How to handle being in a unit with no morale when the company command team doesn't care about it's Soldiers?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 13:19:05 -0400

Myself along with many other Soldiers and NCOs in my unit have witnessed our Command Team consistently refer to Soldiers as "f*ckers", and go as far as saying they did not care about Soldiers, their families, or anything having to do with Soldiers lives. I typically try to be optimistic and not believe "here say", but when you witness it yourself how are you suppose to have faith in your leadership? I believe most leaders genuinely care what happens to their Soldiers, but how can a unit function and have any form of morale when the entire company KNOWS their leadership doesn't care? I'm hoping some senior leaders have advice for this situation, as I'm honestly not sure what to do.

Response by SGT Neil Chandler made Apr 17 at 2015 1:35 PM

SGT Neil Chandler — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 13:35:17 -0400

Spc Moran, I completely agree with PO2 Crowder, you do you, be the right soldier and lead by example, don't let the "bad seeds" ruin what you want out if the Army. And document everything that is wrong. Let the lower enlisted see the right way to do things and learn what not to do from the so named leadership. I'm kinda in the same boat

Response by PFC Stephen Eric Serati made Apr 17 at 2015 1:38 PM

PFC Stephen Eric Serati — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 13:38:30 -0400

yes document everything,learn the law,do what your told,watch your 6.Worst case go over their heads to a higher chain or JAG

Response by SPC Nate Lamphier made Apr 17 at 2015 1:58 PM

SPC Nate Lamphier — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 13:58:51 -0400

Solid advice so far. Whatever you do, do not give them any reason to be able to come down on you. Meaning, don't be late to a formation, do not disobey any order, complete every task, if they tell you to be somewhere at 0400.....be there at least 15 minutes prior. Also, if things do hit the fan....anything negative against you which is documented can be used against you aka not being a good Soldier.

Basically, control what you can control.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2015 2:22 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 14:22:53 -0400

One idea is to fix your gaze upon what you can do rather than what can be done for you. Visiting aging veterans in retirement homes who have no to talk to. If your leadership is not doing it, you do it and take the initiative to make welfare a priority. In the long run it pays dividends and as you get promoted you can do the things your leaders did not.

Response by SPC William Weedman made Jul 16 at 2015 7:02 PM

SPC William Weedman — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 19:02:20 -0400

Surround yourself with troops who believe in the mission. It is so easy to end up around troops who will drag you down because they are angry, bitter or jaded. I see them in my civilian position and avoid them as much as I can. Even if there are only 2-3 other people you have to do your job to the best of your ability. If you can find a NCO who believes in the mission if not the unit leadership even better. You can't change the unit, but you can keep yourself from succumbing to the lack of morale around you. During my last Active Duty assignment was in a unit of Senior NCOs marking time to retirement and burned out, tabbed SF/Rangers. Needless to say NCO leadership was weak, but I found myself 3 other junior enlisted and 1 NCO. We spent a lot of off-duty time together, supporting each other to "keep the faith" and watching each other's sixes. It was very helpful, but not enough to encourage me to reenlist.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2015 7:14 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 19:14:40 -0400

Here's a few thoughts:

1. As others have said, be the change you want to see. When I was an XO I had a Company Commander who would sleep in his office during drill. I focused my efforts on minimizing the negative effects that had on our Company. All you can do is square away your part of the world. By having a positive attitude and taking care of your buddies you'll mitigate some of what's going on.

2. Take notes and remember the mistakes and bad situations you experience. I carry a green notebook that I write in when this happens. Periodically I go back through it, if nothing else to maintain my perspective. On the other hand, some of the things you thought were jacked up as a SPC may make sense when you're a 1SG. You only see a small piece of the picture right now.

3. "This too shall pass." Command teams typically rotate out every 2 years. Chances are your next command team will be better. Don't let one bad CO/1SG negatively impact your overall perception of what the Army can be. In 9 years I've served under outstanding leaders and those who couldn't lead a troop of Brownies out of a pissed-soaked paper bag. It's been my experience so far that you'll find more good than bad.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 26 at 2015 1:45 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:45:59 -0400

Take it to the command IG

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2016 7:09 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 28 May 2016 19:09:49 -0400

Well, not everyone was cut to be a leader. The sad part of this is that they have failed miserably to attain the respect and rank worthiness. Instead they have bullied their way up by taking for advantage that emblem conferred to them on trust and jurisdiction.
As one of the biggest leaders of all times once said: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” Mathew 23
In the Marines I learned that many could dress like one, but only the few were the proud. Same everywhere else. Many people out there think that all of our troubles lies in distant God forsaken lands. But in reality there are more troubles here than anywhere else and we strive to keep the notion that we serve under the same uniform and the same code of conduct.
But among all these disappointments this is the fact; that all young Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen and so on, are the future of our arm forces and that those who about to hang their Kevlar and for those who all ready have will just carry with them the past they leave behind and their legacy. The question is will this legacy continue unchanged? Would you change it and how? This is where right judgment comes into play and it is up to you the future to determine the path of what it will be of our beloved nation’s arm forces.
You know that not all the members of such great organization believes likewise, we love you guys and without you all we are nothing. After all we fight in the same trench holes and bleed the same blood.

Regards

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jul 11 at 2016 8:36 PM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 20:36:53 -0400

Does you Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant care? If so you start at the squad/section level and BECOME THE BEST at EVERYTHING you do to SPITE those that do not care about you. If you have a slot for In Flight Nosecone Repair school, FILL IT...You need to have a squad and then a platoon of super troopers, First in, on ruckmarches, and runs, last out in that you make sure you are 100% and you cover others. SGT Private RallyPoint Member when you become a section leader, you need to KNOW everything about your Soldiers. Birthdays, spouse name kids names Mom and dad's names. You can not force those over you to do the right thing, but By God YOU can be that example..YOU can be the leader that cares, YOU can be the first of many in that sad unit to be a LEADER and not a Stripes Wearer. Good Luck to you

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Sep 18 at 2019 11:57 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 11:57:38 -0400

I can't even imagine how shitty the Soldiers must be to have antagonized that kind of reaction out of their command team... Leaders care, but they're still human... It's a lot like being a parent to a miserable adopted child... All the love in the world can fade if your life is nothing but PMO trips, Art. 15 paperwork, IG/EO complaints, blotter reports, drug busts, prostitution rings and whining. I think Soldiers underestimate how much they mean to their leadership, and the compounding effect of poor behavior on a command teams morale and their subsequent treatment of Soldiers....