Walking on the grass - big deal! or what's the big deal?

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 21:14:43 -0400

Does walking on the grass indicate a lack of discipline? That you take short cuts? your chance to state your thoughts.....

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 3 at 2015 9:27 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 21:27:37 -0400

I would not walk on freshly laid grass or recently grass seeded areas CSM Michael J. Uhlig out of respect for whoever planted it and because I have have planted a lot of grass myself.
Established grass in cemeteries and public places is another matter, those I would treat on a situation by situation basis in terms of whether or not I would obey the "keep of the grass" signs.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 9:37 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 21:37:35 -0400

If there is a sidewalk then use it but certain units are designed to where it would not be feasible. For example I should not have to walk all the way around the block to get to another building when I can just walk out the back a building, across the grass, and into another. If someone does not want people on their grass then put up a sign and ensure the correct path is well stated. By walking over the grass I feel that it is not being damaged in any way. If there is something I am not tracking please let me know for my awareness.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Oct 3 at 2015 9:44 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 21:44:01 -0400

Doing the little things right, every time. It breeds a sense of Vigilance. Vigilance is even more important than Discipline.

Is walking through the grass a big deal? No. However it's not the ACT, it's the ATTITUDE that matters. Why are you walking through the grass. Is it expedience? Or laziness? (they are different).

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 9:44 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 21:44:29 -0400

One college installed NO sidewalks first year. THEN they installed sidewalks where the students had worn paths.

Response by PFC Robert Falk made Oct 3 at 2015 10:00 PM

PFC Robert Falk — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 22:00:20 -0400

Can't walk on sidewalks when someone is working on them or it is crowded.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Oct 3 at 2015 10:13 PM

SSgt Terry P. — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 22:13:38 -0400

CSM Michael J. Uhlig If everyone walks on the grass,soon you have a path instead of grass.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Oct 3 at 2015 10:27 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 22:27:13 -0400

Let's face it grass is softer than concrete

Response by SGT Kristin Wiley made Oct 3 at 2015 10:37 PM

SGT Kristin Wiley — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 22:37:47 -0400

If they made sidewalks where people walk, we wouldn't have a problem. Since we PT on all the grass anyways, I don't see a problem with it.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Oct 3 at 2015 10:50 PM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 22:50:18 -0400

Never understood the whyfores behind this one, just knew not to do it or I would incur the wrath of some CSM or other!!

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Oct 3 at 2015 11:57 PM

CMSgt James Nolan — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 23:57:47 -0400

I think it depends where one is. Some installations have entire areas that are for looks-so stay off the grass. Some installations use it as a form of security-i.e. stay off the grass, which could indicate someone who is not familiar with local policy and indicate a breach...And of course most bases have Sergeant Majors/Master Chiefs/Chief Master Sergeants who think it is their grass, and in that case, stay off of it.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Oct 4 at 2015 1:06 AM

LTC John Shaw — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 01:06:38 -0400

In a military environment, it is disrespectful.

Response by CSM Carl Cunningham made Oct 4 at 2015 1:10 AM

CSM Carl Cunningham — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 01:10:41 -0400

It is funny that you asked this question CSM Michael J. Uhlig. When I attended the SMC, this topic actually came up when they were telling us the future of Sergeants Major. We were told that they Army wants relative Sergeants Major that are important to the mission instead of just yelling about the grass all day. Personally, I could care less about the grass. That being said, the Army keeps stationing me in deserts where I never see grass anyways. I seem to be around rocks all the time. :)

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Oct 4 at 2015 1:38 AM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 01:38:25 -0400

When walking on the grass, sometimes you can't see where the dog poop is. At least on the sidewalk, you can.
It's just one of those little "attention to detail" things that show you are aware of your surroundings and where you are - something that filters down through out your military life.
In reality - it gives that CSM something to chew your ass about!!

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 4 at 2015 1:53 AM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 01:53:19 -0400

Well I just prefer walking on grass. Just softer ground in general. The only time it shows a lack of discipline is if there are signs specifically stating "do not walk on grass". You can't call me indisciplined for doing something I thought was OK.

