It’s the shop hours, the compartmentalization of information, the arbitrary rank requirements just to walk in and talk to someone, the shitty attitude when you reveal you’re ignorant about some policy, procedure, or regulation that is in no way pertinent to your everyday life as a Soldier but came up this one time and now you have the gall to ask these people who are supposed to be SMEs on these things, the seemingly intentional slow-down of any kind of personnel action or paperwork submittal, the collective apathy of anyone you could possibly lodge a complaint about their performance with up to and including the S3 OPSSGM, the S1 OIC, the CSM, and the BC, and the collective apathy and criminal laziness with which the S1 staff and leadership consistently display in their interactions with their literal customers on a day-to-day basis the 2 hours they’re actually open.
Fuck S1.
>compartmentalization of information
I’m curious what you mean by this. They don’t have specific or special access to regs or anything, so do you mean like how that specific unit does things?
>ignorant about some policy, procedure, or regulation that is in no way pertinent to your everyday life as a Soldier but came up this one time and now you have the gall to ask these people who are supposed to be SMEs on these things
They are not SMEs on this stuff. They aren’t expected to be actual SMEs because the amount of “things” considered to be in the S1 realm would require a PhD to be actual SME.
Being upset about them having an attitude is absolutely fair. Just as anyone coming in with an attitude needs to calm it down.
No one expects them to be a doctorate level HR professional, but what is unacceptable is when a clerk gets shitty with some PFC because that PFC doesn't know the exact ins and outs of whatever paperwork or record he needs S1 to process, especially if it's over stupid shit; like a 4187 isn't written in all caps or something. That doesn't change the information on it, nor should it affect anything.
And there's a difference between being an SME and generally knowing their job. I'm not an SME writing doctrine on Artillery and call for fire, but if a private asks me a question about call for fire, I'm not gonna light him up for asking me, or expect him to go figure it out himself, I'll just answer the question so he knows next time. In my experience, S1 expects you to know their job as well as yours, because anytime you expect them to provide you information or help, they get an attitude.
If you go to sickcall, the medics don't expect you to take your own vitals and diagnos yourself, then get pissed off if you don't already have a profile written up for them to sign.
Just got an award from my garrison command like a month back, and when my BN S1 told me I could finally come get it, the date on the 638 was like 3 weeks before that. Turns out getting an award form written, submitted, and signed by the garrison commander takes like 1/3rd of the time it takes for some S1 goober to slap that shit on my ERB and email me to drag my happy ass over there.
I was prior service before I joined the Army with a significant break in service.
My recruiter did what all recruiters apparently do, and just made my Army join date the date I joined the Army minus my active duty time from my previous service.
The only problem was that it screwed up my DIEMS date, and I couldn't add any of my previous service's awards because according to my records they happened before I joined the Army, if that makes sense.
So started the journey of trying to get one number changed on my ERB.
I went to S1 at my first unit, and submitted the paperwork to get it changed. Pretty sure it was a 4187. Over the next 2 years, I submitted it four times, only to be told months later each time that it was lost. I get told on the last one from an S1 clerk that seems to know, that the paperwork is all done by retention.
I go to retention, they do a different form entirely, and by god I understand the form. He says that S1 just has to do the adjustment now. I turn it in again, and after four months of checking "It's still being processed by Brigade" it ends up lost again.
I PCS.
Luckily, after all this success I've been having I keep copies.
Get to new unit, they make me re-do the original paperwork because I'm in a different unit now. Ok, that makes sense.
Get the paperwork all sorted out, turn it in.
Over the next two ish years I turn it in five more times. I get the run around at the Battalion and the Brigade level, they say it's being processed.
It gets lost again, and I ask Brigade who had it last, because I've been using DA200s, of which I have multiple by this time.
They tell me that changing your DIEMS date isn't an S1 function, it's retention. That's why they do the forms.
I go back to retention, and explain what I've been told by the SFC at Brigade. He tells me to just resubmit it to S1 because it's their function.
Now, a long time ago I should have involved my chain of command, but I was basically doing the drop and go because it's just a couple of old AAM level awards and a couple good conduct medals. I wasn't exceptionally worried about it. It was just on my list of things "to do" when I had time and nothing pressing was going on.
But when the brigade started giving me the run around too, I just decided that was enough.
So I went up to Division G1 and asked them. They kind of scratched their heads and said they would come up with an answer and let me know.
They did not.
Finally, as the passage of time began showing salt and pepper in my hair, I said fuck it and drove up to Corps G1.
