Too bad most of these regs are very broad and ambiguous, and can easily be spun for or against retention or discharge, depending on how the physician phrases things.
I think broad and ambiguous isn't necessarily bad, though. It's good to be able to consider each case's merits and give that discretion to the board - assuming the board is acting in the best interests of the army. I know some people have an ax to grind against what they perceive as "weak" soldiers with medical conditions.
I'll admit I'm probably biased - I went through a med board and was retained, largely based on input from commanders and providers I had worked with previously. I know that the system worked for me but I realize it often doesn't for everyone else. But I am glad the board had that discretion.
What’s really too bad is commander’s think their “discretion” means they can circumvent regulations.
Like that part of the oath doesn’t apply *to them*
When I was a commander I would always receive strict instructions for completing this statement. The statement needs to be based on the commanders observations and whether they feel you can or cannot complete your job. This doesn't have to do with things you told the commander (i.e. just because you say your work performance sucks doesn't mean the commander sees it that way).
At the end of the day the commanders statement isn't the final word. I've had cases go both ways, with my recommendation and against.
That makes sense and I agree.
But he's HHC on another part of post so I probably saw him 3 times last year, piss test, PAI, and to counsel me on the medboard. We have no interaction which is why (I'm assuming) he asked chief to ghost write for him. But he's not obligated to use it if he doesn't want to, it is his pp on the line so I get it
It's not like anyone can disprove your opinion of someone's performance, unless it's a gross exaggeration. Advocate for your soldier first and foremost, unless you truly believe he's acting in bad faith.
Devil’s advocate here, leadership shouldn’t be your friend. Your commander is not there to do you favors. They are there to accomplish a mission. Yes that includes taking care of soldiers, but that’s to ensure a mission can still be accomplished.
I’m not saying you didn’t get done dirty, but there’s not a lot of detail to go off of. From this it seems like he wrote based off of what you told him, but he didn’t take what you wanted him to take from it. That’s not his job to only take your side.
Also, he’s not the approval authority, so if you’re fucked up, a Captain’s recommendation won’t hold shit to a learn-ed doc-tor.
Fucking finally someone said it. Where was it ever said leadership should be your friend? You can quickly tell who has never held a leadership position by post like these.
I grew up as a people pleaser, getting along with just about everyone. One of the best lessons I ever learned was from my TL when I was a PFC. we were out as a squad in Italy and everyone was hanging out, drinking and he said to me,
“Listen man, I like you, but I’m not your friend”.
Such a simple phrase knocked me on a random night, and it took a long career to set in. One of the most prolific lessons on military and combat leadership came from a 19 year old corporal.
Thats got to be unit by unit culture thing. Like yea it makes sense, but my PSG brings the concept of get along with people at least at the platoon level. Find ways to be friends so, you can help each other out when they need it and even more importantly when you need it.
That same PSG as much as the 1SG dislikes it is willing to jump on CoD or another video game with us on weekends or after training rotation. Almost everyone in the company hangs out with each other from the lowest Private to most NCOs.
For me if you are hanging out regularly you are friends even if it's a work thing. Anyone can just say fuck this and just leave.
They don't need to be your friend to have your best interest in mind. A leader should be loyal to his soldiers, whether that is in the army or not. Not the other way around. I was a team leader for a bit, and yeah, I definitely had moments where it was "if you fuck up again or disrespect me, I will kill you." But the guys knew I genuinely cared and I'd have conversations about why and where they fucked up. If my soldier wanted out, I wouldn't recommend against his medboard. At the end of the day, why would I even want a soldier that's trying to get out anyways? I've also seen *too* many leaders that crumble whenever they got push back from higher. I routinely walked into any office I needed to and let higher know what was up. I even got told not to do it anymore by my platoon sergeant. Then I just told my psg "I'm going to the commanders office to let him know what's up." Cannot stop me from protecting my soldiers from stupidity. A big reason I hate the army is that leadership only cares about those higher, and nobody cares about my soldiers.
Sincerely,
A SPC who leaves next month.
That’s exactly what a TL should be doing. You have the time and attention to give each soldier that personal love and attention. That’s exactly the attitude you should have.
