Is it wrong for an Air Force Sergeant to help an Army Private?

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:31:29 -0400

Scenario: Air Force Tech Sergeant (E-6) gets involved in helping an Army Private (infantry) get home from deployment in order to be home with his wife who is having their child. The wife goes into labor and is admitted into the hospital early. A Red Cross message gets sent, but it stops at his company NCO at the deployed location. The NCO refused to send the message up to the CO (O-3, Capt.) because he was in a meeting. The Private needed the CO's approval to allow him to get on the HOP to fly to the states so he can be there on time. The E-6 calls his duty station (stateside) Staff NCO at 1130pm in order to get a hold of his CO at his duty station to approve the Red Cross message to be sent and get him the ability to come home. Without the involvement of the Air Force E-6 calling the privates chain of command, he would have been stuck at his deployed location. He was able to make it home 1 day after the baby was born, 5lbs, 15oz.

What are your thoughts about another service members involvement to help the Army Private?

Where was the Privates' duty location NCO and why wasn't he/she as proactive?

Why is approaching an O-3 in the Army such a difficult task?

Deployed locations are what they are, deployments. Getting home isn't an easy task. Some will say, the Private is deployed, we have all at one point in time have missed birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and even babies being born. It's a sacrifice he needs to be aware of. Suck it up.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 12:33 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:33:08 -0400

It is the right thing/

Response by SGT Kristin Wiley made Jun 8 at 2015 12:37 PM

SGT Kristin Wiley — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:37:37 -0400

I think the answer is fairly simple. The NCO afraid to approach the O3, did not see the world outside of his/her bubble. Instead of doing what needed to be done, the NCO choose to avoid the possibility of bringing unfavorable attention upon himself/herself by interrupting the O3's meeting. In this situation, I would hope the O3 was made aware of the NCO's lack of action and take steps to ensure it doesn't happen again. The world today has grown further and further away from doing the right thing regardless of potential consequences.

The AF E-6 should not have needed to get involved, but the system is never perfect. It should never be frowned upon for SMs to help one another.

Response by SFC Maury Gonzalez made Jun 8 at 2015 12:38 PM

SFC Maury Gonzalez — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:38:37 -0400

The army nco was wrong and borderline incompetent to treat a soldier with red cross message like that

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 12:40 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:40:01 -0400

The Red Cross Message is supposed to go through to the CO, regardless of whether or not they are in a meeting.
Doesn't matter what the NCO thinks, the CO can make the decision of when to address it.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 12:41 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:41:13 -0400

I would have interrupted that CO; was the NCO afraid of a butt-chewing? NCO needs to get his priorities straight IMHO.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 12:43 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:43:42 -0400

There is nothing wrong with anyone in one branch of service helping a member of another branch of service. Good for the SSG for taking the initiative to do what needed to be done to take care of a fellow troop.
And shame on the NCO that chose not to do the right thing. Our job is to take care of troops whether it is good timing or not. Shame on him for making someone else do his/her job!

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jun 8 at 2015 12:43 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:43:43 -0400

I'm wondering why the Red Cross message got blocked honestly. "Being in a meeting" just means that instead of going directly to the CO, you go to the 1SG or the Company GySgt or Army Equivalent (someone who can interrupt the meeting).

As for getting involved. There was a break-down. You bypassed the breakdown. It's really that simple. It doesn't matter if you are Army or Air Force. The CO was missing key information because of a breakdown in communication. Now the NCO may have had good reason for delaying the communication which you were not privy to, however if it comes across Red Cross it's a "Command Message" which means it needs to make it to command As Soon As Possible.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jun 8 at 2015 12:47 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:47:29 -0400

Leader helping troops; that's what its all about. The Army is very big on chain of command. I am not sure if that was the problem. Not all leaders have their priorities straight. I give Red Cross messages the utmost priorities over everything thing else.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Jun 8 at 2015 12:49 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:49:52 -0400

We all fall under the large umbrella of the Department of Defense right? I see nothing wrong with a leader in one branch helping someone in another branch as long as the help is within the regulations of both branches.

