Posted on Sep 6, 2022
What would you do if your unit gave you two days off to allow you to move into housing, but canceled your time off at the last minute?
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Hello, need advice as I am very confused and concerned. I am moving on base on Friday into a house I’ve been waiting months to get accepted. I’ve been living in a apartment on the third floor. A month ago, I asked my section sergeant if I could file for leave for two days to move my family and all my belongings onto base into the house. They told me not to and that they’d have someone cover my shift and give me the days off. Here I am two days away. I made arrangements to pick up the UHaul truck in the morning so I can get all my stuff packed and ready for move in. I just got told that I am no longer going to get those two days off, because no one is available to take my shift. So now I have to ask my wife to pick up a 26’ UHaul truck, and I have to wait until 18:00 to start loading my belongings, and then wait until 18:00 the next day to move my belongings in. No one in my unit will help me move so doing it myself will take time. What should I do in my situation? Suck it up and deal with it? I feel that I’m not being supported in taking care of my family. I wanted to take leave for this very reason.
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I got nothing that can ease the stress -- drive on with the lessons learned. 1) Don't trust the system to give you time if it is important...even as a CSM, I carved my time out with a DA31. 2) You now have a gauge on the character of the leadership in the unit (a baseline) who is reliable, who is empathetic, who gives you the straight scoop. Soak it all in and don't emulate the bad as you move up the ranks.
3) Go above your 1st line and explain the situation, but have all your ducks in order. You may still get the Heisman, but the supervisor will know more about your section sergeant too. 4) Embrace the suck; you are not alone, you are with your wife and this is a moment that will make your bond stronger. You can conquer the world together. You got this - Good Luck
3) Go above your 1st line and explain the situation, but have all your ducks in order. You may still get the Heisman, but the supervisor will know more about your section sergeant too. 4) Embrace the suck; you are not alone, you are with your wife and this is a moment that will make your bond stronger. You can conquer the world together. You got this - Good Luck
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Your Section is only one level of leadership. Talk with those higher. If need be, go talk with your 1SG and Commander via their Open Door Policy to explain your dilemma. Unfortunately, be prepared to suck it up and deal with it. I say this not to be a dick, but to say it as not all leadership out their cares enough. Of course, this tells me that even if you tried for a DA 31, your Section would have have denied it for the very same reason. They probably would not have ran it up the chain to the Commander. Get that 31 written up, and hand walk it up the chain. Take this as a hard lessoned learned. You need important stuff to take care of for family, put in a Pass/Leave request. That way, the ultimate decision is in the hands of the Commander. If they approve it, then your Section NCO has no say.
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Have you talked to your other in your section to see if they would be willing to swap days? Are there others that can do the job that are elsewhere in the unit that can swap with you? Outside the unit?
Have you talked to unit leadership (not just your section sergeant) about the situation to see if any support can be given? It might be a case of your section sergeant having a narrow view of the world of possibilities.
In the end it might come down to having to suck it up because the mission requirements threw you a curve ball and you'll have a hard learned lesson about informal "yeah, we got you" and 'formal' "I'm not available for duty" by having yourself officially on leave (which would remove you from the duty rotation on those days).
Have you talked to unit leadership (not just your section sergeant) about the situation to see if any support can be given? It might be a case of your section sergeant having a narrow view of the world of possibilities.
In the end it might come down to having to suck it up because the mission requirements threw you a curve ball and you'll have a hard learned lesson about informal "yeah, we got you" and 'formal' "I'm not available for duty" by having yourself officially on leave (which would remove you from the duty rotation on those days).
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