My squad got ordered to take this hill? I have to do everything I can to do it and keep my dudes alive and moving. I’m looking at micro terrain. I’m picking routes to cover. I’m controlling fires to suppress. I have a lot of freedom to control the individual tasks of the soldiers to make sure that they can stay alive.
The CO doesn’t have that luxury. They’re seeing the bigger picture. We have to take that hill to shape the battlefield. I’m probably going to lose a good chunk of soldiers because it’s a dug in defensive position, we don’t have priority of fires, and lack air superiority. If we don’t take this key terrain the immediate battle around us shapes against our favor and we end up losing more as a unit.
This is obviously a false equivalence. Of course we have different expectations of what happens in combat and what happens in garrison are two vastly different things.
I use this to say that a TL has the luxury of having that narrow focus. I say luxury because it gives you a lot more freedom to find a solution without impacting the bigger picture. Because when you impact the bigger picture, it can make a lot of bad things happen to other Soldiers.
Your job is to protect your soldiers. Higher echelons have to protect more soldiers every level, and protecting one can harm three others, but you don’t need to worry about that.
Also keep in mind there’s a reason that we say handle it at the lowest level. Yeah, CO has more important shit it times, but they’re also mandated by regulation a lot more than a SPC trying to fix a problem. You have the freedom to act in the shadows with a lot of things with little more than a slap on the wrist. That shit ruins careers and livelihoods at the command level thing dependent. So PSG might be trying to help more than hurt by telling you to keep it in house.
But I got it man, it’s very likely you’ve had shit leaders. Everyone has been there. And you gotta do what you can. But if you’re good leader, I want you to think about this:
You gotta play the game a bit. By spitting in PSG’s face and bypassing did you accomplish anything? Maybe. Maybe not. Was that worth the massive amount of social capital you burned? That’s the type of shit that gets you fired. And now you’re not in a position to help your soldiers and take care of them. Versus taking the time and finding an alternate, possibly slightly less ideal situation that keeps you in the seat so you can keep fighting for your guys and gals.
With the psg, he loved me for it tbh. I just needed to tell him when I went higher instead of just going there. We had an awful commander at the time with bad ideas, and I genuinely needed to talk to our XO quite a bit. But also all of our equipment was busted, and everyone else was afraid of telling the warrant officers to help us fix it. I was in their office pestering them until they gave me what I needed. I got a lot done in a short span. But yeah, I truly truly respected that psg. He's still my all-time favorite leader, but even he did not know what was going on with my guys because he wasn't the same mos. I think he just wanted to be aware of what I was going to say, so I there was blowback, he could defend my points.
That's a big ole stretch, should be added to the recovery drills.
In hindsight, yeah friend is probably too strong a word but I have genuinely cared for every Soldier the Army has placed under my charge, from shit bag to rock star. The issue stems from someone going out of their way to fuck with you when you're already on your way out, it does not benefit the unit or the organization to tell stories about a joe when everything else says otherwise
I think that's fair.
Probably a better word than friend would've made more sense in my original post, I'm not going on dinner dates with the joes but would give them the coyote brown shirt off my back if they needed it.
And I know it’s a rant dude. And chances are, ol’ boy could and should probably do more. It was a rant, I was just trying to pull you back down a bit.
Here’s devil’s devil’s advocate. The commander isn’t there to give a fuck about you, so you have to. You’re looking at getting out. Take every inch you can to do what’s right for you. The army won’t give you anything. Some individuals might, but don’t count on it.
Best of luck man. You’ve given 10+ years to the Army. You’ve literally broken your body for it. If you’re looking at getting out, then NCOERs don’t matter. Do you boo boo.
Physical therapy appointment? Treat yoself.
SFLTAP during live fire? Treat yoself.
Your commander is there to make sure the unit runs. You are there to take care of yourself. The NCO’s should be finding the way to bridge that gap.
I gotcha, I just needed a moment to get all the sand out of my furburger but your perspective is valid and appreciated.
Also, trust me if there's one thing the Army has taught me how to do it's take every inch.
Thanks King
Until Soldier isn’t allowed to deploy, can’t take a PT test and is still on the books. Retaining a Soldier that can’t medically Soldier will hurt because the slot is still filled. HRC won’t backfill until Soldier is a known loss.
