Compassionate reassignment

2014-09-09T16:48:19-04:00

I am trying to help a friend. He is currently stationed in Fort Lewis Washington and going through a divorce. His wife and children are moving near Fort Campbell, KY. He talked to his chaplain to get a compassionate reassignment but his commander will not sign off on it. His battalion commander has no interest in helping him, should he just keep trying to go up the chain or is there another option for him?

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Sep 9 at 2014 5:50 PM

2014-09-09T17:50:56-04:00

Is the battalion commander the approval/disapproval authority? If not, it should go forward (with the battalion commander's recommendation).

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Sep 9 at 2014 6:22 PM

2014-09-09T18:22:42-04:00

I concur with SFC Jerry Crouch - I had a Soldier in my platoon who was in almost an identical situation, and he was unable to get a compassionate reassignment, for the basis laid out by SFC Jerry Crouch in #2 in his post. I also agree with the point made by SGM Matthew Quick that based on my experience, this issue tends to be initially signed off on by the first O-5 in the individual's chain of command. Again, this is based on my experience, and I have also had SMs in my units successful receive compassionate reassignments, though I did not have great visibility on the details there.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 9 at 2014 7:52 PM

2014-09-09T19:52:19-04:00

Compassionate Reassignments are not going to help for a divorce. They are actually hard to get approved. My infant son has a 106* fever and was in the hospital for 2 weeks. After running the gamut of every test known to man, the head allergist for Fort Rucker came in and told me to immediately get him out of the south (DO NOT FLY!!!! Just DRIVE!!) Within 100 miles, he was breathing normally for the first time in 10 months without coughing. He had some non-specific environmental allergy (most likely peanut dust he said). I was told to bring my son BACK o get the exact allergy determined BEFORE they would approve it. NO COMMON SENSE!!! I finally got my branch manager to reassign me to the first place that was about to deploy just so I could rejoin my family.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2014 8:14 PM

2014-09-09T20:14:52-04:00

The approval authority should reside at HRC. Have your friend dig into the regulation to double check. If that is indeed the case, then it should just require a 4187 to be submitted to HRC through his unit. A local commander wouldn't be able to prevent the request from going all the way up to the approval authority, but can make the recommendation to deny the request and submit it with the packet. More than likely the soldier won't get it approved, but maybe the stars will align. I just arrived at JBLM myself and left my wife and kids at Fort Hood in the middle of a divorce. Just remember that needs of the Army almost always trump an individual soldier's wants. Best of luck to your friend.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 10 at 2014 3:59 PM

2014-09-10T15:59:35-04:00

It is processed up through the Commander who is the General Court Martial Convening Authority (GCMCA)which is going to be your first General Officer in Soldiers Chain of Command / some (few) BDE CDRs have been granted GCMCA authority. The GCMCA can disapprove the request and it will not be processed further. However, HRC (Compassionate Branch) is final approval Authority.
That being said, I have a hard time believing a Divorce warrants an approval, unless there are some underlying situations which would warrant approval (medical reasons).

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2016 2:12 PM

2016-08-29T14:12:24-04:00

anyone knows how this reassignment works for AGR's in remote locations?

Response by MSG James Devereaux made Feb 5 at 2019 12:38 PM

2019-02-05T12:38:52-05:00

I’m not sure why a divorce warrants a compassionate reassignment. They’re typically to help get medical care or something of significant magnitude. A divorce wouldn’t qualify