What ever happened to taking care of Soldiers?

2014-02-24T22:02:45-05:00

I'm not saying it is everywhere, well, because I'm not everywhere.  But if you see it too then please leave your experience.  What ever happen to taking care of Soldiers?? It seems like "some" leadership I have been running into lately just want to progress in their career, or are in it for themselves.  Are we forgetting that we are a Army?  Has it been going on for awhile and I am just now seeing it? 

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2014 10:13 PM

2014-02-24T22:13:28-05:00

SSG White,

Firstly, I am not making excuses. However, this day in age, military futures are uncertain. It is getting pretty dog eat dog out here. There are those really great NCOs that take great care of their Soldiers. However, in order to succeed, you have to get out there and set yourself apart from your peers. It is unwisely assumed that all leaders take care of their Soldiers.

As a SGT, I feel that alot of my responsibility is taking care of my Soldiers, and I wish many of my peers feel the same. I am the first line. I am the one closest to them that should be able to notice any problems and work to remedy them quickly before they escalate. However, the NCO Corps has gotten away from that. In order to remain competitive, you have to go "above and beyond". Unfortunately, taking great care of Soldiers is not fully recognized. Too many leaders are finding it easier to say "Screw the Soldiers, I gotta look out for me". This is wrong. They forget that without Soldiers, we have no jobs.

It is more advantageous to forget pretty much the whole second paragraph of the NCO Creed. Those that care and spend time taking care of Soldiers are the same ones that are being squeezed out. I think not enough emphasis is placed on caring for Soldiers. If it were, more leaders would try (or at least fake it) to get ahead. I've never seen anyone recognized for caring for their Soldiers. Nowadays, its trying to look good on paper rather than actually make a difference. The best NCOs I've seen, never get credit for what I consider a job well done.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2014 10:16 PM

2014-02-24T22:16:04-05:00

Unfortunately taking care of Soldiers will not get you promoted, but it helps me sleep at night.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2014 10:41 PM

2014-02-24T22:41:34-05:00

The VA does what it can and the limitations can be largely overcome with community involvement and ways of taking care of our military community who made may be living in an emergency.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Feb 24 at 2014 11:19 PM

2014-02-24T23:19:33-05:00

Seems "some" Soldiers find it easier to complain about leaders not taking care of Soldiers instead of tightening up their bootstraps and taking care of themselves and their own Soldiers.

I've always been a firm believer in 'taking care of Soldiers', but wasting time (yes, it's gotten that bad to say this) taking care of Soldiers that don't take the initiative to take care of themselves gets old.

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made May 1 at 2014 8:50 AM

2014-05-01T08:50:20-04:00

SSG White,

I glanced down the thread prior to posting this which I do not normally do. So this may cover my perspective on a few of the responses as well. At the moment I am in one of those very strange and unusual positions as an NCO. Meaning I can actually focus on myself and my career for once. These are quite rare so I intend to capitalize on it. I am doing things at the moment that may help me down the line. However, I am still not concerned with surviving cutbacks or getting promoted. I have never concentrated on either and never will. When I am back doing my actual job, I will pick up right where I left off. I will do the job I am tasked with to the best of my abilities and take care of my Soldiers. In the end these are the only two things that matter. They will continue to carry me forward in my career in the Army (or not) and get me promoted when I deserve to be promoted, period.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2014 11:40 AM

2014-05-01T11:40:48-04:00

I miss the days of "personal responsibility". Believe it or not there was a time when if a Soldier messed up the leader wasn't thrown under the bus, and the Soldier was punished.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2014 11:48 AM

2014-05-01T11:48:07-04:00

I think what you are seeing is fear of the draw down so it's every man for themselves. I'm fortunate enough right now that both my commander and 1SG are both in to soldier care. Now that maybe because they are both nearing retirement but they do genuinely care. I've had leaders that could careless about soldiers and I find it irritating. We are supposed to leave things better than we found them. If we don't mentor and care for soldiers how are we leaving the Army?

