Posted on May 21, 2020
What regulations exist addressing barracks room inspections? How can I determine if I have a legitimate complaint?
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So I'm not doing this to gripe or complain as much as I want to. This is for my knowledge so I can defend myself and others alike. I'm currently staying and the barracks of unit "B" because I did a lateral transfer to new unit "A". Currently working night shift and have been up since 1200 the day prior. Went to work at 1600 and got off work at 0430. (I still don't receive separate rations so I had no meal or mre during the majority of that time). I finally make it home in bed to sleep at 0500 to get woken up at 0630 by an NCO from unit B telling me everyone needs to go outside. Me absolutely tired as hell puts on some civilian clothing and goes outside to find out the MPS will be searching the building with dogs because they suspect drugs. A buddy of mine got called in not for drugs but for a training round from the 30 mm gun which is inert and not even able to fire but that's beside the point it was under a drawer in the very back underneath several items. They're gone through his room and searched thoroughly with only the first sergeant and a sergeant first class present. I don't know what his punishment will be but that's not my concern. My concern is that I was never even notified of this even happening, they have now ruined my sleep schedule and took them roughly 3 hours to finish. And I have no idea what my room is going to look like when I get back such as my $1,800 headset being thrown against the wall or my PC tipped over because they want to see what's behind it or my medical records that are in a safe that they shouldn't be going through. anything in the world they want to go through ruin who's to say that they're responsible when I don't even know who's going in through my room and I come to find out stuff is broken stuff is out of place stuff is stolen and let's see if they did want to charge me for something with no MP present and no drug dogs present that alerted the room saying I have something bad. And meanwhile this whole time I'm absolutely tired and have working here in a couple hours again to do probably another 12 hour shift. Like I said I'm not trying to complain on here I just want to know what grounds do I have to stand on if something like this occurred. And my current chain of command never knew anything about this or if they did they didn't tell me about it?
Barracks
Inspections
Sleeping
Army Regulations
Legal Assistant
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 81
You were a recipient of a Health and Welfare inspection. You are NOT to know when they happen. The unit that owns the barracks you are housed in, the Command Team knows about them, but the Soldiers are to NOT know. They aren't supposed to tell people. You are NOT supposed to be in the room when they happen. Your sleep schedule be damned. The MPs with dogs go thru with a representative of the unit (usually the 1SG and/or the Commander). If your medical records are in a safe that is closed and locked, then they won't access that safe. They won't even give that safe a second glance unless the dogs signal the handler that something is in there. At which time, you would be called in to open the safe. If something of a personal item gets broken in the search, that is why the representative is present. Paperwork is done later to recoup losses. And stolen? Do you really believe that an MP will steal your shit?
If you really want to know what the policy is, just ask your Chain of Command. But, for arguments sake, look up Military Rules of Evidence 313.
And while you said you are not trying to complain, you are in fact complaining.
If you really want to know what the policy is, just ask your Chain of Command. But, for arguments sake, look up Military Rules of Evidence 313.
And while you said you are not trying to complain, you are in fact complaining.
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SGT Nickolas Ortiz
SSG(P) (Join to see) - The Army sure has changed since I was in... back then, you did NOT have an "expectation of privacy" in the Barracks. Your entire room belonged to the US Government, and everything in there as well. A private having "$1,800 headsets" is crazy! Why would you have such expensive equipment in your room? I guess they pay better now than when I was in...
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SP5 Norman McGill
Sgt Ortiz you bet your cookies they pay better now. I got $90 a month when I was in the service. You are also right about not " expecting any privacy" and your entire room and you belonged to the government. We could be inspected any time, day or night, on any day if the powers that be chose to do so. I don't blame SSG Unger for being upset by his sleep being disturbed especially when he worked the graveyard shift. Makes for an uncomfortable work shift later on.
In the National Guard at summer camp one year the hot shots decided that everybody would stand inspection every morning before breakfast. That included the cooks. Big Mistake. There we were standing at attention in our tents waiting for almost two hours to be inspected including the cooks (me and my crew) who were supposed to be at the mess tent making breakfast. After the inspection we hightailed it to the mess tent and got to work making the chow. All of a sudden there was the rest of the battalion standing there waiting for chow and nothing was ready. The CO came in and wanted to know"why the hell chow wasn't ready." I was first cook so I got the heat. Don't know where my mess SGT was. I explained the situation to the Colonel and he turned around and left. later on we found out that a certain Lt. got his tubes torqued pretty bad and everybody got strict instruction "Not to mess with G-damne Cooks. EVER AGAIN." And that was the end of the inspections for us. Damn I loved the service and especially being a cook. Hang in there SSG Unger. You can handle this situation with a bit of finesse.Works every time.
