Is it appropriate to track down non participant Soldiers utilizing social media rather than using the phone, email, or house visits?

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 11:54:38 -0500

Question for the reserve leaders out there. Do you think it appropriate to track down non participant Soldiers utilizing social media such as Facebook rather than by utilizing telephone email attempts, or oven old fashioned house visit?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 11:58 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 11:58:12 -0500

Yes. Use whatever tools are at your disposal.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Mar 1 at 2016 12:06 PM

SGT Dave Tracy — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:06:40 -0500

Ooh...legitimized Facebook stalking, I am intrigued!

I would say that you should use whatever legal means is available. Now if you find your guy on Facebook (Just imagine finding them on RP!!), it wouldn't my 1st choice to call him out publically for everyone to see, but social media is a tool to be used just like the phone, email or the car that drives you to PVT Snuffy's house.

Response by LTC Thomas Tennant made Mar 1 at 2016 12:10 PM

LTC Thomas Tennant — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:10:16 -0500

SFC McGee....My Short Answer...YES because all is fair when it comes to accounting for your Soldiers. If they are using the public settings for Facebook etc. they basically waived their right to privacy....and don't let some bleeding heart JAG lawyer tell you differently. It gets a little sticky if they use a more restrictive setting.

Keep in mind that Non-Participation has been a issue since I entered service back in the early 1970's but back then we could show up with the Sheriff and send them to Vietnam. However, with the end of the Vietnam War start of the "All Vol" Army, the problem got worse. If a troop didn't want to be found we were hard press to do anything but "U" them out and send them to the IRR. And as an "Old UA" I can tell you they would just show up on a rolls again in time for the ESO count in October.

I always personally felt that they were not holding up their end of the bargain (aka contract) and deserved to be given a characterized discharge (ie Less Than Honorable). Problem was too few GOs wanted to sign off on those types of discharges.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 12:16 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:16:34 -0500

I believe the guidance from OCAR specifically says to use social media to track down nonpars. I'm not in my office right now to check but I've used it to find Nonpars and Soldiers who were assigned but not joined

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 12:17 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:17:59 -0500

Use every tool available.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 12:20 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:20:47 -0500

I don't see why not. I would.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 12:23 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:23:18 -0500

You do what you have to do. many of these low-life drill skippers won't answer the phone or email and many of them give you a bogus, or outdated, home address. If you can find them on FB, go for it

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 12:24 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:24:21 -0500

I think social media should be used in conjunction with other efforts such as telephone, email, and banging on the door.

A 1SG once relayed a story about a General that found a non-parcipitant through social media and talked to the soldier within about 3 hours of searching. This was after the subordinate command chain claimed that they had exhausted all their efforts to find the soldier.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 12:34 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:34:02 -0500

in today's Army, I think Social Media would be classified as a valid tool used in order to track down NP's. This way, you can truly say that you utilized all avenues to re-establish contact.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 12:34 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:34:17 -0500

I use Facebook as a secondary precaution. The best part about using it is they can't say that they didn't get it, because it has all those nice little check marks, and shows you is and when it was read.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 12:50 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:50:18 -0500

Very appropriate. The beauty of it is you can take print screens of the conversation. You can't do that with phone calls. If your target audience receives information and communicates via social media, then go for it. Never know, their mom and dad could be on social media as well.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Mar 1 at 2016 1:01 PM

LTC John Shaw — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:01:49 -0500

Yes it is fair game and it is to rebuild the connection between the soldier and the unit. The chance of success is small but we recovered 20-25% of NP with the combination of phone, mail, have a friend stop by and social media

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 1:15 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:15:27 -0500

If the tools are available, use them!

I would not hesitate to track someone down online if I could not find them any other way.

Response by SFC Kenneth Hunnell made Mar 1 at 2016 1:21 PM

SFC Kenneth Hunnell — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:21:29 -0500

Well the contact information doesn't seem too work.
Don't put yourself out there to be found.
And you won't be

Response by SGT Tyler G. made Mar 1 at 2016 1:35 PM

SGT Tyler G. — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:35:12 -0500

Well if they had their privacy settings set how they should be, you shouldn't even be able to find them assuming you aren't a friend of one of their friends. But lets be honest, you'll probably be able to find them.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Mar 1 at 2016 1:39 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:39:30 -0500

I'm retired and didn't have social medias, but I'd say use every "tool" at your disposal.