Response by CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A. made May 1 at 2014 2:09 PM

2014-05-01T14:09:12-04:00

The first thing that come to mind is what do you mean by taking care of Soldiers? Counseling plays a part in this, as does hard training and UCMJ. Separations take care of the Army. Courts Martial takes care of society and the Army. Everything else is "taking care of Soldiers". The only real question is the competence and thoughtfulness of the leaders using those tools to take care of Soldiers.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made May 1 at 2014 2:13 PM

2014-05-01T14:13:19-04:00

What are you talking about? I tuck my soldiers into bed, give them a glass of warm milk, and read them a story every night. I just don't kiss them good night, that would be fraternization.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 1 at 2014 2:19 PM

2014-05-01T14:19:47-04:00

Well, when you start massive cuts to our population, and loudly encourage everyone to set themselves ahead of their peers to avoid the cuts, you're going to foster a cut throat "me vs them" mentality.

It's going to be hard not to be selfish when your reward for NOT taking care of yourself is going to be the door...

Welcome to The Purge.
&
May the odds be ever in your favor.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2014 12:46 PM

2014-12-13T12:46:50-05:00

The thing is folks don't know what it means to take care of Soldiers anymore. In this new age of Army people think that it's all about going to their houses and being up in their business, but it's not about that at all. Taking care of Soldiers means that you are mentoring them and giving them the tools that they will need to take our Army further. It means talking to your Soldiers about any and everything. Talk about their families, talk about their plans for the future, talk about any and everything. It means teaching your Soldiers how to do things and then evaluating them on how they do it. It means not babysitting them through a task, you have to give them the task and trust that they'll get it done. Afterward, you check their work and give them feedback. Never tell someone how to do something, just give them the mission and let them surprise you with their ingenuity. If you have to yell and cuss them out (not recommended, but sometimes....) in order to snap their asses back to reality, then you can't be afraid to do so. However once all of the yelling stops, then it's time to retrain and put them back out there.

The reason why the art of taking care of Soldiers has diminished is because leaders fear being around their Soldiers. Nowadays Soldiers are filing IG and SHARP complaints left and right and leaders don't want any part of that, so they let them fall by the wayside. Part of the problem is that leaders give those young Hooahs a reason to go to IG and SHARP, because they start out as trying to be buddy buddy with the troop and trying to date the troop and all of the sort, but they're not trying to take them in and show them the ropes in the right manner. You have to sit your Warriors down and give them the spill on how the Army actually works.

Response by SGT Michael Glenn made Jan 8 at 2015 1:57 PM

2015-01-08T13:57:15-05:00

SSG Cody White, this has been an issue for decades. Not all but too many chains are only interested in their careers and not in the learning aspect of their soldiers or the health and welfare of their soldiers. While stationed in Germany it was not allowed to search out or venture into the many tunnels and bunkers left behind by Hittler and UCMJ action was pushed to the max if caught .Back then we had what was known as SGT's time every Thursday, during one such day we had a newly promoted E-6 take his soldiers into the sewer system in search of a way into the under ground Motor pool beneath the foot ball field. A soldier slipped in the slime and fell some distance and was severely injured. They had to drag him out, he wound up loosing his leg because of the damage and the whole time this soldier was being rescued...the E-6 sat on a log, with his hands cupping his face crying saying " My career" over and over again.not once did he voice concerns about his soldier and when he wound up having to report to the CO, he brought his entire family with him, all in tears and all begging the Co to not punish daddy/ hubby... what makes it even worse is the Co let him off with just a bullet in his NCOER. Thats the worse case I ever saw. The SSg left the unit with a P.

Response by SMSgt Tony Barnes made Oct 17 at 2015 9:19 AM

2015-10-17T09:19:42-04:00

The fact that the Army needed to spin up the Warrior Transition Battalions shows that 'taking care of soldiers' was no longer a given. Time and time again I have heard how units treat a broken soldier like a malingerer because of their medical appointments. It was a huge disappointment to me to see how junior enlisted soldiers are treated in the Army.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2015 11:53 AM

2015-10-17T11:53:23-04:00

Mission first, people Always!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 17 at 2015 12:39 PM

2015-10-17T12:39:02-04:00

Since the dawn of time, mankind had people who were selfish and toxic.