What happened to troop and company level supply? Where exactly has the failure to supply soldiers started?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:04:08 -0400

I know this issue isn’t just local, it seems to be happening everywhere. Soldiers are forced to buy hundreds of dollars on basic things that their supply should be providing to them. This includes: awards, ranks, face paint, even batteries of every kind, the list goes on. For someone like me who has been in for a while and seen a few promotions, these small expenses are a simple annoyance. That being said, we have soldiers coming in making $600 a pay check and are expected to drop $60 on their dress blues For unit awards and unit crests, going through multiple promotions, let’s call it roughly $35-$50 for ranks all together during each promotion, face paint and enough batteries to sustain them during field problems, about $25 or more per field event....

I don’t think I need to continue, we all get the point. What has happened to our supply? Is it laziness when it comes to ordering? Not enough funding? Are supply clerks told to withhold these basic needs? At what point did we stop supplying our soldiers for the mission on basic needs? Does anyone have a similar experience? Cause everywhere I go it seems to be the same since 2014.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2019 1:17 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:17:15 -0400

I’ve had the same probably since I’ve been in as well. There was one point where our supply had 200+ pairs of Oakley M frames. They told us they didn’t have any but randomly ones and twos would happen to stumble across some new eyepro

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2019 1:18 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:18:25 -0400

Supply is usually out of things like unit awards and patches. I was told that the Army will/should always provide you with 1 of everything when it comes to awards and uniform accessories, after that it's on you.
Funding is an issue, bad supply Soldiers are another, but they may also not be told what is needed. If they don't know, they can't order. So when a Soldier just says "screw it, I'll buy a box of batteries" then supply doesn't have to order because it was handled otherwise.
Face paint is still a thing?!?!
Also when it comes to uniforms, SMs receive an allowance each year for it. They just happen to spend it on beer instead.
When it comes to gear, the Army issues an full CIF issue. Is it the best equipment? not at all, but it does the trick. If a Soldier decides he/she wants to spend money on extra gear or better gear that's their choice.

It comes down to holding those Soldiers - supply, PSG, 1SG, S4 to do their job. Stop buying batteries and force supply to do it. If someone says just go buy it say no, you cannot be forced to purchase stuff that should be issued. Forcing functions are just that. When theres command climate surveys etc.. state the problems, go talk to the S4, talk to the 1SG. You're a SSG 19D so bring this stuff up, supply requests are your thing at the next rank, they cover it in ALC. Use your yellow reports.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Oct 17 at 2019 1:42 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:42:19 -0400

I had never personally experience this type of issue. If equipment was issue, it was issued. I would challenge all leaders reading this post to check their Company/Battery supply rooms. Sad if true. Thank you for your support.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Oct 17 at 2019 1:55 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:55:09 -0400

I have an idea where it went sideways. When ULLS transitioned to GCCS-A and the S8/S4 had to financially approve every financial transaction, hence every requisition. This scrutiny is happening with everything including deadlining class IX for pacing items. Most units are simply trying to handle deadline parts and don't always get to those.

Before that there was a MRF at the MMC which prevented the ordering of stupid stuff on an established list (Leatherman's, printers etc) but pushed through Class IX parts. Now the MRF is at the unit level in zPark. So this zPark is a hold file where those reqs sit until they are funded and the money flows in GFEBS. That's where all those other items are you are talking about, because it is all the same color money.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Oct 17 at 2019 2:21 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 14:21:05 -0400

Awards, ranks, uniforms, crests, patches etc... are all covered by the annual clothing allowance. There is no expectation you pay personal moneys for that. The expectation is that the clothing allowance go to clothing and not beer.

Response by SGT Ed Matyjasik made Oct 17 at 2019 3:01 PM

SGT Ed Matyjasik — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 15:01:12 -0400

When my father and most other World War Two veterans came home they were lucky to get any of their citations, crests or medals. My dad got two of his many medals that he earned. Years later after his death I requested replacement medals from The National Archive web sight, and got them all. So, looks like thing's never change. In Vietnam we got all the C rations and ammo we could eat!

Response by SSG Pete Fish made Oct 17 at 2019 5:52 PM

SSG Pete Fish — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 17:52:11 -0400

You lost me at soldiers coming in making $600. That was when I joined. Not now.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2019 9:19 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 21:19:47 -0400

Try being in an aviation unit. We aren’t even MTOED a supply SGT. We have to make one of our newer WOs be the “Supply Officer.” That means not only are they having to learn their flying job, but also learn a whole other MOS. Then of course being Korea, once they figure it out, they PCS and we get a new WO to start all over. It’s not just Korea though, it’s across all aviation.

Response by SPC Casey Ashfield made Oct 17 at 2019 10:43 PM

SPC Casey Ashfield — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 22:43:37 -0400

Being a lower enlisted Joe, I did have to buy a few things that were deemed "essential." Some were worth the out of pocket expense, some were not. Subtracting comfort items or gear that made me more efficient. It did benefit me to buy my own batteries on occasion, such as CR123 batteries for the PEQ-15. Because supply didn't have enough to give to everyone.

