Why is it so hard to discharge soldiers who continually miss drill/battle assembly?

During several officer assignments in the Army National Guard, including company commander, I faced this situation, so I decided to take active measures. These included contacting a Soldier's employer directly offering to provide a drill schedule and discussing the employer's requirements under USERRA (when work conflict was the Soldier's excuse of choice). I even dropped in at a Soldier's employer, a car dealer, with a pre-written counseling form and had the offender sign it right there. I also conducted home visits with my Readiness NCO on those who failed to report. Believe me, the expression on a Soldier's face when he sees his commander and the unit Readiness NCO at his front door is priceless. My biggest frustration, however, wasn't with the Soldiers who didn't show up, but rather with the unsat Soldiers the National Guard insisted on keeping in the ranks. Once, I recommended that two NCOs, both with 20 years of service, not be retained and provided documentation as to my reasoning (multiple APFT failures, failure to meet height/weight, unsatisfactory performance) but both stayed in uniform. This may be part of the "numbers game," but it has a corrosive effect on morale and a leader's ability to maintain standards.

Can't speak for Reserve side of house, but on Guard side it takes generally 4 months to discharge a Soldier for Unsats. 3 months (usually) to accumulate the 9 UTA's needed and a additional month to get paperwork processed. That includes the certified letters, etc.

It all boils down to what the policy letters, and SOP's state on how to address unsat performance. On the Guard side not only do they lose all their benefits, a General discharge, there's also the civilian legal trouble they get into. In TN I can swear a warrant out for AWOL. Soldier gets arrested and has to go in front of judge. If they don't turn their gear in...guess what? Yup another warrant. If value of gear over $1000.00 guess what? A felony(theft over 1000.00). So yes 2nd and 3rd order effects can and sometimes are painful.

There are some Commanders that either don't know how to do the paperwork and are not wanting to ask or the Commanders simply do not want to do the paperwork.

This is a struggle. I am happy you brought it up. I have two soldiers that comes and goes.. and one even stayed away for 4-5 months, then came back and is not punished. It has gone so far that I no longer want to be a part of it. The Army used to follow it's own rule book - now it is cater to the weakest element. A "no child left behind" mentality. The Army is getting weaker for it, and I can no longer represent that weakness with a pure heart.

Toss them into the IRR after two missed drills. Keep your slots open for those who want to be there.

dude, I missed 1 push up on my last pt test a month before my contract ended and they flagged my to stay for another year, so I just left. I got 23 days before my chapter, but honestly that was sum seriouse bullshit on the armys part, I even had 2 no count push ups but they still gave me the shaft. i wasn't in the right state of mind at that time, pretty depressed and yet they did nothing about it, plus i had dislocated my shoulder a few times but still no relief. So chew on that before you judge for stiff penalty's!

It is this generation has never had to be accountable, they grew up in give them another chance, do overs, and everybody is a winner, not to mention my favorite your special (like a little yellow bus special but that is my opinion). You can't touch them, beat them into submission, and paperwork doesn't intimidate them. I am all for spend the weekend at drill or spend it in jail, but the police have far more pressing things to do.

It must be “Murphy’s Law” because I’ve seen good soldiers on AD and in the AR that made a mistake, and plead their cases to stay in and were pink-slipped in a month, while the dirt-bags completed their enlistments before they were ever chaptered out.

how do you even get an unsat?

This is a great question. I look forward to everyone's answer!