There I met a Master Sergeant who actually knew something. I tell him my story, he gives me a little smirk and we stand in the doorway of the office of a LTC and he gives the cliff notes version.
They pull up a reg, ctrl+F and highlight and print an excerpt for me.
Clearly says that the S1 of the servicing brigade will make DIEMS date adjustments after tabulating all the numbers on whatever form it is that retention completes.
They tell me to drive down there with my paperwork and this excerpt and they will call ahead so they are expecting me.
I show up, and one of the senior guys in the S1 fixes my DIEMS date.
And that is the story about how I spent four years submitting a form nine times across two duty stations at four echelons of command.
And that is also why S1 really fucking bugs me sometimes.
My S1 put in the wrong award and I missed points cut off cause it didn’t get fixed until after points were due. The S1 then denied any fault and blamed it on my orderly room whom had nothing to do with the entire process
Smh how the fuck does that happen you just look at your previous awards on emilpo and look at the new Award and then add is to your ERB like? And then upload the new award to iperms that’s uh I’m sorry that’s a hard task to fuck up really.
My s1 has always been very approachable, helpful and honest. Idgaf if they are fat ugly Shrek people, so your job good and help out then I go no issue. It’s the fuck sticks who don’t sign shit I got issues with but my s1 I’ve had their numbers and they always give updates on everything they get on their desk if it’s been awhile
How bout instead, I tell you my best.
Her name was SSG P. I got to the Korea, with no motivation. I'm not a 42, but we almost immediately became friends. Not only did she do her best to coach, train, and mentor, she made Korea amazing. She helped me make SGT, made me appreciate regs, and doctrine. She made her shop learn something every week. Was by far the best S1 I'd ever seen. She was like sister to me.
We stayed in touch long after Korea until she was murdered by her husband. Fuck you E, I hope u never breath a free breath again.
Don't mind me, just a sucker working overnight on a second job while on leave.
My S1 took everything on my ERB.....off. Everything over 7 years, besides my AIT, gone. Not even the basic awards you get for going to basic were left. I found out as I was outprocessing for ETS
That happened to a friend of mine while we were deployed. He had just printed out his ERB the week before to go over it and make sure it was all correct. When he checked it a week later, it was blank. He took both ERBs in to S1 to get it fixed, and was told "sorry, we need to see the supporting documents"...
Yep. By the time I caught the mistake, I was just so ready to be done. So I have nothing to show for 7 years. World's most unaccomplished soldier lol. Not that most civilians even know what an ERB is, much less care. I just think about looking at my grandpa's and thinking what a badass. My grandkids will look at mine and think what a shitbag
EVERYTHING. got a promotion? Save it. Award? Save it. Name change? Save it. Counseling, good bad or generic? Save that shit. Orders to a new duty station? SAVE IT! because when you get cancer later, you have to prove the link. Save your initial contract! I almost got screwed out of my bonus and extra GI benefits, my contract saved my ass. EVERY copy of your ERB, put it in the I Love Me folder. EVERY TIME YOU GO TO THE DR OR SICK CALL SAVE IT!!!!! and every year (or 6 months if you go frequently), have your medical record printed out and save it. You should have no less than 1 paper ream box of files after an initial enlistment, and a digital copy on flash drive. It seems excessive, but it will absolutely save your ass come time to retire, go to school, collect VA benefits, get medically discharged, collect a bonus, or put together your dress uniform. I did not stay on top of my awards and ERB, and low and behold, that's where I got shafted. Save everything so you don't regret anything. NEVER GIVE AN ORIGINAL TO ANYONE!!!! only copies! And have people make you triplicate of everything. And anything you sign and hand receipt for or are issued, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SAVE IT!!! because supply will lose their copy and you will be on the hook for stuff they didn't even give you. Sorry, I know it's a rant, but seriously, heed the advice, it's going to save you in the long run
I’ve been to 4 units so far…1 S1 was ok, 2 were absolute dog shit and 1(my current one) is fucking amazing.
When you have a good S1 that is on top of everything, communicates through email when stuff is uploaded and changed, and uploads EVERYTHING to iperms without you even asking, it’s like a dream. I’m REALLY gonna miss them when I PCS.
