Barracks
Barracks
Posted on Jul 26, 2017
Can a different company's NCO enter a soldiers barracks room without the soldier present?
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Should an NCO from another company be able to enter a soldiers room wothout his consent or knowledge, and reprimand him for infractions found in said room?
Posted in these groups: 
Inspections
Barracks
Inspections Barracks
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 24
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First I would need to know why is there an NCO from another Unit in my AO. If the NCO in question was not authorized by my Chain of Command then they are traspassing and are libel to get their feelings hurt.
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Yes. For example, while on Duty I am required to tour the barracks. While I am responsible for the barracks, I may be required to enter another Marine's room while they are not present. I've entered rooms to check in on the occupants, to escort maintenance personnel to fix issues, to help the fire marshalls inspect for safety, etc.
Now if I'm in a Marine's room and I find something out in the open (drugs, a gun, pets, etc) it is literally my duty to correct the infractions. To do otherwise would make me negligent of my responsibilities.
Also, reading your comments, you mentioned that all view was blocked from the outside. I don't know how the Army runs, but in the Marine Corps, all barracks rooms have the window blinds open when the occupants aren't present to prevent unsavory activities from happening in the room.
Now if I'm in a Marine's room and I find something out in the open (drugs, a gun, pets, etc) it is literally my duty to correct the infractions. To do otherwise would make me negligent of my responsibilities.
Also, reading your comments, you mentioned that all view was blocked from the outside. I don't know how the Army runs, but in the Marine Corps, all barracks rooms have the window blinds open when the occupants aren't present to prevent unsavory activities from happening in the room.
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Cpl Justin Goolsby
SPC (Join to see) - Well your question was just asking if it was possible to enter without permission.
The only thing I can think of regarding your specific dilemma is whether or not the barracks manager is aware of the sliding door. Obviously it's not a regulation door. So if the barracks manager is aware of it, then the chain of command should be aware of it. If the chain of command is aware of it, then it could be argued that the other soldier was willfully trespassing or potentially trying to take advantage of the lack of security for your room.
I think the only way to come out on top is to spin it to make the other soldier the bad guy. Like you said, he had no business being in the room, he wasn't on duty. So he was most certainly trespassing. You would need to put him on the defensive.
The only thing I can think of regarding your specific dilemma is whether or not the barracks manager is aware of the sliding door. Obviously it's not a regulation door. So if the barracks manager is aware of it, then the chain of command should be aware of it. If the chain of command is aware of it, then it could be argued that the other soldier was willfully trespassing or potentially trying to take advantage of the lack of security for your room.
I think the only way to come out on top is to spin it to make the other soldier the bad guy. Like you said, he had no business being in the room, he wasn't on duty. So he was most certainly trespassing. You would need to put him on the defensive.
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SSG (Join to see)
SSgt Joseph Baptist - You are so right, by not going thru the soldiers chain of command he dished every NCO in that chain. I never took it well when other NCO's messed with my guys when I was at Ft. Hood. But at Hood, I was a squad leader for WTU and only I knew their medical records and mental status, so it was taboo to mess with another squad leaders team. I had another company's SGT mess with one of my guys who had PTSD, I chewed him out, so he went and got his SFC, I told the SFC lets take this to the commander, he decided to drop it.
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SP5 Richard Welch
Army has rules as does Marine Corps. Open blinds are for safety of all, not to search out or run across illegal activities. There are limits to all activities in military for a reason.
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Is that NCO from a different unit on CQ and the barracks door was left unsecured?
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SSG Robert Perrotto
SPC (Join to see) - the way I understand this - there are 2 people in the room, one from your company, one from his, he was inspecting his soldiers quarters, which he is in the right, the question is this, did he see stuff in the open from your soldier, or did he open drawers, wall lockers - if in the open, then absolutely, he is in the right, if in drawers or wall locker, then absolutely not.
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SSG Robert Perrotto
SSgt Joseph Baptist - is the sliding door in the room itself as a room divider? If so, that can be considered a fire hazard, and SM's are not to make changes like this without approval. second, it does not matter if the two soldiers from different companies, if they are in the same room, what the room mate does effects the health and welfare of the second soldier, and the NCO is within regulations if he is checking the whole room. What he cannot do is open drawers, lockers, or closets. If he was checking the window, and noticed things in the open, then he is in the right, if he was inspecting the refrigerator, which is a common used item, he is right, if he was checking a shared latrine, then he is right.
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SSG Robert Perrotto
SSgt Joseph Baptist - bottom line is this, it is apparent that the second Soldier had some things that should not have been there, things that appear to me were in the open. It appears to me that soneone is trying barracks lawyer there way out of some trouble
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