Military Justice...

Posted By Blackfive

(note:  this is not about the UCMJ)

In 1997, I took command of an MI Army Reserve Company. 

When I reported for duty, I found that our Battalion Executive Officer (XO), Major Jim, was also newly assigned.  I learned that he had been on Active Duty.  He had not been selected for promotion twice, and, essentially, put out of the Active Army.  So he wound up as an Active Guard Reservist (AGR) - meaning that he was a full-time Reserve soldier in our battalion headquarters (there are usually four to ten active soliders, depending on size of the battalion).

Because he had been passed over for promotion, I immediately had a bad impression of him.  It was really unfair of me.  He was an MI Aviator Officer (flew radar and photograhic missions), and Officer pilots have it tough in the Army.  MI was also going through HUGE cuts during the 90's draw down so there were less and less slots for Officers to get promoted into.  I learned a lesson from this.

As I got to know him, I found that he was a great soldier and leader.  We got along famously - not because we had anything in common - but because we bothed worked our asses off to make our unit one of the best.  Jim was a born-again Christian.  He didn't drink, didn't curse, didn't do a lot of things that I did.  We were defintely not cut from the same cloth but became friends through our work.  My respect grew for him every day, and I couldn't help but wonder why the hell the Active component would get rid of someone like him.  It was like I was waiting for him to screw up so colassally that I could then understand what happened to him.  I was an idiot.

In 1998, my company was selected to run a rifle range for the battalion.  I put my First Sergeant in charge and things went splendidly until he berated a Captain for improper range safety procedures.  Berated may be the wrong word.  It was more like belittled...Eventually, word of this reached Colonel Ted (my boss's boss) and the proverbial shit hit the proverbial fan.

There I was, standing at attention trying to explain to a full-bird what happened without getting my First Sergeant in trouble.  I began to realize that this had nothing to do with the range.  There were several officers who did not like my First Sergeant's perceived lack of courtesy.  It was an obvious witch hunt.  The battalion staff was present for my ass-chewing and my Battalion Commander hadn't said a word the whole time.  I felt a bit betrayed by him.

That's when Jim stood up and said that it was a battalion range and, thus, as the Battalion Executive Officer, it was his responsibility.  I couldn't believe it.  He was going to fall on his sword for me and my First Sergeant.  That's when it hit me...

God dammit, sir, that's how you got kicked off of Active Duty!  You fell on your sword and some chair-warming sonofabitch fired you.  Don't do this!

We ended up going back and forth over who's responsibility it was...in the end it was almost comical.  Jim finally gave me a direct order to shut up.  Eventually, the Colonel just accepted my apology and the matter was dropped.  When I asked Jim why he did that, since the responsibility was mine, he replied, "The Reserves needs Officers like you, Matt."

"What about you, sir? It needs you, too."

He looked me in the eye, "The Battalion needs a good company commander more than an XO."

I was thunderstruck that a careerist would sacrifice himself for the good of the unit.  I didn't need the money or the benefits.  I didn't care if a Colonel got his undies in a bunch over my First Sergeant - who acted appropriately in my opinion.  I really didn't care if my Battalion Commander whimped out on me.  I would survive just fine. 

But, I did care that someone who saw the big picture would willingly destroy his career for me.  That the repercussions of his actions would see him thrown out.

We survived that day pretty much intact. 

Eventually, Jim was transferred (due to normal rotation) to an XO's slot of an Apache Squadron at Ft. Knox.  We've stayed in touch over the years.  Jim used to bring his battalion to Chicago every year for the Air and Water Show where they performed maneuvers over the crowded shores of Lake Michigan.  Our families became closer.

Today, I found out that Jim was selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. 

Sometimes the Army does something right!

Of course, the card I am sending to Jim says:

 

"It just goes to prove that the Army has a sense of humor after all!"

---

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Military Justice...

(note:  this is not about the UCMJ)

In 1997, I took command of an MI Army Reserve Company. 

When I reported for duty, I found that our Battalion Executive Officer (XO), Major Jim, was also newly assigned.  I learned that he had been on Active Duty.  He had not been selected for promotion twice, and, essentially, put out of the Active Army.  So he wound up as an Active Guard Reservist (AGR) - meaning that he was a full-time Reserve soldier in our battalion headquarters (there are usually four to ten active soliders, depending on size of the battalion).

Because he had been passed over for promotion, I immediately had a bad impression of him.  It was really unfair of me.  He was an MI Aviator Officer (flew radar and photograhic missions), and Officer pilots have it tough in the Army.  MI was also going through HUGE cuts during the 90's draw down so there were less and less slots for Officers to get promoted into.  I learned a lesson from this.

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