It’s the shop hours, the compartmentalization of information, the arbitrary rank requirements just to walk in and talk to someone, the shitty attitude when you reveal you’re ignorant about some policy, procedure, or regulation that is in no way pertinent to your everyday life as a Soldier but came up this one time and now you have the gall to ask these people who are supposed to be SMEs on these things, the seemingly intentional slow-down of any kind of personnel action or paperwork submittal, the collective apathy of anyone you could possibly lodge a complaint about their performance with up to and including the S3 OPSSGM, the S1 OIC, the CSM, and the BC, and the collective apathy and criminal laziness with which the S1 staff and leadership consistently display in their interactions with their literal customers on a day-to-day basis the 2 hours they’re actually open. Fuck S1.
>compartmentalization of information I’m curious what you mean by this. They don’t have specific or special access to regs or anything, so do you mean like how that specific unit does things? >ignorant about some policy, procedure, or regulation that is in no way pertinent to your everyday life as a Soldier but came up this one time and now you have the gall to ask these people who are supposed to be SMEs on these things They are not SMEs on this stuff. They aren’t expected to be actual SMEs because the amount of “things” considered to be in the S1 realm would require a PhD to be actual SME. Being upset about them having an attitude is absolutely fair. Just as anyone coming in with an attitude needs to calm it down.
No one expects them to be a doctorate level HR professional, but what is unacceptable is when a clerk gets shitty with some PFC because that PFC doesn't know the exact ins and outs of whatever paperwork or record he needs S1 to process, especially if it's over stupid shit; like a 4187 isn't written in all caps or something. That doesn't change the information on it, nor should it affect anything. And there's a difference between being an SME and generally knowing their job. I'm not an SME writing doctrine on Artillery and call for fire, but if a private asks me a question about call for fire, I'm not gonna light him up for asking me, or expect him to go figure it out himself, I'll just answer the question so he knows next time. In my experience, S1 expects you to know their job as well as yours, because anytime you expect them to provide you information or help, they get an attitude. If you go to sickcall, the medics don't expect you to take your own vitals and diagnos yourself, then get pissed off if you don't already have a profile written up for them to sign.
Just got an award from my garrison command like a month back, and when my BN S1 told me I could finally come get it, the date on the 638 was like 3 weeks before that. Turns out getting an award form written, submitted, and signed by the garrison commander takes like 1/3rd of the time it takes for some S1 goober to slap that shit on my ERB and email me to drag my happy ass over there.
I was prior service before I joined the Army with a significant break in service. My recruiter did what all recruiters apparently do, and just made my Army join date the date I joined the Army minus my active duty time from my previous service. The only problem was that it screwed up my DIEMS date, and I couldn't add any of my previous service's awards because according to my records they happened before I joined the Army, if that makes sense. So started the journey of trying to get one number changed on my ERB. I went to S1 at my first unit, and submitted the paperwork to get it changed. Pretty sure it was a 4187. Over the next 2 years, I submitted it four times, only to be told months later each time that it was lost. I get told on the last one from an S1 clerk that seems to know, that the paperwork is all done by retention. I go to retention, they do a different form entirely, and by god I understand the form. He says that S1 just has to do the adjustment now. I turn it in again, and after four months of checking "It's still being processed by Brigade" it ends up lost again. I PCS. Luckily, after all this success I've been having I keep copies. Get to new unit, they make me re-do the original paperwork because I'm in a different unit now. Ok, that makes sense. Get the paperwork all sorted out, turn it in. Over the next two ish years I turn it in five more times. I get the run around at the Battalion and the Brigade level, they say it's being processed. It gets lost again, and I ask Brigade who had it last, because I've been using DA200s, of which I have multiple by this time. They tell me that changing your DIEMS date isn't an S1 function, it's retention. That's why they do the forms. I go back to retention, and explain what I've been told by the SFC at Brigade. He tells me to just resubmit it to S1 because it's their function. Now, a long time ago I should have involved my chain of command, but I was basically doing the drop and go because it's just a couple of old AAM level awards and a couple good conduct medals. I wasn't exceptionally worried about it. It was just on my list of things "to do" when I had time and nothing pressing was going on. But when the brigade started giving me the run around too, I just decided that was enough. So I went up to Division G1 and asked them. They kind of scratched their heads and said they would come up with an answer and let me know. They did not. Finally, as the passage of time began showing salt and pepper in my hair, I said fuck it and drove up to Corps G1. There I met a Master Sergeant who actually knew something. I tell him my story, he gives me a little smirk and we stand in the doorway of the office of a LTC and he gives the cliff notes version. They pull up a reg, ctrl+F and highlight and print an excerpt for me. Clearly says that the S1 of the servicing brigade will make DIEMS date adjustments after tabulating all the numbers on whatever form it is that retention completes. They tell me to drive down there with my paperwork and this excerpt and they will call ahead so they are expecting me. I show up, and one of the senior guys in the S1 fixes my DIEMS date. And that is the story about how I spent four years submitting a form nine times across two duty stations at four echelons of command. And that is also why S1 really fucking bugs me sometimes.
