Posted on May 11, 2014

YOU are the 1SG. Your spouse tells you about a FaceBook post with disparaging remarks about the unit leadership. What do you do?

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Your spouse calls you at work one night to tell you about the latest FaceBook drama. It seems that one of your Platoon Sergeant's spouses has posted remarks on their personal FaceBook discussing the terrible leadership in your unit. What do you do?

Posted in these groups: Army usa or 08a.svg

1SG

Posted >1 y ago

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Nothing! It is a personal page and their own personal buisiness!

Discuss with the PSG how this could be detrimental to the unit's morale.

Formally counsel the PSG and tell them to get their spouse under control.

Log onto your own FaceBook and slam the spouse on their own page.

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Responses: 39

CPT (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

You absolutely should talk the PSG, but not with the intent to squelch it. Is this what he/she is saying at home? Is it true? Is there a problem? As 1SG, it is your job to know! Ignore this to your peril; it's a red flag.

I want to address a separate issue...how many of you said "wife?" MSG Stewart never mentioned gender and never said that the "spouse" was not currently serving (or prior service). And even if the person was a female who never served a day, if she is married to a PSG, this is probably not her first day as an Army spouse and her input should not be automatically devalued.

None of the voting options were to take the spouse's remark as a legitimate concern so I didn't vote.

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CW2 (Join to see)

>1 y

Great points! I purposely avoided gender. I glad someone noticed! Your point of discussing the issue with the PSG is spot on in my opinion. What are the true underlying issues? Is the spouse only echoing what the PSG is saying at home? There truly is a lot more information to be sought after here.

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SFC Christopher Perry

>1 y

CPT Wolfer covered it in my mind. I always love the assumption that the spouse is a female. I can promise you that male spouses have more than their share of issues. Especially if they are former service members.

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1SG Brian Adams

8 y

Young Captain, your First Sergeant, I am sure, performs minor miracles on a daily basis that do not require your knowledge. I would beg to differ from your comment of the 1SGs job to know. He/she may not have knowledge of any social media scuttlebutt and often times the soldier in the unit never communicates any grievances. I can assure you, if the Company/Battery leadership is in question, it smacks on you as well Captain!

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1SG Jay Vanderford

8 y

Personally, I would ignore it altogether, for many reasons, but the most important is Face Book. Its a social network, if someone were to look at my page and try to figure out who I am they would be way off base, only my friends see the real me. Its a fantasy land that people make what they want it to be, feeding into it is exactly what the person that did the writing wants, if you ignore that socially inept person that only has the ability to communicate through that media or texting, they will either approach you or stop writing. I have found that the people that use Face Book as a means of communication are usually socially awkward lacking the ability to communicate face to face. My grandfather always told me, believe nothing you hear and half of what you see, that has kept me out of a lot of issues in life. If its truly important, that person will talk to the leadership in a professional manner with their concerns, giving the leadership the opportunity to discuss it. And anyone else, mature that is, will ignore it as just another Face book rant.

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SSG Trevor S.

Posted >1 y ago

Aside from giving SSG Woods some gruff, my thoughts on this were developed by an LT who had a flash of brilliance between sessions exploring which way was North. I do not accept current unit/work "friends" on my personal face book account until I leave that unit/job. It cuts down on drama like turning the channel on a soap opera.

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SFC (Join to see)

>1 y

@ SSG Vickie Michelle Woods... Great comment!

I hate when the "Army Wives" that have never served thy to wear their husband's rank and boss you and your wife around.

But that's another story.

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SFC (Join to see)

>1 y

The last time I checked... there is no rank structure among civilians...spouses or otherwise.

Just because spouse X's hubby is 1 pay grade higher does not mean she can boss her manager (my wife) around and get away with it.

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SGT Morrison (Mike) Hogwood

8 y

SSG V. Michelle Woods - My wife was prior service,never ever did she try to stay in the Army,now as she supported me through my career and was one the best Military spouses.

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