SMA comments

[goon175]

This has been floating around the internets, and thought it would make for good conversation here. Apparently it is a summary of the SMA's comments to troops in AF recently:

Summary of Brief given by SMA in Afghanistan.

Retirement:

The current retirement program we are under is not going to change for those
already in the Army. He said that he can't find one Congressman that
supports changing our retirement plan for those already serving. Less than
1% of US citizens serve in our Armed Forces and our nation owes us this for
standing up for our freedoms. Our Nation would be breaking a commitment /
agreement to those that volunteered to serve our nation.

The SMA said that the Chief of Staff and him trust us to do the right thing
and we need to trust them with this issue. The SMA also made it clear that
the Army does not control this. Congress does. He also gave examples of how
the military pay has changed in the last 30 years. Final pay to high three
and the 1990 Redux.

Drawdown:

The Army will be drawing down. This will be accomplished through less
retention, a selective early retirement board for those that are retirement
eligible and by separating Soldiers for mis-conduct.

Average Performers:

NCOs / Soldiers that are just average performers may find it difficult to
stay in the Army or in their current MOS when it comes time to re-enlist.
For those that receive a no on the values portion of the NCOER, receive a
poor NCOER, DUI, or Article 15 may find it difficult to stay in the Army.
If they are allowed to stay they could be forced to fill a MOS, other than
their current one, that the Army needs help in filling. He used the phrase
"Tightening up the ranks" a lot tonight.

NCOER:

NCOERs are over inflated. NCOERs will be changed to be in line with FM 6-22
(LEADERSHIP). More responsibility on the rated individual along with
stricter counseling requirements that are documented.

APFT:

The new APFT is under his review. He stated that the run will not be 1.5
miles. He would like to see it changed to 4.0 miles. He is also reviewing
two of the new events, broad jump and the shuttle run, and a proposal for
the new APFT will be submitted in February 2012. Another COA would be to
just keep the current one, but I feel the run is going to change due to his
comments concerning overweight NCOs/Soldiers in the ranks. Age groups are
also being discussed. Possibly just one age group or two. Under 40 and over
40. The standards will remain different for males and females.

Overweight Personnel:

We have the highest tolerances for body fat % in the armed forces. I am
tired of being last and want to be first. Personal appearance will be
addressed in the upcoming new version of AR 670-1 that will be released in 6
months. We are going to "Tighten up the Ranks" on overweight personnel and
he feels that it is a leadership failure for a lot of the overweight
personnel in our ranks. We should be conducting more counseling, monitoring
PT training plans, and getting rid of those that do not comply. SMA Quote "
can't look like a stuffed summer sausage in your ACUs".

Tattoos:

A change is coming on tattoos that service personnel may have. No Tattoos
above the neck or past the wrist area. The uniform should cover all
Tattoos, "no red lips on your neck". For females, if you get a Tattoo on
your calf, then you will not be able to wear the Army skirt, you will wear
pants, so the Tattoo may not be seen. If you get a Tattoo that is visible it
could become grounds for separation from the Army. You are a professional,
and if you want to serve in the Army you will look professional or leave our
ranks.

Grooming standards:

Haircuts. Photos are coming showing what proper haircuts can look like.
There will be an authorized short, medium and long haircut. As a uniformed
service, we should look uniform (a like). Females included.

Side burns. No pointy sideburns. Reg's not changing, just enforcing the
length, shape and density.

Fingernails. No long finger nails for men and no finger nail polish for
females in duty uniform. Polish in ASUs will be neutral tones or may go away
completely.

Earrings for females while wearing the duty uniform. This reg is being
reviewed and may be changed to allow female Soldiers to wear studs while in
duty uniform.

Sexual Assault/Harassment:

Must conduct sexual assault training, 95% of sexual assaults are males
against females. He sees on average 2 sexual assault / harassment cases
concerning E-9s per week. He feels that if training and counseling were
conducted more Soldiers would be ID'd early in their career and separated
from the Army if this type of behavior continued.

There will be a reduction in the civilian work force for US Army Bases. For
example, Soldiers manning gates and cutting grass, FT Stewart is already
doing so.

[Silverback]

Did he end it by saying "No more Task force Smith" ?

