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I just received a comment from an SGT on RP, I won't name names but it kind of surprised me, that stated a counseling statement never helps a soldier. I had said that I thought a counseling statement always helps a soldier, and that maybe it's a lazy NCO who resorts to always PT'ing a soldier. There is a time and place for "dropping" a soldier but I think a well conducted and written counseling statement is always more beneficial. What does the community think? Not trying to start an argument, maybe I am the only pro counseling junior enlisted. Let me know!
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Counseling Help
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 23
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Thought it's worth mentioning that leaders should also consider positive counseling statements for exemplary performance. These proved very useful for me in the past when leaders higher up in the rating chain asked me for justification for strong NCOER bullets and 1 blocks.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
Thanks for mentioning this MAJ (Join to see) --- this is something that is often overlooked.
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A counseling statement documents negative performance and is the best safeguard to prevent a soldiers with bad performance from advancing regardless of how well he or she may be at test taking. Without documentation, he or she will mostly likely continue to advance through the ranks instead of being rehabilitated or discharged.
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SPC Chad Kolod
I have been positively counseled as well myself. So it can be to acknowledge achievements too.
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SFC Stephen Carden
Sir, a good leader counsels his or her Soldiers for many different reasons. Negative performance certainly is one reason, but Soldiers should also be counseled on positive performance. Counseling is used as a way to provide guidance for Soldiers as to their success in meeting the expectations of their supervisors. Initial counseling is used to set those expectations. Leaders who only counsel their subordinates for negative performance are lazy and fail to meet the intent of the counseling system. They are doing a disservice to their subordinates and likely need to be counseled themselves. Counselings are useful in showing a pattern of misconduct when a Soldier needs to be disciplined for that misconduct, but purposefully using counseling to build a paper trail for the sole purpose of disciplinary action is unprofessional. Proper counseling probably could have prevented the discipline from being necessary in the first place. I would also be remiss if I didn't mention that a counseling statement is only a paper record of the actual counseling. Counseling a Soldier consists of sitting down, addressing the Soldier's performance, coming up with a plan of action to correct or sustain that Soldier's performance, and then following through to ensure that the plan of action was effective. It is so much more than writing a few sentences and a "magic bullet" on a form and having the Soldier sign it. It is the chance to sit down with a subordinate and truly mentor that Soldier, provide guidance, and get feedback from the Soldier. A true leader uses the counseling system to lead. An administrator uses it to check a block.
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BG David Fleming III
I would recommend putting them in for awards as a positive performance practice. Awards tell the soldier how such you care and value them as well as motivates them to do even better. Any comments?
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They can if the NCO uses them in such a way. The purpose isn't to simply write the Soldier up when they do wrong, but also to document exceptional performance. My Soldiers responded well to getting a positive 4856. The purpose is to document how the Soldier is doing, what needs to be improved and what they need to sustain. I really hated the NCOs who only used it for the monthly check the block that tells the Soldier nothing, and for negative things. Counseling should be a positive thing to make a better subordinate, if the NCO cares enough to do. Unfortunately, too many NCOs only care about themselves.
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