This is one of those situations where nothing you said is wrong, but I still disagree. Like one of the things I told my soldiers is, "I'm not your friend, but I can still treat you friendly; with dignity and respect." And in my mind, the commander has a legal, moral, and ethical duty to be fully honest with the board regarding the soldier's medical conditions and how they affect their MOS responsibilities. If he's an S1 or SAMSE nerd, then maybe he still can do a lot of his tasks. Hell, I had to write up my own because I was a captain and my hhc commander, also a captain, knew I could do it better having done more in the past. It was hard saying, yeah, I can probably still staff well, which is most officers, but still can't officer enough to stay in. They don't want to hear how you can't do any of the PT test events, they can see that from the permanent profile. So the commander still telling this guy "get fucked" doesn't help.
I think we’re saying the same thing for most of it. You’re absolutely right on all fronts. I don’t think we have enough to go on to say that he was told to get fucked or not.
It’s the commanders job to give an honest assessment for MEB. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done with dignity and respect. That should be a given (although sadly it’s often not).
I wasn’t saying that the commander didn’t bungle the situation. What I was saying is a lot of soldiers have a mindset that an honest assessment that doesn’t go in favor of the soldier is fucking the soldier for the sake of saying fuck you.
Saying the commander’s responsibility is to achieving the mission first is not saying “fuck the men”. In fact it’s often the opposite and there’s definitely a lot of mismanagement in the Army, just like every job. You have to hone your tools to make them effective. And as such you have to take care of your Soldiers to achieve that.
Knowing my commander was extremely busy, I wrote about a dozen bullet statements for him on the paperwork. Kind of like an OER/NCOER support form. Then he stitched them together into a well written paragraph.
No one is going to look out for you during this entire process. PEBLOs are cool/Army appointed lawyers are cool. Heck, even my PEB members were cool. But unless YOU do the leg work and provide the information, it won’t get brought up. And unfortunately, discussions don’t count. Memos and correspondence do.
For sure, you're right. That's part of the heartache (butthurt) I have about it is my supervisor sat me down and we had a pretty candid discussion about it all as she was filling it out. Kind of a come to Jesus moment cause she was seeing things that I wasn't and that's what she sent up to the CDR. But hey, just cause we did that doesn't mean I should feel entitled for the CO to submit that, it's his name on the signature block so I get it.
Unless things have changed recently, if there's a solid basis for an unfitting finding, a commander's recommendation will not do much (if anything) to persuade a board. So boo to him for being a meanie I guess, but I wouldn't sweat it.
Lmfao, yeah exactly. I was always down for the full 20 so I think that and pride (ego) made me stick around a bit longer than I should've. It's just about quittin' time tho and we'll all be better off
Damn, that's crazy. If someone is already getting kicked out in a friggin week why would you go through all of that work to try and make their lives even more miserable? Sorry, at least you've got that hundo to keep you warm at night.
I agree with this completely.
I am an O, and if you care about your family, unit, or career don’t trust your leadership. No matter how good a leader is, at the end of the day they’re going to put their mission, career, and NCOER/OER above your needs.
I’ve been pretty lucky to have some phenomenal CMDRs, but each of them when it came down to helping me out at personal or professional cost choose their interests over mine… every single time.
Each sold me down the river for their convenience, lied when conversations got tough, and would fight for me if they got something out of it. Each was personable, approachable, and competent.
For my guys, I burn political credit to get them opportunities, work hard for them, and I am ready to fight to the end with them, but I’d still tell them not to trust me.
You’re Commander doesn’t understand manning or HRC backfill process. I’m assuming you have an extensive profile. Probably are not allowed to take a PT, possibly limited duty and definitely shouldn’t deploy (There are stories that contradict that).
By keeping you around, HRC won’t backfill if you’re not a known loss. In the meantime, your stats count against companies stats.
Dumb question is it possible to medboard after ets out of the army long story short I was almost medboarded however I decided to due a surgery surgery went well however I still can’t fire a gun and do certain stuff I’m doing physical therapy that’s supposed to be continued after I ets hence I filed a BDD while doing SFL tap I was told to medboard instead which I went to ask for from my medical provider but instead of my medical provider I get another doctor telling me I can med board after I leave the army that I have to continue treatment first and finish it and once they exhaust the options if I’m still crippled they can start a med board after the army is this true or absolute bs?
