Are Chain of Commands really "pro" family?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 10:53:59 -0500

Response by 1SG Steven Stankovich made Jan 14 at 2014 11:09 AM

1SG Steven Stankovich — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 11:09:50 -0500

Not sure what you are looking for here SSG Keith. Do you mean pro-family as considering the unit a family? Or pro-family in regards to marital status of their members? Please drill down what you are looking for so we can better provide you some insight.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Sep 20 at 2014 12:02 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 12:02:23 -0400

Some are, some are not. A chain of command is a group of people, with their own needs and desires. In my opinion, the good ones are pro family, but in the end, there comes a point where mission trumps everything and normally that means the family has to suck it up.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Sep 20 at 2014 12:37 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 12:37:52 -0400

If you are referring to the old mantra of "mission first, people always", its a tough call. I always tried to err on the side of family, and many of my colleagues - superiors and subordinates tried to do the same to create a comfortable command climate. By this I mean, unless we were doing a range qual or other annual type of event or training, letting the SM make up a UTA/MUTA for "less than substantial" reasons or time request. From my NG perspective, after 9/11 when OPTEMPO, training cycles, requirements, manning, deployments and pretty much the entire play book was re-written, "mission first" had to take priority. Family as a - and I use this term ever so delicately because I have one too - "distractor" for missing drills, training, alerts and deployments,, even with timely notification, really became a no-go at this station. Buy the time I retired I think things were loosening up a bit but not yet to the point where they were before 9/11.

Response by CPT Mike M. made Sep 24 at 2014 5:52 PM

CPT Mike M. — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 17:52:26 -0400

You can't ask a generalized question like that and expect a straightforward answer. Some are much more so than others.

Response by SPC Mae Richardson made Sep 27 at 2014 10:24 AM

SPC Mae Richardson — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 10:24:48 -0400

Mine was only if you were part of their club. I was National Guard so I know that that is not how a majority of military chain of commands are. My father's Regular Army chain of command was very pro-family. They allowed my father leave when my mother had 2 miscarriages in one year and even arranged for a chaplain to visit with them and food to be brought to us while my mother was recovering. It greatly depends on the circumstances and the people in your chain of command though.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Oct 1 at 2014 7:39 AM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 07:39:02 -0400

Depends on the Commander plan and simple. I have had ones trying to fast burn and it was "yes" to everything and damn how many hours it took and what rules were broken or bent to do it and others where they truly cared about family

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2014 1:54 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 13:54:24 -0400

Some are and some aren't. I have had the honor of serving with or under both.

Response by SGT Lynn Strezeski, DSc made Oct 8 at 2014 10:34 AM

SGT Lynn Strezeski, DSc — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 10:34:23 -0400

The plural of Chain of Command is Chains of Command. Now you know.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Apr 15 at 2021 11:30 PM

SFC Melvin Brandenburg — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 23:30:32 -0400

As long as you remember you're married to the army first