Response by PO1 Tony Holland made Oct 4 at 2015 2:49 AM

PO1 Tony Holland — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 02:49:03 -0400

The "sailors and dogs keep off the grass" signs were ubitquitous (sp.) in San Diego when I was there. Never understood why that was so in a 'Navy' town -- certainly never saw anything like that in any other part of the world.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 4 at 2015 5:11 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 05:11:52 -0400

Several people made valid points-both for and against walking on the grass. In my opinion, yes it does show a lack of attention to detail by not using the sidewalks that were built to begin with....HOWEVER, I firmly believe that the idiot who designed the layout of most Army sidewalks did so just to make life more miserable. It is a waste of time to walk around the block to get to another building. Sidewalks should be placed in a manner that allows movement from one to another in the most expeditious way possible.

Response by SGT Patrick Reno made Oct 4 at 2015 10:19 AM

SGT Patrick Reno — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 10:19:11 -0400

The military runs on discipline. Once you start taking short cuts where does it end. Your people will start to question all the rules. If you can't follow the easy ones how can you follow the hard ones.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Oct 4 at 2015 12:01 PM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 12:01:48 -0400

It is and has always been a common rule, DON'T.WALK.ON.THE.GRASS! Back in the day, you could be outside on a Sunday at 0230 and as soon as you stepped on the grass, you had like three CSM's chewing your ass like you slapped their mother. Today is quite different. At JBLM, units actually do PT ON THE PARADE FIELD in front of HQ. No one seems to bat an eye...crazy. There is that saying in the Army, "Do the right thing, even when no one is looking." I think that this speaks to that saying.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 4 at 2015 12:03 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 12:03:29 -0400

"Other".

People tend to walk on the grass in pretty much the same patterns and end up wearing paths. It's a shortcut-- a shorter, simpler path towards a goal. If we allow people to walk on that path, yes, the grass will be worn down. It won't look attractive and mud & dirt will be tracked in, and so on. But the better solution in my opinion is to just allow a gravel, sand, or stepping stone path exist there-- or better yet, no damn grass since it is a waste of time, effort, water, and money. Gravel, stone, or sand. Quit wasting money on greenskeeping.

We should worry about real threats, like hands in pockets and PT belt shortages or something equally horrifying.

Response by CSM Stuart C. O'Black made Oct 10 at 2015 4:40 AM

CSM Stuart C. O'Black — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 04:40:23 -0400

I put other: I have a hard time correcting Soldiers for walking on the grass around certain areas like the CPs after they spent all morning doing formation in the grass, PT in the grass etc... So the answer is depends. Around the DIV/BDE/BN HQs area the answer would be don't walk on the grass; but around the areas we normally do PT or units hold formation - Barracks etc... the answer would be no issues. Although I still can't bring myself to do it and just by observation most of the Soldier won't either.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Oct 10 at 2015 6:17 AM

Sgt Tom Cunnally — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 06:17:55 -0400

In Norfolk VA during WWII there were signs that read "Sailors & Dogs Stay Off The Grass".

..http://www.olgoat.com/substuff/dex35.htm

HAMPTON BLVD.

To all East Coast sailors, Norfolk was 'Shit City.' Rumor has it that during World War II the fine citizens of that fair city put signs on their lawns that read, "SAILORS AND DOGS KEEP OFF THE GRASS." Next to the Red Cross making front line GIs pay for coffee and doughnuts they should have given away, the stories about Norfolk come in a well deserved second. The best way to see Norfolk was through a rear view mirror.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Oct 13 at 2015 6:19 AM

PO1 John Miller — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 06:19:08 -0400

I was once walking through some grass on base Naval Air Station North Island and some Chief from my ship yelled at me for it.
The funny part was, I was walking through a path that had been worn down to bare earth from so many people walking over it and there were no signs saying "Keep Off Grass."
I said "Chief, look at the path I'm walking across..."
Chief: "Well if people stopped walking on it, it would grow back!!!"
Me: "Roger that Chief..." (I didn't feel like getting into an argument that I would lose based solely on rank)

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2015 9:39 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 09:39:01 -0400

Never understood this one. I can do PT in the grass, I can obviously walk on it for police calls, why can't I walk on it to quickly get from point A to point B?

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2015 9:41 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 09:41:58 -0400

When I was a brand new SGT, I was lucky enough to be made barracks sergeant. I proudly reamed the ass of a new private for walking on the grass while the 1SG watched from a distance. He then called me over and said to let them walk where they wanted to.
If they didn't walk there enough to make a path, then who cares.
If they walked somewhere enough to make a trail, the barracks sergeant needed to coordinate a new sidewalk with DPW.