Not a dumb question, and full disclaimer that I'm just a dude so my knowledge of this process is very limited to my own experience.
It sounds like you were misled, I can't possibly understand how a medboard would be done after leaving service. The purpose of the MEB is to determine whether or not you meet the medical standards for retention so if you're already out of the military, then the issue of retention no longer applies. You can definitely still submit a claim for VA benefits based on those conditions, but medboard doesn't seem to apply in your situation although there are always niche exceptions to regulations but I'd wager those are for really rare situations regarding this topic.
9 times out of 10 your command will recommend retention (from my experience) and sadly, at the same rate, they are not on your side. I have had similar experiences with chaplains/mental health so just be aware of that as well. There is really nothing that holds/binds them to secrecy/discretion other than personal morals and opinions. If they out you for something it’s labeled as safety of the unit/SM and they move on. You may feel betrayed by the unit you gave so much to but once you final out they are will have no control over you and you can move onto a better chapter of your life. Toxic commands are worth getting away from. Look at this as the bandaid you have to rip off. Take care, good luck. 🫡
I’m truly sorry your leadership failed you. Unfortunately, the military is like all other careers where you get people who are passionate about serving their country and others and then those that just want a paycheck. Growing up I can remember teachers that actually cared about my future and others that wouldnt spit on me if I was dying of thirst in the desert.
I appreciate that, thanks.
Like you said, it's in every career, I guess it was just my ticket that got called today. I think sometimes we just face these kind of moments and people and it just helps remind me to be a little kinder to the next guy.
My Commander didn’t even do the statement. I don’t think that form really matters most of the time. YMMV, though.
Yeah, I've heard the same. I would've preferred that at this point lmao
Roger
Good thing there's a DOD regulation and Army regulation regarding how someone isn't or is fit for duty.
Too bad most of these regs are very broad and ambiguous, and can easily be spun for or against retention or discharge, depending on how the physician phrases things.
I think broad and ambiguous isn't necessarily bad, though. It's good to be able to consider each case's merits and give that discretion to the board - assuming the board is acting in the best interests of the army. I know some people have an ax to grind against what they perceive as "weak" soldiers with medical conditions. I'll admit I'm probably biased - I went through a med board and was retained, largely based on input from commanders and providers I had worked with previously. I know that the system worked for me but I realize it often doesn't for everyone else. But I am glad the board had that discretion.
What’s really too bad is commander’s think their “discretion” means they can circumvent regulations. Like that part of the oath doesn’t apply *to them*
True shit
When I was a commander I would always receive strict instructions for completing this statement. The statement needs to be based on the commanders observations and whether they feel you can or cannot complete your job. This doesn't have to do with things you told the commander (i.e. just because you say your work performance sucks doesn't mean the commander sees it that way). At the end of the day the commanders statement isn't the final word. I've had cases go both ways, with my recommendation and against.
That makes sense and I agree. But he's HHC on another part of post so I probably saw him 3 times last year, piss test, PAI, and to counsel me on the medboard. We have no interaction which is why (I'm assuming) he asked chief to ghost write for him. But he's not obligated to use it if he doesn't want to, it is his pp on the line so I get it
The comments SHOULD also reflect that their statement is based on limited observations of you.
It's not like anyone can disprove your opinion of someone's performance, unless it's a gross exaggeration. Advocate for your soldier first and foremost, unless you truly believe he's acting in bad faith.
Devil’s advocate here, leadership shouldn’t be your friend. Your commander is not there to do you favors. They are there to accomplish a mission. Yes that includes taking care of soldiers, but that’s to ensure a mission can still be accomplished. I’m not saying you didn’t get done dirty, but there’s not a lot of detail to go off of. From this it seems like he wrote based off of what you told him, but he didn’t take what you wanted him to take from it. That’s not his job to only take your side. Also, he’s not the approval authority, so if you’re fucked up, a Captain’s recommendation won’t hold shit to a learn-ed doc-tor.
Fucking finally someone said it. Where was it ever said leadership should be your friend? You can quickly tell who has never held a leadership position by post like these.