While I'm not fully aware of all the facts, as a former Operations SGT who would have gotten that Red Cross message, you sometimes need to know when to interrupt the CO and when not to. But in a case like this where a Red Cross message is coming in for a Soldier, I would have no problem giving my CO the notice. It all goes back to "well if that was me on the other end, how would I wanted it treated".

Glad to hear the SM was able to make it home!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 12:56 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:56:18 -0400

There is absolutely nothing wrong with helping another member of our armed forces in such unique case..

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Jun 8 at 2015 1:26 PM

CMSgt Mark Schubert — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 13:26:52 -0400

>Is it wrong for an Air Force Sergeant to help an Army Private?
No - how could it be? You helped the situation as best you could - that's doing the right thing. Was there a valid reason for the delay? I don't know - but there doesn't seem to be a reason why it didn't work up the CoC more quickly - ok - if it can't go straight to the CO, then GySgt or 1st Sgt or someone who can help immediately.

A Red Cross message should have the highest priority and respect and we as service members should not judge the validity or downgrade the priority of these messages.

Training our members may have been the issue and I certainly hope the CO makes it crystal clear to everyone in his/her command that he/she is always directly available for any emergency communication - period.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 8 at 2015 1:39 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 13:39:20 -0400

Thank you for helping the family. Sometimes units have built in inefficiencies because a person does not do their job, or knowledge is power.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jun 8 at 2015 3:20 PM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 15:20:20 -0400

The Tech Sergeant is a NCO. This NCO did what was right. I would, if I were the Army captain, wonder why the First Line Supervisor of that private was not pro-active, was not concerned and was not doing HIS JOB.
I can guess why the Army NCO was not doing what he should have been doing. I would bet that this private approached the Sergeant before the deployment and told him his wife was pregnant. The NCO told the First Sergeant who deflected the issue saying we will deal with that later or something. Then they get deployed, and the wife contacted the NCO's wife to remind her to ask her husband to make sure the private got home for the birth....on and on it went until the Army Sergeant had had about all the Private "My Wife is Pregnant" that he could stand, and when the time came, he did not care.

NCOs MUST....MUST...MUST understand that Privates are for the most part KIDS...Inexperienced kids in uniform. NCOs have to react like that. Most privates look up to HIS Sergeant...HIS NCO....His NCO is RIGHT, until that NCO demonstrates that he does not deserve that support.

IF the private was in COMBAT...and I mean COMBAT OPERATIONS, then OH, you get him home when you can, maybe after the war...BUT if the only thing that would be disrupted by the absence of the Private is that a guard roster has to be redone, and an inspection has one less to stand there, or some IG Report has an empty block..than GET OVER IT and take care of your Soldiers like you EXPECT and Demand that they take care of the unit.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 5:47 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 17:47:58 -0400

It's a family. Family helps family....did I mention family?

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 9 at 2015 4:41 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 16:41:14 -0400

Simple answer...we all wear the same flag on our uniform.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 9 at 2015 4:58 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 16:58:30 -0400

Someone thought the welfare of the Private was not important. Someone was wrong. Always take care of your troops.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 9 at 2015 5:06 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 17:06:14 -0400

True leadership here. My thoughts as portrayed to me from previous leaders is always do the right thing. If you get your ass chewed for doing the right thing so be it, and likely that would be rectified as well. At the end of the day if you know what the right thing to do is and don't do it because it is "unpopular" or others don't like it you are doing a dis-service to yourself and those you represent.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 9 at 2015 5:08 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 17:08:54 -0400

That's a good leader right there. Taking care of young SMs regardless of branch. I like that. I know we all talk shit to each other, but when someone is in need, your service branch shouldn't matter, if you are in a capacity to help.

Response by TSgt Liza Kazee made Jul 16 at 2015 2:32 PM

TSgt Liza Kazee — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 14:32:45 -0400

No, it isn't. As NCO's, regardless of service, it is our job to ensure we are taking care of our lower ranking enlisted members.

Response by TSgt Manuel Perez made Jul 23 at 2015 8:37 AM

TSgt Manuel Perez — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 08:37:24 -0400

Great job, we are all military members, and NCOs. that is taking the lead