In the National Guard at summer camp one year the hot shots decided that everybody would stand inspection every morning before breakfast. That included the cooks. Big Mistake. There we were standing at attention in our tents waiting for almost two hours to be inspected including the cooks (me and my crew) who were supposed to be at the mess tent making breakfast. After the inspection we hightailed it to the mess tent and got to work making the chow. All of a sudden there was the rest of the battalion standing there waiting for chow and nothing was ready. The CO came in and wanted to know"why the hell chow wasn't ready." I was first cook so I got the heat. Don't know where my mess SGT was. I explained the situation to the Colonel and he turned around and left. later on we found out that a certain Lt. got his tubes torqued pretty bad and everybody got strict instruction "Not to mess with G-damne Cooks. EVER AGAIN." And that was the end of the inspections for us. Damn I loved the service and especially being a cook. Hang in there SSG Unger. You can handle this situation with a bit of finesse.Works every time.
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SGT Nickolas Ortiz
PO2 Christopher Foss - if that's true, then he needs better advice than "go buy something you can't afford".
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Sorry to say but this what you signed up for. Certain rights are forfeited from time to time. It doesn’t sound like there was any actually issues with your belongings just you overthinking that there COULD be issues. Just try and make the best of it. Play the game.
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CDR (Join to see)
More than "certain" rights. And this issue I truly believe is at the heart of the Transition Challenge ahead for us all. It's a psychological endeavor that should begin upon conclusion of the basic training pipelines for all military branches.
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MSgt Gilbert Jones
I have a question for all the services except AF, we have visitation in dorms. Do the other services allow visitation in their dorms?
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First and foremost, NO ONE regardless of rank has the right to go through and break anything!!!
When you moved into the room you should have completed a high dollar item form, listing all of your valuables such as that $1800 headset, tv, etc...kept on file with supply as part of your inventory so that in the event those things get stolen or ruin, it’ll get replace. Also you probably should have also got renters insurance to protect yourself.
As far as the damage to your things, report it to your first line supervisor and 1SG. If nothing comes of it after a short time period, then take it higher to your CSM.
Yes living in the barracks you most keep your room/space inspection ready, yes when conducting health and welfare with the dogs, they have the right to go through ALL things to include the safe, however, they DO NOT HAVE the right to destroy your things and you “just deal with it”, this is totally unacceptable regardless of rank!!
You also suppose to be informed prior too an inspection and coordination suppose to be made since you all are on different work schedules.
NO Soldier should deliberately have their things broken during ANY inspection!! Some leaders do the things they do because no one reports it or they are afraid thinking they’ll be in trouble or that nothing will happen. You have a voice, regardless of rank, use tack and your leadership to help you with this issue because it is wrong, period!!!
When you moved into the room you should have completed a high dollar item form, listing all of your valuables such as that $1800 headset, tv, etc...kept on file with supply as part of your inventory so that in the event those things get stolen or ruin, it’ll get replace. Also you probably should have also got renters insurance to protect yourself.
As far as the damage to your things, report it to your first line supervisor and 1SG. If nothing comes of it after a short time period, then take it higher to your CSM.
Yes living in the barracks you most keep your room/space inspection ready, yes when conducting health and welfare with the dogs, they have the right to go through ALL things to include the safe, however, they DO NOT HAVE the right to destroy your things and you “just deal with it”, this is totally unacceptable regardless of rank!!
You also suppose to be informed prior too an inspection and coordination suppose to be made since you all are on different work schedules.
NO Soldier should deliberately have their things broken during ANY inspection!! Some leaders do the things they do because no one reports it or they are afraid thinking they’ll be in trouble or that nothing will happen. You have a voice, regardless of rank, use tack and your leadership to help you with this issue because it is wrong, period!!!
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SFC (Join to see)
Sir, I’ll agree to disagree. I speak on my experience, what I have encountered and the personnel who I worked with at the JAG office at Fort Gordon due to me an Installation SARC( No disrespect intended Sir). MAJ Paul Ailslieger
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Suspended Profile
SFC (Join to see) - None taken. I speak from the position of being trained in military law and giving the advice to the commanders and NCO's conducting inspections. I didn't have a buddy who worked in the JAG office, I was part of the JAG office. In Iraq, I WAS the JAG office. I have had similar situations to this conversation in real life. Then, as now, I would respectfully note the NCO's opinion. I would then explain to the NCO that, of the two of us, I am the only one who went to law school, the JAG School, and practices military law as my military profession. I would then reaffirm to the inspecting parties no notice is required and conduct the search. I think here, you are not seeing the distinction between the inspection in question here and other inspections you were involved in due to your SARC role.
SPC Travis Hopkinson
Yeah I remember the high dollar value form, had some art, It was valued by insurers at 10k plus... They did not really like me having it my barracks room hanging up
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