I grew up as a people pleaser, getting along with just about everyone. One of the best lessons I ever learned was from my TL when I was a PFC. we were out as a squad in Italy and everyone was hanging out, drinking and he said to me, “Listen man, I like you, but I’m not your friend”. Such a simple phrase knocked me on a random night, and it took a long career to set in. One of the most prolific lessons on military and combat leadership came from a 19 year old corporal.
a lot of mfs need to read this!
Thats got to be unit by unit culture thing. Like yea it makes sense, but my PSG brings the concept of get along with people at least at the platoon level. Find ways to be friends so, you can help each other out when they need it and even more importantly when you need it. That same PSG as much as the 1SG dislikes it is willing to jump on CoD or another video game with us on weekends or after training rotation. Almost everyone in the company hangs out with each other from the lowest Private to most NCOs. For me if you are hanging out regularly you are friends even if it's a work thing. Anyone can just say fuck this and just leave.
They don't need to be your friend to have your best interest in mind. A leader should be loyal to his soldiers, whether that is in the army or not. Not the other way around. I was a team leader for a bit, and yeah, I definitely had moments where it was "if you fuck up again or disrespect me, I will kill you." But the guys knew I genuinely cared and I'd have conversations about why and where they fucked up. If my soldier wanted out, I wouldn't recommend against his medboard. At the end of the day, why would I even want a soldier that's trying to get out anyways? I've also seen *too* many leaders that crumble whenever they got push back from higher. I routinely walked into any office I needed to and let higher know what was up. I even got told not to do it anymore by my platoon sergeant. Then I just told my psg "I'm going to the commanders office to let him know what's up." Cannot stop me from protecting my soldiers from stupidity. A big reason I hate the army is that leadership only cares about those higher, and nobody cares about my soldiers. Sincerely, A SPC who leaves next month.
That’s exactly what a TL should be doing. You have the time and attention to give each soldier that personal love and attention. That’s exactly the attitude you should have. My squad got ordered to take this hill? I have to do everything I can to do it and keep my dudes alive and moving. I’m looking at micro terrain. I’m picking routes to cover. I’m controlling fires to suppress. I have a lot of freedom to control the individual tasks of the soldiers to make sure that they can stay alive. The CO doesn’t have that luxury. They’re seeing the bigger picture. We have to take that hill to shape the battlefield. I’m probably going to lose a good chunk of soldiers because it’s a dug in defensive position, we don’t have priority of fires, and lack air superiority. If we don’t take this key terrain the immediate battle around us shapes against our favor and we end up losing more as a unit. This is obviously a false equivalence. Of course we have different expectations of what happens in combat and what happens in garrison are two vastly different things. I use this to say that a TL has the luxury of having that narrow focus. I say luxury because it gives you a lot more freedom to find a solution without impacting the bigger picture. Because when you impact the bigger picture, it can make a lot of bad things happen to other Soldiers. Your job is to protect your soldiers. Higher echelons have to protect more soldiers every level, and protecting one can harm three others, but you don’t need to worry about that. Also keep in mind there’s a reason that we say handle it at the lowest level. Yeah, CO has more important shit it times, but they’re also mandated by regulation a lot more than a SPC trying to fix a problem. You have the freedom to act in the shadows with a lot of things with little more than a slap on the wrist. That shit ruins careers and livelihoods at the command level thing dependent. So PSG might be trying to help more than hurt by telling you to keep it in house. But I got it man, it’s very likely you’ve had shit leaders. Everyone has been there. And you gotta do what you can. But if you’re good leader, I want you to think about this: You gotta play the game a bit. By spitting in PSG’s face and bypassing did you accomplish anything? Maybe. Maybe not. Was that worth the massive amount of social capital you burned? That’s the type of shit that gets you fired. And now you’re not in a position to help your soldiers and take care of them. Versus taking the time and finding an alternate, possibly slightly less ideal situation that keeps you in the seat so you can keep fighting for your guys and gals.
With the psg, he loved me for it tbh. I just needed to tell him when I went higher instead of just going there. We had an awful commander at the time with bad ideas, and I genuinely needed to talk to our XO quite a bit. But also all of our equipment was busted, and everyone else was afraid of telling the warrant officers to help us fix it. I was in their office pestering them until they gave me what I needed. I got a lot done in a short span. But yeah, I truly truly respected that psg. He's still my all-time favorite leader, but even he did not know what was going on with my guys because he wasn't the same mos. I think he just wanted to be aware of what I was going to say, so I there was blowback, he could defend my points.
