Army Question

[AFD660]

I'm just wondering if anybody can answer a question I have about taking a PT test, heres my situation. I have to go take a PT test for the Army ( New Mexico National Guard). I have been in for almost 3 years, I have 2 months left on my contract with the Guard and have not received my Enlistment Bonus. I used my chain of command, notified the 1st SGT, called the bonus Sgt. and have not recieved it. I finally went to the Inspector General to have it resolved. I guess he made some phone calls and chewed some rear ends. The SGM called me into his office on my day off. I went in uniform and answered all the questions with Sergant Major. Apparently I failed a PT test and was flagged back in 2008, but I was never notified of it. I was never given a copy of my PT card or anything. Since then I have past every PT test given, before and after AIT, during WTC, during a deployment to Iraq, and one given on the mission I'm currently with taken back in September.

SGM says I have to go take a PT test with their company because the ones I have taken and passed are not good enough for him, and that I need to take it before I get paid my bonus money. I read over my contract and no where does it say I need to take a PT test to get paid. It says I need to be in good standing with the Guard. Which I am if you read my NCOER's.

I'm thinking him making me take a PT test is his way of getting back at me for going to the IG. Is there a Reg or anything for me read up on or is the Commander in the right for having me take a test? I know of other Soldiers that have received their bonus money on time with no problems. Some of them have not passed their PT test yet nothing has happened to them. I hate to think this but with my name being non-hispanic but the other Soldiers names being hispanic, they are being racist. Of course there is no way to prove it but from my point of view its what it looks like.

Any advice or anything will be of great help.


I know that if I had not failed in the first place I would not have been flagged, but the Army's motto is just do it, just take it and see how you do. about 2 weeks prior to the test i was released from a 6 day stay in the hospital with mono and my liver was still enlarged. I tried to explain it to them but nobody wanted to listen, about how my liver could rupture with physical activity. The note from the doctor said no weight lifting or strenous exercises. ( i'm a firefighter and thats pretty much all i did ) my company figured it wasnt weight lifting or strenous so to just take it.

[J P Stein]

It's been 40 years since I was in but I still remember......Don't fight the green machine. It will eat you up.

[Rot 911]

The National Guard is a whole nother thing from the regular Army. Politics plays a huge part in how things work and how much you get screwed with. If it was me I would just suck it up and take the PT test.

[HHI944]

When I was in (03-07) a current, passing PT test was part of being in good standing and someone like SGM can require an APFT pretty much whenever they want to ensure good standing. Still, sounds like he's being a dick.

Also, in the future, get very specific notes from doctors. I actually had to get a not stating that I could not do push ups when I had pins in my hand from a motorcycle accident.

[AFD660]

See thats what pisses me off. The whole mentality of just do it. What about the family members and drinking partners of those in charge. They are held to a different standard than the ones who mean to do right. They get to sham out and collect a pay check all the time. The military has standards that should be upheld and abided by. If the rules state I have to take a PT test I will. If the rules state that the one I took in SEPT, to Army standards is good enough for the year then I'm not going to. There should be no recourse or repercussions for going to the IG if I followed the rules and chain of command, which I did. If anything then everytime I hear people speaking Spanish during duty hours or drill then they have to stop and speak English. I'm tired of higher ups calling each other by their first name with no regard to rank or title. Yet they hold us accountable to different standards with having to say SGT, SGM, Sir, Ma'am. I agree with that but they to need to be held to the same standard. If you read my NCOER's, I'm a sought after NCO look to for all leadership responsabilites, needs no supervision, I conform to all AR standards. I'm no dirtbag by anymeans. Just want fairness throughout.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by HHI944

When I was in (03-07) a current, passing PT test was part of being in good standing and someone like SGM can require an APFT pretty much whenever they want to ensure good standing. Still, sounds like he's being a dick.

Also, in the future, get very specific notes from doctors. I actually had to get a not stating that I could not do push ups when I had pins in my hand from a motorcycle accident.

Agreed. PT test was/is a big deal. Go pass it, collect scooters.

[dhoward]

Originally Posted by AFD660

Snipped...
Just want fairness throughout.

I would go back to the guy who told you life is fair.

[AFD660]

Originally Posted by dhoward

I would go back to the guy who told you life is fair.

LOL... I know life isnt fair, but what I'm talking about are the double standards in the Army. Why is that I have to go take a PT test because of a flag back in 08, when others are currently flagged do not have to?? What standard is that?? I take everything with a grain of salt but when BS is given or sounds like BS I dont like it, and want to call them out. Just like when the company wrote my NCOER they stamped it "SM not available to sign" it was a crappy NCOER. But if you read any Evaluations from my Navy days and any of my NCOER's, it'll read like 2 different people.

Heres an example.....

SGT is learning his job as well as he can, requires some rework on medical procedures.


SGT has been voted as the best trauma medic in the Brigade out of 55.....

See the difference.... LOL...

[quicksix]

Sounds like the guy may have a chub for because you jumped the chain.
Pass your test and hand him the report with a big grin and a," Have a great day!"

[cbush]

I wasn't clear from your email if you had a current PT test on file. Active duty has to take one every 6 months with a for the record annually. If you have passed one within the last 6 months and made the weight, there is no reason for you to have to take another. If not, just take the test as you are in the wrong here.

If you have a valid test on file, then there is no reason you are not getting your bonus. Explain this to your chain of command, give them the opportunity to fix it, and if not, go back to the IG.

The Army has a lot of rules, but we are pretty good at following them.