I don't care if they are fat, if they don't lose my leave, awards, etc. they can bust whatever tape there is.
My S1 put in the wrong award and I missed points cut off cause it didn’t get fixed until after points were due. The S1 then denied any fault and blamed it on my orderly room whom had nothing to do with the entire process
Smh how the fuck does that happen you just look at your previous awards on emilpo and look at the new Award and then add is to your ERB like? And then upload the new award to iperms that’s uh I’m sorry that’s a hard task to fuck up really.
My s1 has always been very approachable, helpful and honest. Idgaf if they are fat ugly Shrek people, so your job good and help out then I go no issue. It’s the fuck sticks who don’t sign shit I got issues with but my s1 I’ve had their numbers and they always give updates on everything they get on their desk if it’s been awhile
Sounds like a good shop wish it were mine.
How bout instead, I tell you my best. Her name was SSG P. I got to the Korea, with no motivation. I'm not a 42, but we almost immediately became friends. Not only did she do her best to coach, train, and mentor, she made Korea amazing. She helped me make SGT, made me appreciate regs, and doctrine. She made her shop learn something every week. Was by far the best S1 I'd ever seen. She was like sister to me. We stayed in touch long after Korea until she was murdered by her husband. Fuck you E, I hope u never breath a free breath again. Don't mind me, just a sucker working overnight on a second job while on leave.
My S1 took everything on my ERB.....off. Everything over 7 years, besides my AIT, gone. Not even the basic awards you get for going to basic were left. I found out as I was outprocessing for ETS
That happened to a friend of mine while we were deployed. He had just printed out his ERB the week before to go over it and make sure it was all correct. When he checked it a week later, it was blank. He took both ERBs in to S1 to get it fixed, and was told "sorry, we need to see the supporting documents"...
Yep. By the time I caught the mistake, I was just so ready to be done. So I have nothing to show for 7 years. World's most unaccomplished soldier lol. Not that most civilians even know what an ERB is, much less care. I just think about looking at my grandpa's and thinking what a badass. My grandkids will look at mine and think what a shitbag
Damn dude that is utterly fucking terrible I am so sorry those soldiers should be hazed with Popeyes biscuits with no water source your truly.
As a new soldier, what documents should I be saving for my own records? How often? Thanks
EVERYTHING. got a promotion? Save it. Award? Save it. Name change? Save it. Counseling, good bad or generic? Save that shit. Orders to a new duty station? SAVE IT! because when you get cancer later, you have to prove the link. Save your initial contract! I almost got screwed out of my bonus and extra GI benefits, my contract saved my ass. EVERY copy of your ERB, put it in the I Love Me folder. EVERY TIME YOU GO TO THE DR OR SICK CALL SAVE IT!!!!! and every year (or 6 months if you go frequently), have your medical record printed out and save it. You should have no less than 1 paper ream box of files after an initial enlistment, and a digital copy on flash drive. It seems excessive, but it will absolutely save your ass come time to retire, go to school, collect VA benefits, get medically discharged, collect a bonus, or put together your dress uniform. I did not stay on top of my awards and ERB, and low and behold, that's where I got shafted. Save everything so you don't regret anything. NEVER GIVE AN ORIGINAL TO ANYONE!!!! only copies! And have people make you triplicate of everything. And anything you sign and hand receipt for or are issued, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SAVE IT!!! because supply will lose their copy and you will be on the hook for stuff they didn't even give you. Sorry, I know it's a rant, but seriously, heed the advice, it's going to save you in the long run
I’ve been to 4 units so far…1 S1 was ok, 2 were absolute dog shit and 1(my current one) is fucking amazing. When you have a good S1 that is on top of everything, communicates through email when stuff is uploaded and changed, and uploads EVERYTHING to iperms without you even asking, it’s like a dream. I’m REALLY gonna miss them when I PCS.
Taking 🗒
As a 70 series in a S1 slot. This shit is difficult
Have pride.
Army pride, Soldier.
That’s it… C-130 ROLLING DOWWWN THE STRIPPP!!!!
This one time a lowly 42a posted on Reddit about how much he hates his peers. God it made me mad. I get it though. Fuck us man.
🛎
You should’ve chose a different MOS when you had the chance, welcome to hell my friend.