I'm a SSG with 13 years and I'm likely gonna get the QSP pink slip this summer. A friend of mine who we got in trouble together back in '07 just got the pink slip so I'm sure I will too. We were both E'5's and got made examples of the new commander the day after we got home from Iraq. We got Art-15's and our NCOER's reflected it with "needs improvement" and "no" on the Army values section.

He's since made SFC, earned a Ranger Tab and Bradley MG and still got cut so I have no doubt as a SSG without neither of those, I'll get cut too.

I've been in a TDA assignment for almost 4 years, branch won't reassign me because 11B E-6 is at 130%. Going back to the line is a pipe dream and I honestly feel like a relic. Like I'm that old man with a sign that says "in case of war, break glass"

I gave the Army my heart, soul, mind and body and Uncle Sam abuse it with nothing in return. I hope all of you going into the corps understand, you'll learn many life lessons and none more than getting F'd by Uncle Sam.

I can't possibly opine about whether your Art 15 was fair or not. That said, when people have to get cut, it makes sense to start with the ones who don't meet standards - particularly the ones who committed misconduct. The lesson people need to learn from your experience is that getting nonjudicial punishment can be a career killer, so keep your nose clean.

Best of luck to you however it turns out. It sounds like your service was honorable, outside the one incident.

It was fair. We got drunk on duty and we were drunk. The unfair part is we were called out when 90% of the formation was drunk to include the 1SG. It was the morning after we got back from Iraq, everybody drank that night but the new Commander needed to make an example.

It just sucks that a mistake that was made so many years ago can hurt. The Army has looked past that mistake and entrusted us enough to promote us in the past but now it will kill our careers. We were good enough to lead Soldiers in combat but not good enough to lead Soldiers in peace. We are the men that trained troops, fought for what we were told to fight for and brought our men home and now we will be cast out for the mistakes we learned from.

"Uncle Sam" isn't in the business of screwing Soldiers, they tend to screw themselves. Regardless of who else was drunk on duty, YOU WERE, and you suffered the consequences of it. You had options, and didn't exercise them with regard to your Art-15. Stop complaining about something you haven't received yet, and stop blaming the Army for your transgressions. Not trying to be callous, but I have to deal with this defeatist attitude daily, and it is old. When we draw down, cuts have to be made, and unfortunately some have singled themselves out.

If you are a SSG, you are probably safe from the QSP, as the combat arms are pretty much safe for this year. Now QMP, that is a whole other story.

I was just venting yesterday. I know it was my own fault, it was just the way it happened that still irks me. But either way, even if given the opportunity, I don't think I'm gonna reenlist indefinitely. My heart just isn't in it anymore so it's probably best I moved on.

Didn't mean to sound like sour grapes, just frustrated and was having a bad day.

You said you are in a TDA position? Doing what and where? You need to call your branch manager every day bugging the crap out of him until he moves you back to the line.......anywhere. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Junior NCOs , especially combat arms, are pretty safe from QSP, so don't worry too much about that for now. Just get back on the line and start looking forward.

Get to the line like yesterday. 100% right squeaky wheels get the grease & branch managers have about 1 million things to do daily; if your not squeaking you will probably get ignored.

Obviously don't know your full story, but people do get shafted. In '10 (pre draw down) my brigade instituted a zero tolerance alcohol policy. My best friends FSNCO w/a stellar record was booted for an on post DUI (.05 but post limit was .03) with a BAC that was legal in all 50 states. His FSO, my friend (his CO) , his Top, his company XO, his battalion FSO, CO, XO, S-3, & CSM all wrote in support of the guy & he was still kicked out.
Good luck.

Agree with the branch manager thing. EPMD has way too many people to manage to key in on one person.

If you really put your heart and soul into this thing over the years, there has to be someone that will call on your behalf to the branch chief or his SGM. Sorry, but that is the only way you are gonna get a squeaky wheel loud enough, and quite frankly, I'd rather hear someone wants to get back in the fight and have an BM make a req to make that happen than deal with someone trying to ditch out on their obligation to deploy and do our business.

quote:

---

I gave the Army my heart, soul, mind and body and Uncle Sam abuse it with nothing in return. I hope all of you going into the corps understand, you'll learn many life lessons and none more than getting F'd by Uncle Sam.

---

And what is different than if you had been a life long employee of a paper company or steel manufacturing?

If your heart really isn't in it anymore then get out. I did the same thing last October and haven't looked back. I did three combat deployments and a tour in Korea with in a seven year span and realized I didn't want to do this anymore. It won't be fair to your soldiers or your unit if you don't care and are only there to collect a pay check.

BTW Ive seen your pain from some good friends who made mistakes five years ago or so and are your situation. It sucks. Good luck with everything.

Their has been a lot of blood letting to include officers getting the pink slip while deployed and boards looking at officers restricted records for termination purposes.

During the 1990's drawdown, I was also given a choice of selective retention (I was in a understrength SSI but overstrength yeargroup) or taking the VSI and out and I took the VSI.

The "overstrength yeargroup" crap has always pissed me off. IMO it is MUCH more of a "bean counting exercise" than an evaluation based on performance, merit, and potential.

I was active duty AF from 1970 - 1991. During that time I don't recall "overstrength yeargroup" as being a factor in retention or release during rifs. But even then, I knew a lot of really good officers who got the shaft while worthless POSs were retained.

I can't help but think that a lot of worthless POSs skate because they are in a "understrength yeargroup. " That's a hell of a way to run a railroad.

Separate now. Get a civilian job and finish you 20 in the guard or reserves. Been there done that.
Class '68.USAF.