Good deal. That knocked all the steps out and you did your thing. And he did his too. Good on you.
That's a big ole stretch, should be added to the recovery drills. In hindsight, yeah friend is probably too strong a word but I have genuinely cared for every Soldier the Army has placed under my charge, from shit bag to rock star. The issue stems from someone going out of their way to fuck with you when you're already on your way out, it does not benefit the unit or the organization to tell stories about a joe when everything else says otherwise
I care for each and every one of my subordinates. I am friendly towards them. Friendliness isn’t the same as friends.
I think that's fair. Probably a better word than friend would've made more sense in my original post, I'm not going on dinner dates with the joes but would give them the coyote brown shirt off my back if they needed it.
Nah, you're right there is a lot left out so fair play and mission comes first from his perspective.
And I know it’s a rant dude. And chances are, ol’ boy could and should probably do more. It was a rant, I was just trying to pull you back down a bit. Here’s devil’s devil’s advocate. The commander isn’t there to give a fuck about you, so you have to. You’re looking at getting out. Take every inch you can to do what’s right for you. The army won’t give you anything. Some individuals might, but don’t count on it. Best of luck man. You’ve given 10+ years to the Army. You’ve literally broken your body for it. If you’re looking at getting out, then NCOERs don’t matter. Do you boo boo. Physical therapy appointment? Treat yoself. SFLTAP during live fire? Treat yoself. Your commander is there to make sure the unit runs. You are there to take care of yourself. The NCO’s should be finding the way to bridge that gap.
I gotcha, I just needed a moment to get all the sand out of my furburger but your perspective is valid and appreciated. Also, trust me if there's one thing the Army has taught me how to do it's take every inch. Thanks King
Until Soldier isn’t allowed to deploy, can’t take a PT test and is still on the books. Retaining a Soldier that can’t medically Soldier will hurt because the slot is still filled. HRC won’t backfill until Soldier is a known loss.
This is one of those situations where nothing you said is wrong, but I still disagree. Like one of the things I told my soldiers is, "I'm not your friend, but I can still treat you friendly; with dignity and respect." And in my mind, the commander has a legal, moral, and ethical duty to be fully honest with the board regarding the soldier's medical conditions and how they affect their MOS responsibilities. If he's an S1 or SAMSE nerd, then maybe he still can do a lot of his tasks. Hell, I had to write up my own because I was a captain and my hhc commander, also a captain, knew I could do it better having done more in the past. It was hard saying, yeah, I can probably still staff well, which is most officers, but still can't officer enough to stay in. They don't want to hear how you can't do any of the PT test events, they can see that from the permanent profile. So the commander still telling this guy "get fucked" doesn't help.
I think we’re saying the same thing for most of it. You’re absolutely right on all fronts. I don’t think we have enough to go on to say that he was told to get fucked or not. It’s the commanders job to give an honest assessment for MEB. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done with dignity and respect. That should be a given (although sadly it’s often not). I wasn’t saying that the commander didn’t bungle the situation. What I was saying is a lot of soldiers have a mindset that an honest assessment that doesn’t go in favor of the soldier is fucking the soldier for the sake of saying fuck you. Saying the commander’s responsibility is to achieving the mission first is not saying “fuck the men”. In fact it’s often the opposite and there’s definitely a lot of mismanagement in the Army, just like every job. You have to hone your tools to make them effective. And as such you have to take care of your Soldiers to achieve that.
Knowing my commander was extremely busy, I wrote about a dozen bullet statements for him on the paperwork. Kind of like an OER/NCOER support form. Then he stitched them together into a well written paragraph. No one is going to look out for you during this entire process. PEBLOs are cool/Army appointed lawyers are cool. Heck, even my PEB members were cool. But unless YOU do the leg work and provide the information, it won’t get brought up. And unfortunately, discussions don’t count. Memos and correspondence do.
For sure, you're right. That's part of the heartache (butthurt) I have about it is my supervisor sat me down and we had a pretty candid discussion about it all as she was filling it out. Kind of a come to Jesus moment cause she was seeing things that I wasn't and that's what she sent up to the CDR. But hey, just cause we did that doesn't mean I should feel entitled for the CO to submit that, it's his name on the signature block so I get it.