Response by SSG Brian Marshall made Oct 13 at 2015 9:49 AM

SSG Brian Marshall — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 09:49:15 -0400

I think it's a lack of discipline! If you can't simply take a few more steps to follow the sidewalk then you will surely cut out a few steps to do your job the easy way instead of the right way! Just my two cents.

Response by SGT Jose Perdelia-Torres made Oct 13 at 2015 9:58 AM

SGT Jose Perdelia-Torres — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 09:58:05 -0400

I picked other, simply because we don't know if there is a sign present or not. To blatantly disregard a sign tellling you not to is another thing entirely. If no sign then yes you could although I wouldn't.

I study Plant Sciences at PSU, increased traffic actually messes up the soil aggregates where the grass is, with enough people, the grass might not ever grow back ( you then have a trail), and when it rains you create more erosion and runoff since nothing is slowing down the rainwater, grass does aid in that; albeit a minor role.

I guess I will go a step further and say I don't understand how physical fitness is conducted on the grass etc, yet these signs are still in existence at some bases. It's not that I like to stir up controversy, it's more of a duty ( I have) to point out any grey area in areas that were thought to be either one way or another.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Oct 13 at 2015 10:30 AM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 10:30:49 -0400

kind of funny, our 1Sgt didn't like us walking on the grass and would yell at us for it. The Masterer Guns looked at me stupid when i walked around the grass and told me grass was for walking on.

Response by CPT Griff Tatum made Oct 13 at 2015 10:31 AM

CPT Griff Tatum — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 10:31:47 -0400

You take one shortcut you'll take more shortcuts. It's just a respect thing. And it shows respect to the people who were there before you and resembles more of a foundational principle. I went to North Georgia College, one of the six Senior Military Colleges in the nation, and our parade field is off limits to all Army and civillians for walking use, unless we are training or using it for recreation. So its more respect for the property and foundation than anything.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Oct 13 at 2015 1:51 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 13:51:48 -0400

CSM wouldn't this be better phrased "Walking on YOUR grass - big deal!"? Yes it's a big deal if you do not want to find ones self sweating at parade rest in your office finding out that the lawnmowers broken and you have a new pair of scissors to cut with. There are formal rules that govern our daily activities in the Army, and then there are the "unspoken" ones that have dire consequences if you cross them. Walking on the CSM/SGMs grass is on that second list. It's just easier and safer to just go around.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2015 3:27 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 15:27:08 -0400

I put 'other' as it can depend. Overall we have sidewalks along the main throughputs and unless it's just too packed to use them people travelling those areas should use them as necessary to help maintain appearance on the installation. In these cases it's something of a lack of discipline. There are a few corner spots where I work people cut the edges and it's become plain dirt with erosion eddies that could be hazardous and just looks bad. There's a 4-way sidewalk intersection not two feet away. That's just lazy.

But I will also say, if in a lower traffic area or even someplace with poorly maintained sidewalks, someone shouldn't get their head taken off for walking on the grass. Grass was around long before concrete, a lot of us have to walk/run on it anyway in the course of our jobs, and some find it more comfortable. If it's not in an area that it could encourage enough traffic to worry about it and there's no other reason it could be problematic I'd say let it go. Sidewalks should be used since there's a reason the money was spent to begin with, but if it was that big a deal they'd have contracted in some fences on the side along with the concrete.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2016 1:50 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 31 Dec 2016 13:50:12 -0500

I have always found it to be ridiculous. Does the Navy not have their ships in the water? Does the Air Force not flights planes in the air? Why then,should the army not walk on the grass?

Methinks that once upon a time, some sergeant major was anal retentive about his grass and it became a part of the culture.

Response by LCpl Jaime N. made Dec 31 at 2016 4:10 PM

LCpl Jaime N. — Sat, 31 Dec 2016 16:10:43 -0500

I chose lack of discipline. Every thing is done for a reason. I thought about choosing other and saying that it gives sgtmjr something to do, but i fear sgtmjr's wrath. lol. ps, when we are walking, my children also understand that all grass is owned by sgtmjr and if it isn't our yard, they don't belong on it.

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2017 2:52 AM

ENS Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 02:52:08 -0500

Stay off the grass!!

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Sep 22 at 2018 6:09 AM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 06:09:16 -0400

It’s about paying attention to detail(rules)
Their thinking that if you’ll take short cuts across the grass you’ll take shortcuts when doing a project, not doing a complete job. Leaving out important points.