Question from my E5 Prom Board 1988: In a firefight, one of your joes gets up and starts running away. What do you do?

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 00:54:29 -0400

Response by 1stSgt Eugene Harless made May 19 at 2016 12:59 AM

1stSgt Eugene Harless — Thu, 19 May 2016 00:59:15 -0400

Shoot him?

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 1:00 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 01:00:14 -0400

MSG Private RallyPoint Member I would yell for him to hit the deck, and would maintain focus on winning the firefight.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 1:04 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 01:04:33 -0400

RFI please - Did he drop his weapon or take it with him?

Response by CPL Bryan Claeys made May 19 at 2016 1:08 AM

CPL Bryan Claeys — Thu, 19 May 2016 01:08:58 -0400

Too vague, depends on what his position was rto maybe battery was running low, ag on a crew served weapon perhaps getting ammo, maybe he was going to flank the threat, if he left his weapon or not, inquire loud enough what he's doing and adjust your reaction accordingly.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made May 19 at 2016 1:20 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Thu, 19 May 2016 01:20:13 -0400

MSG Private RallyPoint Member Was that not a great experience?! A troop once told me of a board in Germany; they said, "Drill your platoon" SGT Overton stood up and drilled the plt in the "room" where the board was in session. And he was awarded the promotion!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 1:44 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 01:44:45 -0400

What an amazing question. It's all about situation. The question is how well you know your soldier and how you know how well they will react in that situation. I would say my soldiers are well trained and I trust them with my life, I know my soldiers will take care of me as I have always taken care of them.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 2:20 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 02:20:20 -0400

If your engaged in a firefight, CONCENTRATE ON STAYING ALIVE. As his leader, were you aware of his last position? Has he observed an enemy flanking action and responded?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 2:50 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 02:50:14 -0400

Let him run; you should know which one it was. The real issue is that you are in a firefight. Defeat the enemy first then focus on discipline.

Response by Capt Michael Greene made May 19 at 2016 2:52 AM

Capt Michael Greene — Thu, 19 May 2016 02:52:30 -0400

Continue the fight. Observe said Joe. Possibly he's spotted an enemy behind you. But still, continue the fight.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 6:09 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 06:09:03 -0400

Huh? Not sure what to say about that. I'm sure the answer given in the 80's is completely different than what is expected today.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 6:12 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 06:12:44 -0400

I would have to say charge him with cowardice in the face of the enemy assuming you live to do so.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made May 19 at 2016 6:59 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Thu, 19 May 2016 06:59:38 -0400

Have put before a court martial if he made it out alive. Have him charged with dereliction of duty, cowardice, and going AWOL if possible.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 7:37 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 07:37:57 -0400

Today. Call him a millennial.

Response by SGT Loren Hammons made May 19 at 2016 7:51 AM

SGT Loren Hammons — Thu, 19 May 2016 07:51:08 -0400

Keep fighting - this would be my answer, in the middle of a firefight I would not go after him. Rather loose one during the firefight than to take a chance on loosing more.

Response by 1SG Cameron M. Wesson made May 19 at 2016 8:54 AM

1SG Cameron M. Wesson — Thu, 19 May 2016 08:54:56 -0400

Charlie Mike... deal with that soldier... if he was still alive... during consolidation/reorganization on the objective.

Response by SFC(P) John McLaughlin made May 19 at 2016 9:45 AM

SFC(P) John McLaughlin — Thu, 19 May 2016 09:45:28 -0400

As others have stated, let him go and don't give up your position. Joe can't run forever.

Response by SSG Richard Reilly made May 19 at 2016 10:14 AM

SSG Richard Reilly — Thu, 19 May 2016 10:14:50 -0400

Tell him to get down(?), but at that point he isn't a asset to the fight no time to respond just keep others focused on the mission at hand which is killing the enemy.

Response by SPC Andrew Griffin made May 19 at 2016 11:27 AM

SPC Andrew Griffin — Thu, 19 May 2016 11:27:46 -0400

Shoot him along with the Enemy! No Comrade will let Cowardice set in and leave his brother in a fire fight!

Response by CW5 Andrew J. Foreman made May 19 at 2016 11:34 AM

CW5 Andrew J. Foreman — Thu, 19 May 2016 11:34:21 -0400

I had a Soldier tell me in the face of the enemy he would turn and run when I was a SGT of a small team. I told him if he did that I would shoot him in the back and stop him in his tracks. My issue was good order and discipline. If I let him just run what is to stop the rest of the team from running. With a small team you need every Soldier committed to the fight. Some may think this was too harsh and I would be court martialed for shooting a Soldier. I would take my chances explaining to my peers in court, alive, then having a my family at my funeral because I could not keep good order and discipline.

