Posted on Jun 20, 2023
PFC Bradley Driver
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Often my specialists and below just come into my room during off duty hours to do inspections when its my personal time even when I tell them no. is this okay for them to do?
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Responses: 36
COL Randall C.
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Edited 9 mo ago
Can your chain-of-command (below the unit Commander) do an informal walkthrough during your off-duty hours? No.

Can your unit Commander who is responsible for the barracks conduct an informal walkthrough during your off-duty hours? Yes.

Can your chain-of-command (below the unit Commander) do an informal walkthrough during your off-duty hours IF the Commander has delegated that authority to do so? Yes.

Bottom line: The Commander 'owns' the barracks and is the only one that can authorize entrance for formal or informal inspections of a "private" living area (put in quotes as it is technically "more private" than "public"). HOWEVER, Commanders usually delegate this (I always did) down to first line leaders (for informal inspections).

There is no restriction on WHEN or HOW OFTEN a Commander (or those he delegates authority to) can do inspections, however they will have to use their judgement on what is 'too lax' and what is 'too onerous' and starts to affect morale.

There is a difference between a "spot walkthrough" for general cleanliness/upkeep and a more formal health and welfare inspection. If the latter, then those have to be systemic and applied across the board throughout the unit and are usually scheduled (not 'announced to the unit') by the Commander.

Can they "just come into my room" to do "inspections"? Again, it depends. Is it an informal "Just doing a quick check on you" or is it a more formal "Health and Welfare"? Yes to the former and No to the later.

There will usually be a unit or installation policy (typically called a "Barracks Management Policy") that governs when walkthroughs/inspections can occur.
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PO1 Robert Ryan
PO1 Robert Ryan
6 mo
My barracks surer in hades was not under the post housing authority. E-5 and above only had separate rooms. I was fortunate enough as a Buck sergeant to have my own room. Before that it was open bay barracks . Or don't they have those barracks any more. CQ duty I was required to check on the barracks as part of CQ duties. Guess I am Old School.
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TSgt Infantryman
TSgt (Join to see)
6 mo
Roger that, "Old School" back before woke BS,,,,,, the collapse.
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Cpl Greg Berman
Cpl Greg Berman
5 mo
SPC Gareth Mannion
Really ?
I'd be willing to bet having that cooter lying in bed with the youngster is #1 .
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SPC Gareth Mannion
SPC Gareth Mannion
5 mo
Cpl Greg Berman Not in countries with legalized prostitution. But on that note I work on a small Army base and I get told that by young soldiers all the time, Marriage gives me freedom.
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SGT Chris Padgett
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I don't know how long you've been with the unit, but when I was in, as a SP4, I was instructed by my section chief to do informal room inspections on the new guys. I wasn't to scream or discipline, just correct and report. Once we knew the new guy wasn't a slob, that stuff stopped.
On the obverse, I've seen some nosy barracks rats who just want to see what you got.
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PO3 Rob Laity
PO3 Rob Laity
9 mo
One must take into account the constitutional rights of a soldier with regard to unreasonable searches and seizures. The 4th Amendment still applies to the military. There is a limit as to how far an "inspection" can go without probable cause.
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TSgt Infantryman
TSgt (Join to see)
6 mo
Thats a big negative
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Sgt Mervyn Russell
Sgt Mervyn Russell
3 mo
In my time, you had no right's. Of course, That was 56 years ago.
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SSG Bill McCoy
SSG Bill McCoy
3 mo
PO3 Rob Laity - When it comes down to "Constitutional" rights, a unit INSPECTION, if authorized, has no bearing or Constitutional restrictions. A service member does not own his barracks room ... and the only time Search and Seizure issues arise is if the Military Police were to arrive, especially after so-called duty hours. Then, they would either have to have a formal Search Warrant, OR have the Commander's approval (Company Commander) and his or his NCO representative present since it's the Company Commander's area of responsibility/authority.
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CSM Darieus ZaGara
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You said Spc and below, there are no leaders or supervisors in that group, unless the SPC is in an NCO billet and the Commanders policy allows First line sups to check healthy md welfare.

Bottom line is the should be a unit SOP on barracks inspections and walkthroughs. Again that is almost always delegated to the NCO support channel, but with specific guidelines your cello section mates have no business in your room.
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CSM Darieus ZaGara
CSM Darieus ZaGara
8 mo
MSG Eddie N. That is the great thing about opinions, we all have them. The best part of that is to agree to disagree. I am not sure of your background but it was far and few between to have an E4 in an NCO role. When there was they were coached and mentored. They were not part of the SPC Mafia. In fact that would indicate that NCOs weren't doing tgier job if an E4 was running things behind the scenes.

I am glad on one point, I made you laugh. Have a great day MSG Negron
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MSG Eddie N.
MSG Eddie N.
8 mo
CSM Darieus ZaGara for 15 years I was a 12B Combat Engineer, and finished the last 10 in the Missile Defense program (definitely no SPCs running things there).

Have a good one as well, CSM.
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SPC David C.
SPC David C.
5 mo
Dude, as an E4 in the Corps, I was a squad leader and #3 behind the platoon commander and platoon sgt. Granted, the army is different and larger, but if you have two service members, one of them enlisted 1st and is the leader unless otherwise determined.
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CSM Darieus ZaGara
CSM Darieus ZaGara
5 mo
Well "Dude" I was responding to a question by a Soldier not a Marine. Anyone who served as long and at the levels that I have knows the difference clearly. spc in the Army can be temporarily assigned as an acting supervising NCOIC (acting) for a period of time. In any case it was a service specific question.

Have a happy Tday.
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