[colt1rgr]

Well I have to agree on his opinion on the APFT and overweight soldiers. I cannot ever remember so many fatbodies. As for reduction in force, well I hate to even contemplate it, but it is going to happen, especially if Barry gets re-elected. Those serving need to be held to much higher standards. Leaner, faster, smarter and most important, quiet professionals. Army changes with the times, it has to and I'm glad someone is thinking about what lies ahead.

[goon175]

I think I agree with him on most points. After my trip to ft. drum a few weeks ago, I can see the overweight soldier issue is a real problem, and it needs to be dealt with. I'm not talking a little gut hangin' over the ol' belt, but full on obese soldiers who look like they need to go on "the biggest loser".

I still would like to see him change the policy on wearing five fingers in PT uniform.

[Jim]

Points well taken by the SMA. This drawdown (post-Iraq) will be brutal. I survived the RIFs after Viet-Nam and the drawdown following Desert Storm. This one will overshadow both of them.

[goon175]

I think your right Jim. Atleast it sounds like the SMA and CoS have our best interests in mind.

[NeverSayDie]

I think your right Jim. Atleast it sounds like the SMA and CoS have our best interests in mind.

Ranger Goon175,

Do you see the draw down having an effect on the availability of OP40 contracts? If so, how fast would they be implemented.

[goon175]

waaaay above my pay grade, bud.

[NeverSayDie]

waaaay above my pay grade, bud.

Roger Ranger Goon175,

Don't think I worded that right. In the past, when the Big Army raised it's standards has the Regiment followed suite? Or does it use its own measuring stick to decide who does and doesn't have what it takes to wear a scroll?

[goon175]

The option 40 is an incentive that the Army uses to get people to join, and to fill low density MOS's. That is why the support jobs always pop up with opt. 40's.

[NeverSayDie]

The option 40 is an incentive that the Army uses to get people to join, and to fill low density MOS's. That is why the support jobs always pop up with opt. 40's.

Ranger Goon175,

So the Army is betting us hopefulls will fail at selection and fill the support slots? Makes sense given the wash-out rate.

[K.Ingraham]

So the Army is betting us hopefulls will fail at selection and fill the support slots?

Negative.
All assigned to Regiment have succeded at RASP/ROP. No one flops along the way & joins the 75th. There are no "lesser" roles.
By assigning most of the Opt.40 openings to the less popular MOSs, the army is hoping more of you will want to be Rangers bad enough to fold parachutes or work a grill for four years in order to wear a scroll.

Bolo infantry OSUT/AIT and maybe you'll get to be a Big Army cook, or more likely, a civilian again. There is nothing you can fail as an avenue into our regiment.

[NeverSayDie]

So the Army is betting us hopefulls will fail at selection and fill the support slots?

Negative.
All assigned to Regiment have succeded at RASP/ROP. No one flops along the way & joins the 75th. There are no "lesser" roles.
By assigning most of the Opt.40 openings to the less popular MOSs, the army is hoping more of you will want to be Rangers bad enough to fold parachutes or work a grill for four years in order to wear a scroll.

Bolo infantry OSUT/AIT and maybe you'll get to be a Big Army cook, or more likely, a civilian again. There is nothing you can fail as an avenue into our regiment.

Ranger Ingraham,

That was not what I was asking at all. I meant to verify the suspiscion that the Big Army Recruiting Command continues to offer the OP40 (despite it's low success rate) as an incentive to get Ranger hopefulls to sign on the dotted line who otherwise would not, in order to fill other units with the WW's.

You've tuaght me WAY better then to think any man that wears the scroll would quit or fail any part of the selection process.

[goon175]

I think you are missing his point. Regiment has a hard time getting support MOS's through RASP, whereas there are a ton of 11x/13F/68W types who will volunteer first chance they can. So there for, they push most of the option 40's towards those hard to fill slots.

[Rugger]

It looks to me like some of his PT ideas are aimed at the older soldiers. It is not that hard to train yourself to run 4 miles. Now that I am on the wrong side of 40 I find that my attempts at speed workouts are harder. I think both the shuttle run and the broad jump are valuable. (however I am retired) If he wants less fat bodies then he needs to get on the asses of his NCO's to make daily PT harder as the deployments wind down.