Useless or otherwise less important purchases, uniforms. Ranks, medals, insignia had to be bought because "supply didn't have enough." One battalion I was in NEVER had unit crests come in for issue. Anyone who had them, bought them. ASUs from Marlow White took up almost an entire drill check. Had I stayed in, more money would have been spent on the OCP, as my unit at the time was not going to swap the UCP/ACU out.

Can't say I ever foot the expense for my own face paint. Would rather go without than use that anyway. I had most of the basics covered.

Response by CPL Gary Pifer made Oct 17 at 2019 11:20 PM

CPL Gary Pifer — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 23:20:18 -0400

I was buying stuff in the 1970's...I allocated $10,000 for deployment to Iraq 2003...ended up getting injured in training.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2019 11:27 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 23:27:20 -0400

I've seen it too...and honestly the seasoned 92Y are getting out. The few that I've gotten have been lazy and don't have the proper mentorship. I have been getting privates out of basic training and AIT, from what I've seen it doesn't prepare them for the "line". On the other hand, I think some of them aren't paying attention in AIT too. I had to personally walk with my 92Y supply sergeant (PV2) at NTC so our company wouldn't have alot of FLIPL's. Another point that can be made is that some of them just don't know what to do and depend on the XO do it for them because it takes them too long and units that have a strenuous training calendar don't have time to walk them through every single aspect of their MOS specific tasks.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 18 at 2019 2:04 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 02:04:06 -0400

The sequestration was real!
Rank and bling for ASUs I dont feel bad about, that's what the clothing allowance is for. I do agree with the batteries, face paint, iodine tablets, that's a supply issue.
Part of the problem is how we order stuff. A lot of units order everything priority 2, the highest priority. This jams the system with non mission essential bullshit while you're waiting for a headlight to un-deadline a truck.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cichelli made Oct 18 at 2019 4:06 PM

CPT Lawrence Cichelli — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 16:06:30 -0400

I ran into that problem only once. When I was a battalion S-4/PBO, getting Soldiers the equipment was my #1 priority and I made sure the Battery (Company) supply sergeants knew it too. Even with the unit I retired from, you got what you were authorized, whether you wanted it or not. Over and above that, well you you were on your own dime. But basic allowances and equipment, we got it. When I joined a USAR band, this happened a lot. I met up with a logistics friend and explained the problem. We couldn't get our Dress Blues and they were authorized. He asked me for a couple of months to get a handle on the problem. He got our blues in 3 months. My 1SG figured I had a hand in that and asked me how I got it done. Easy I said, just ask the right people. I didn't go outside the unit , justy the person who could make logistics happen.

Response by SGT Robert Martin made Oct 18 at 2019 5:39 PM

SGT Robert Martin — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 17:39:20 -0400

Seems not much has changed in the cav. We were only sure to get three things beens, bullets, and fuel. Anything else you either bought, aquired, or liberated. Oh and the day after removing the the dead cows from a gunnery range we got steak. So four things.

Response by SGT Jack Stevens made Oct 22 at 2019 10:36 PM

SGT Jack Stevens — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 22:36:28 -0400

A lot longer than that. Went back into the 90's after Desert Storm.

Response by SSG Darrell Bullock made Nov 6 at 2019 1:21 AM

SSG Darrell Bullock — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 01:21:44 -0500

Oh the supply problems, my first unit (Light Inf.) I got spoiled... Unit had a V.N. Vet Supply SGT (SSG) in fact. If I needed anything report to him sign out in green memo book. From rappelling rope, snaplinks, 100 MPH tape or whatever a motivated Infantry soldier needed or really wanted. Then I went to Germany 8th ID Platoon needed rope and 100 MPH tape or anything else field related cold day in hell thinking about getting it. The rope was for use with grappling hooks for breaching... It took almost 18 months to get any anything requested would take anywhere from 4 months to never. BDE Tank BN and track vehicles are unit budget. I seen us run out of battery's for PRC-77 radios let alone flashlight, AN/PVS 7Bs. Same thing I seen in most Mech Units. The only thing going for that was We fielded PVS-7B before most Units from what I found in fact it ended up being 4 years later before I seen any more of them. To the point some Units was using PVS-7A still in 98 I'd been issued PVS-7B in 89. So the supply did something right, but was probably the MSG in charge of S-4 pushing for equipment. He was really good at fixing supply issues when he knew about it. But most of the line company's would not say anything.
Now another point of view..... Not all E-1 to E-4/E-5 only live to spend all their money on beer that's a load of B. S. and a cop out answer to not being issued at least unit crest, set of rank pins and for that matter ink pens, notebook and the like. If a soldier lives in barracks it is the unit to supply T.P. cleaning supplies not the soldier. One of first things I would do was go to supply and get new trashcan and cleaning supplies. Reason for new trashcan was you don't know what has been in it, or done it the room.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 2 at 2020 1:52 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 13:52:42 -0500

This is nothing new.
Write it off on taxes.