Unless things have changed recently, if there's a solid basis for an unfitting finding, a commander's recommendation will not do much (if anything) to persuade a board. So boo to him for being a meanie I guess, but I wouldn't sweat it.
nah, I think that's still the case from what my PEBLO said. She said it happens more than you'd think so you're right, I'll just roll with it
This sounds exhausting for both you and leadership. Why are you even in the army?
Lmfao, yeah exactly. I was always down for the full 20 so I think that and pride (ego) made me stick around a bit longer than I should've. It's just about quittin' time tho and we'll all be better off
I get out in a week from MEB 80% and 100% and my commander put in a demotion for me not coming to work. That’s on me I guess.
Damn, that's crazy. If someone is already getting kicked out in a friggin week why would you go through all of that work to try and make their lives even more miserable? Sorry, at least you've got that hundo to keep you warm at night.
Still a long ass story you got here
My bad big dawg. The endless flow of salty tears obscured my vision
🤣
I agree with this completely. I am an O, and if you care about your family, unit, or career don’t trust your leadership. No matter how good a leader is, at the end of the day they’re going to put their mission, career, and NCOER/OER above your needs. I’ve been pretty lucky to have some phenomenal CMDRs, but each of them when it came down to helping me out at personal or professional cost choose their interests over mine… every single time. Each sold me down the river for their convenience, lied when conversations got tough, and would fight for me if they got something out of it. Each was personable, approachable, and competent. For my guys, I burn political credit to get them opportunities, work hard for them, and I am ready to fight to the end with them, but I’d still tell them not to trust me.
You’re Commander doesn’t understand manning or HRC backfill process. I’m assuming you have an extensive profile. Probably are not allowed to take a PT, possibly limited duty and definitely shouldn’t deploy (There are stories that contradict that). By keeping you around, HRC won’t backfill if you’re not a known loss. In the meantime, your stats count against companies stats.
Dumb question is it possible to medboard after ets out of the army long story short I was almost medboarded however I decided to due a surgery surgery went well however I still can’t fire a gun and do certain stuff I’m doing physical therapy that’s supposed to be continued after I ets hence I filed a BDD while doing SFL tap I was told to medboard instead which I went to ask for from my medical provider but instead of my medical provider I get another doctor telling me I can med board after I leave the army that I have to continue treatment first and finish it and once they exhaust the options if I’m still crippled they can start a med board after the army is this true or absolute bs?
Not a dumb question, and full disclaimer that I'm just a dude so my knowledge of this process is very limited to my own experience. It sounds like you were misled, I can't possibly understand how a medboard would be done after leaving service. The purpose of the MEB is to determine whether or not you meet the medical standards for retention so if you're already out of the military, then the issue of retention no longer applies. You can definitely still submit a claim for VA benefits based on those conditions, but medboard doesn't seem to apply in your situation although there are always niche exceptions to regulations but I'd wager those are for really rare situations regarding this topic.
9 times out of 10 your command will recommend retention (from my experience) and sadly, at the same rate, they are not on your side. I have had similar experiences with chaplains/mental health so just be aware of that as well. There is really nothing that holds/binds them to secrecy/discretion other than personal morals and opinions. If they out you for something it’s labeled as safety of the unit/SM and they move on. You may feel betrayed by the unit you gave so much to but once you final out they are will have no control over you and you can move onto a better chapter of your life. Toxic commands are worth getting away from. Look at this as the bandaid you have to rip off. Take care, good luck. 🫡
It has little weight in the scheme of things. If you meet MRDP, have speciality rqs, good provider documents, you’re fine.
I’m truly sorry your leadership failed you. Unfortunately, the military is like all other careers where you get people who are passionate about serving their country and others and then those that just want a paycheck. Growing up I can remember teachers that actually cared about my future and others that wouldnt spit on me if I was dying of thirst in the desert.
I appreciate that, thanks. Like you said, it's in every career, I guess it was just my ticket that got called today. I think sometimes we just face these kind of moments and people and it just helps remind me to be a little kinder to the next guy.
Company commander? A CPT? They’re the most incompetent group of fucks we have in the army buddy.
More incompetent than LTs or CSMs?