Response by LTC Martin Metz made Mar 1 at 2016 1:39 PM

LTC Martin Metz — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:39:45 -0500

It's a tool in the retention box for the 1st line leadership to use. Sometimes just taking the effort to maintain contact and find out what is going on in the soliders' life makes a big difference in recovering a non-participant, especially early on. However, official notifications still need to be done per regulation if more drastic personnel action has to be taken.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 1:49 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:49:26 -0500

Its definitely not my first go to when reaching out to Soldiers but if I've exhausted all other means then I do send messages via social media. I even try to reach out to any family members that they have on their pages. I've had success pulling D93's off their iPERMS and contacting next of kin and other family members listed in their records.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 2:13 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 14:13:04 -0500

Not solely, but yes; especially if you do not know where the Soldier lives. JAG will ask if you have used ALL MEANS available to contact the Soldier during the chapter process. It is always better to try and have to much, then to have the packet rejected for not enough effort on the unit's behalf.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 3:11 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 15:11:25 -0500

All the time. It is not the primary communications tool by any means, but it usually works in a pinch.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 3:22 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 15:22:45 -0500

Yes it sure is. If they are an UNSAT they are not going to check their military email, its just another tool to contact them. I have recovered several Soldiers through Facebook.

Response by MAJ Michael Pauling made Mar 1 at 2016 3:41 PM

MAJ Michael Pauling — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 15:41:34 -0500

depends on reason, if your intent is to locate for possible UCMJ or related articles best consult JAG as to whether it will hold up in Court Martial or Administrative Action. Basically, anyone on the other end can "purport" to be the person you are seeking and that will allow the SM to claim ignorance of the action pending. In my experience if you are out to get them then never give them a way out-loophole. Basically because the next time you get them in your cross hairs you already gave them the "He is out to get me just like last time" excuse.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 9:01 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 21:01:47 -0500

Absolutely. I have am old school mindset, but its important to remember that these are simply forms of communication. When you're trying to get a hold of an AWOL, Facebook, snapchat, whatever works.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Mar 1 at 2016 9:10 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 21:10:58 -0500

MSG Private RallyPoint Member You are so kind! Non-Participating? Does that equal being AWOL and subject to MJ? New Army speak?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2016 12:37 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 00:37:48 -0500

Anything that will improve unit readiness should be appropriate. Technology such as social media is an effective tool to reach out individuals faster than every other means and bringing NP's back to full participant will definitely impact unit readiness in a positive way. Besides what's the difference between emailing or in-boxing someone via social media?

Response by SSG Robert Smith made Mar 2 at 2016 12:42 AM

SSG Robert Smith — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 00:42:35 -0500

As long as you can document the attempt to contact it should be fine to attempt to contact the soldier using social media.

Response by LTC Charles T Dalbec made Mar 2 at 2016 10:01 AM

LTC Charles T Dalbec — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 10:01:56 -0500

Track unseats however but limit cmts to them in social media. Ok

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Mar 2 at 2016 2:01 PM

CPT Pedro Meza — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 14:01:10 -0500

All is fair and Love and War, and tracking down a absent/non-participating lover by all mean necessary is a good way to develop enemy tracking skills.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 26 at 2016 11:25 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 26 Mar 2016 23:25:45 -0400

To be honest, I hate doing it; however, our Brigade makes it a requirement to attempt to contact the soldier via all means avaliable in order to recover the Soldier.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2016 8:54 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 08:54:43 -0400

It is appropriate and it works. 75th Training Command found a Soldier of FB after 6 months. MPs went and picked him up. Nothing wrong with the old fashioned methods if they produce the desired results, but keep in mind that times have changed and leaders need to adapt and keep up with those changes. You could be on a rat wheel doing house calls. People have moved 3 to 4 times in a year. Somebody always on their cell phone, on FB, twitter, linkeden, facetime, my space. Don't too many people use yahoo and Hotmail anymore.