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made May 19 at 2016 11:42 AM

MSG Floyd Williams — Thu, 19 May 2016 11:42:50 -0400

Continue your mission on protecting yourself and the troops, make a note of what had happened, gather witnesses to verify what you had seen, and let your Chain-of-Command handle it.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made May 19 at 2016 12:27 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Thu, 19 May 2016 12:27:29 -0400

Make note of who, cardinal direction, time and obvious gear he is departing with, call it in if timing allows adjust the perimeter or fighting positions as needed, defeat the enemy.
After, report in detail, then hunt his skinny ass down and discover if it was mental trauma and breakdown or a heart condition, assist or destroy as appropriate.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 1:49 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 13:49:35 -0400

I would redirect my soldiers to cover the gap until the firefight was over then deal with the soldier later.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 2:08 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 14:08:40 -0400

Initially think thoughts that would be extremely profane and unfit to type & post. Secondly, pray the "individual" survives his flight to freedom - because if I survive his fourth point of contact is heading to Ft. Leavenworth, KS.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 19 at 2016 2:24 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Thu, 19 May 2016 14:24:41 -0400

I would have responded to the board memebr that I have no joe's, however, if one of my Soldiers got up!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2016 3:45 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 May 2016 15:45:50 -0400

How it ended.
As many know, there is no one right answer to this question. METT-TC and situation will dictate and unfortunately, we were never allowed to as follow up questions like those asked by many of you. Like many of you I responded that I needed to react to the immediate threat, lead by example and encourage those still with in the fight.

The 1SG asked me a follow up question about shooting him. Given the information available, I had to assume these guys were buddies and the joe running was not abandoning his buds. With that, I had to consider the negative effect it would have on those on the line if they saw me shoot their buddy in the back. I forgot to mention, I’d be down a round.

There was a promotion board Urban Legend that one quick thinking Specialist responded with something to the effect of “I’d yell at the Soldier … For God sake hurry! Make sure they know our grid and bring enough ammo for the entire squad and remember the grenades!” ... Again, something to the effect.

We were heartily cautioned by the recorder not to use that response as it was a well-worn record.

Response by PO3 Sherry Thornburg made May 19 at 2016 11:03 PM

PO3 Sherry Thornburg — Thu, 19 May 2016 23:03:01 -0400

Deal with it later, you are in a fire fight. Keep your head in the moment.

Response by SGT Alicia Brenneis made May 20 at 2016 2:30 PM

SGT Alicia Brenneis — Fri, 20 May 2016 14:30:22 -0400

Sic the medics on him if they are not engaged or treating wounded. Shock happens. If not delta with her could become a serious liability to himself and others.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2016 2:47 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 May 2016 14:47:53 -0400

I train my joes from day 1 that there is one rule and its "dont be a bitch." now they are nore scared of looking like a coward than fucking up. Someone once said something in the effect of an alright plan now is better than a great plan later. If you trained them right theyll be alright.

Response by SPC Chris Rozzi made May 20 at 2016 4:08 PM

SPC Chris Rozzi — Fri, 20 May 2016 16:08:23 -0400

When I was on deployment there was this one guy who was a S.A.W gunner and instead of suppressing the enemy that was bounding on them to a point that they were 25m away decided to throw the S.A.W on the ground and say that he gives up somehow he was still able to stay in without repercussions.

Response by SPC Marcus DeMatos made May 20 at 2016 4:18 PM

SPC Marcus DeMatos — Fri, 20 May 2016 16:18:50 -0400

Mission first. Accountability is secondary. If you catch him later you'll have the chance to paperwork his ass.

Response by SGT Charles Tittl made May 20 at 2016 5:13 PM

SGT Charles Tittl — Fri, 20 May 2016 17:13:57 -0400

Things like that tend to sort themselves out by them selves mysteriously. Or if all else fails socks and locks after midnight does the trick

Response by SPC George Long made May 20 at 2016 7:57 PM

SPC George Long — Fri, 20 May 2016 19:57:43 -0400

In my experience the enemy will solve the issue pretty quick. If not you know who he/she is. Just Let the UCMJ do what it does.

Response by SFC Pete Kain made May 21 at 2016 1:04 PM

SFC Pete Kain — Sat, 21 May 2016 13:04:43 -0400

YELL don't forget the crew served ammo. Then deal with him afterwards. Avoids panic that way.
I was asked that question in PLDC.

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made May 21 at 2016 8:54 PM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Sat, 21 May 2016 20:54:28 -0400

You finish the fight and deal with him later.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2016 3:10 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 22 May 2016 03:10:22 -0400

Depends, what can you do without jeopardizing the lives of other Soldiers? It is just like if a Soldier is wounded do you go get them or wait until the bullets let up? What can you safely do without needlessly jeopardizing lives? Sounds easy enough but we all know it is not, as leaders we want all of our Soldiers to be safe and to come home.