[Rikao4]

you went to the IG..
scheisse goes down hill..
he pooped on someone...
the SGM likes to be the craper...
not the paper..
swim sideways my Dad told me (Army)..
cause going upstream you lose..
they just turn up the flow..
away you go..

Rika

[MRM]

Of course it's retalitation because you went to the IG.

No, there's not a thing you can do about it, as a practical matter, anyway.

Take the test and get on with life.

[AFD660]

CBUSH. I do have a valid PT test card. Took one back in Sept of this year. Guard is every year in Sept before the new fiscal year and a diagnostic in Mar or sometime. Made weight, I'm 5'11 140lbs.. LOL.. I have been trying to get my bonus for almost 3 years not. I only have 2 months left on my contract before I can ETS. I think about 2 years trying to get my bonus is enough time for them to get their crap straight but nothing happned and I kept getting the run around so I told my PLT SGT I'm going to the IG and he agreed that I should.

RIKA. thats the thing.. If you go to the IG you dont need to worry about repercussions or punishment. I followed the rules and used my chain of command correctly. So if them making me take the PT test is punishment then they are in the wrong. They are also in the wrong for not paying out my Bonus when my contract says I have to completed AIT to recieve half. Which I completed AIT in 08. Its like noone wants to accept the blame for messing up so they just punish the Soldier that gets screwed over.

I called my dad who is a retired E-9 for advice and he agreed with my story, but he wanted to make some calls. He knows a 1 star but I asked him not to, and to just check if the REGS state I have to take a test to get my bonus and if they can just select one person to take the PT test. I wish you guys could see my NCOER's and know what kind of worker I am, so you know I'm not a crapbag. Just like most of you here, I dont like to be bull**itted... LOL...

[cbush]

OK- Have you tried talking to your unit reenlisment NCO? He should know all the rules on this, and be able to check. If that doens't work I would try going to your your Commander? Tell him/her that you feel you are getting a run around, and being punished for trying to collect a bonus that is due--or at least get a legit explination why it has not been paid. Tell him that if your unit cannot help you, you will be forced to go back to the IG or write your Congressman. That will get his interest. And by the way, writing a Congressman is a great way to get folks attention. Cuts through a lot of red tape Most Congressmen have a local office that can help you.

[Hard-Deck]

I'm a former Command Inspector General (US Army).

Take the APFT.
He's being a tool, but you gotta' take one when told to anyway.

If you contact your Congressman like discussed above, the IG must stop doing their work on your case until Congressman tells them to resume....could take months or years....it slows down the already cumbersome process. It's your right however if you chose it.

Take the test, collect the money, learn a lesson in not being a tool.

[Rikao4]

ADF... I hear ya..
but no one wants to have anything to do with the IG..
it's like 'internal affairs'..
PLt. SGT did you wrong..
you should have seen this SGM along the way up the chain ..

not this way..

Rika

[Rot 911]

you best learn how the game is played if you want to stay in the Guard.

[gt350mike]

I agree with everyone in regard to taking the APFT again because the CSM is being a "Richard Cranium", but I have an issue with his comment that the previous test wasn't good enough for him because he's implying that the other soldier’s APFT isn’t valid either.

The Army can flag your records if you have an unfavorable action against you (overweight, APFT failure, etc.) and the flagging action can prevent you from being promoted, being put on active duty, and in your case, receiving an enlistment bonus. Again, the CSM wants to be a pain so you need to play by his rules or he'll make your life miserable. Take the APFT and within two months, you won’t have to deal with him again.

I do have one question…..what rank was the person who signed your PT card this past September?

[AFD660]

ROT, there shouldnt be a game to be played. Its not like I can choose to get something done if they order me to. I cant make a deal and say I'll do this if you do that. It shouldnt be that way. I have done more than some senior enlisted have done. I've seen alot of senior NCO's that have never deployed and have never left the state. They get out of every annual training, and are "hurt" everytime a deployment comes up. Yet when it comes for a school because they want points towards promotion then all of a sudden they are cleared to go. IE. airborne, air assault. Most dont even know their TLP's or even the NCO creed for that matter. I can recite both by heart. I know max effective for small arms, point and area, up to the M2 browning( no point and area for the M2), and I'm a Medic. It's crap like that that pisses me off. They write their own rules and have their own standards when they expect us lower enlisted to abide by Army standards. Its just frustrating to see what goes on.

GT350mike. They senior enlisted was a E-7 (SFC) that signed it off. It went up to our company commander whos a 0-2 to look it over. Its a different company commander than the one I'm having trouble with. I'm on "lease" to this company for the Southwest border mission. If the CSM wants to make my life miserable, I'll have my dad call the 1 star to put his weight in there. I'm sure that'll make it go by the books. LOL. Its crappy to know the National Guard is like this. When I was on active duty nothing like this went on. You used your chain of command and usually the PLT SGT handled everything.

Thanks for the help guys. I plan on taking the test, I'm sure I'll pass it no problem. But I'm going to read the Regs on giving the APFT and make sure they do it by the books and read it verbatum from the paper and all. LOL

[Rot 911]

AFD, it shouldn't be that way in the Guard, but it is. Accept it, play their game, or move on. If it makes you feel better, have your dad intervene through a 1-star, but don't think they won't make you pay for it later.

There are several of us guys on here with years of military experience. Me, I have 25, all enlisted. Even active duty and the Army Reserves have their politics, but nothing like the Guard. Personally, if you aren't willing to play their game, you really do need to move on. Why not get into a Reserve unit?