact ignore the phone call.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2014 10:31 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 10:31:01 -0400

1SG- How I've experienced CAO/CNO in the past is a roster was published reflecting who would be on "stand-by" and for what duration (2 weeks, 1 month, etc). If you got the call, you executed (I was a CAO for 18 mos while serving as a 1SG). The assignment of CNO/CAO is not about that Officer/NCO, it's about serving/assisting those family members.

It's hard to stomach the idea of an Officer/NCO trying to side step that duty. However, I concur with MSG Cunningham- stick with the facts as to why they were not able to perform their duties. If in-fact they actually did "side step" the duty, then at least a letter of reprimand (not the local kind- require written policy & vetted thru JAG) and it would definitely need to be reflected on their evaluation report (Loyalty, Duty, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity= "NO"). By all means, it should not be swept under the rug. It must be recorded. We need to protect our profession and these "leaders" need to be dealt with accordingly.

Response by 1SG Jeffrey Bergeron made Jun 13 at 2014 10:57 AM

1SG Jeffrey Bergeron — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 10:57:58 -0400

All the requirements are layout in the division FRAGO, all individuals on the CNO/CAO roster are trained with a two day course here at Fort Stewart. The point I my trying to get to is once on the duty the senior leadership are told to have their ASU ready for a hour recall, and you must have your phone and answer it. once you get the call you have one hour to get to the CAC.

I am referring to the Seniors that don't answer. My commander was the rear detachment commander for this last deployment. The was one Senior NCO that answered the call from the CAC and no showed the CAC never reported for duty. From what I know there was no reprimand the CAC just called the next person on the roster and carried on with business I think that is wrong. It sets the wrong standard of not do answering your phone because there is nobody being held accountability.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Feb 6 at 2015 9:59 AM

SGM Erik Marquez — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 09:59:14 -0500

A better question is, when did duty become a choice?

I've only run CAO/CNO rosters for a BN and DIV, so perhaps I don't have the breadth of experience to answer your question.. You can decide.., but....it's not, never been a choice. Red cycle unit (or however your MSC does it) is tasked to have xx number of trained SM in specific ranks. This task is passed down to each subordinate unit.. which if Im not mistaken has a commander and senior NCO... THOSE TWO at each level are responsible for ensuring the required personnel are trained.
The MSC tells the CAO/CNO coordinator, usually a civilian, what unit is up for rotation..when that coordinator calls that units rostered SM's THEY DAMN WELL BETTER ANSWER THE PHONE... If not, then a commander or 1SG is doing the tasking.

Response by SFC Vernon McNabb made Feb 6 at 2015 10:34 AM

SFC Vernon McNabb — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 10:34:56 -0500

Here at Ft. Rucker, we are placed on CAO/CNO duty for the entire month (I had it in October, and will have it agin in March). If you recive a call anytime during your month, and do not answer the phone, then it is considered failing to report for duty. I agree with the other posts, that a roster is good for keeping up with who is trained, but a DA6 will help ensure that the Soldiers know they have an obligation to report when called. You may want to get with your Casualty Assistance Office at your location, and determine a better way to handle this. It may come down to if a person refuses a call, then notify the first O-6/E-9 in the chain to alert them. It truly is disheartening to think people just dodge this duty, when the ones who suffer are the families of the deceased.

Nobody wants to get the call, but it should be because we don't want to see a fallen Warrior, not because it is an inconvenience.

Response by SFC Vernon McNabb made Feb 6 at 2015 3:44 PM

SFC Vernon McNabb — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 15:44:39 -0500

When it becomes such an issue that the Post CSM needs to be involved, then we have bigger issues other than people not answering their phone. When you put into the perspective of:

Leadership: Leaders need to be engaged in the issue
Duty: It is our duty to look after our own (and their families)
Responsibility: We, as Officers and NCOs are responsible for the care of our military community
Selfless Service: We need to put the needs of the families who have suffered a loss before our own needs.
Honor: This is not a detail, it is an honor to take care of Soldiers and their family.
Integrity: Do the right thing, ALWAYS!
Personal Courage: Have the courage to do what's right, even if it makes you uncomfortable.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Feb 6 at 2015 6:02 PM

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 18:02:53 -0500

1SG B B, I recommend you actually talk to them, see if there's an underlying problem before issuing a reprimand.

The loss of life during a deployment is extremely tough, especially when you live, eat, sleep, laugh, cry, fart and fight together every day. I really did not know how tough a memorial ceremony was at home station until going to a memorial service for the Blue Spaders. Even though I had just redeployed, I felt an overwhelming amount of guilt that I was not deployed with them, I felt like I was partially responsible for that young man's death because I was not there even though I was not even in that BN or BDE - I felt guilty that I was going home at night and we have Soldiers on patrol, standing guard and facing a determined, armed enemy while I was not with them, once again even though I had just finished a 14 month deployment!

Considering your situation, I put myself in the position of being one of those "red cycle leaders" using some of my experiences, I would not have been able to perform the CAO/CNO duty at that time 1SG and quite honestly, it would be an extremely hard thing for me to do even now. It might just be worth talking to those on the duty to see what the situation is with them.

Response by CSM Dwayne Perry made Feb 18 at 2015 12:29 PM

CSM Dwayne Perry — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 12:29:17 -0500

As a post CSM (which I was) the BN and Bde CSM would be coming in to have an office call with me. Don't use a sledge hammer when you have a hammer and mallet else you ruin the wood