I watch weigh-ins being completed this month and it's come to my attention of a member who is not being held to the standard.

Suppose an A/D CG person (let's say this person is a E-7 or above), is more than 35 lbs over their MAW, more than 8% BF, and retirement eligible but yet is considered by the command to be "important" in their position and does not get separated as per the instruction.

Not only is this person not separated or told to opt for retirement, they are not even placed on the weight program, they are not required to be medically screened, they are not put into any type of probationary period, and they also continue to gain more weight every 6 months. Yet this person has subordinates who are in a probationary period and face discharge without making weight and they have no shame in making sure their subordinates follow all the requirements that go along with being on the program.

This happens in front of the entire unit with nobody in a senior position saying anything and junior personnel afraid to say anything because of "unknown" repercussions they may face because the command likes the individual or maybe they are considered too valuable.

Whatever the reason it is something that has never been explained, yet often talked about in small circles.

And I am talking about a command of 500+ A/D personnel.

Yet I have to wonder what the junior folks think of this. Nobody ever mentions it, and the folks in admin will lecture everybody about how the weight program works but they too pretend like this one special individual does not exist. Yet there they are carrying all that weight that is impossible to hide from anybody who isn't blind.

If a member wanted to bring this to the attention of somebody so it could be reviewed, how do they do it without unnecessarily making enemies with the senior personnel and possibly causing a situation where the senior personnel may just hold the reporting source responsible for whatever fall out may occur? There really is nothing to gain for the reporting source except grief.

In this case, sticking your neck out to make a point, or because you think it is the right thing to do, might just get it chopped off.

Anybody have thoughts or suggestions?

I saw that happen all the time when I was in the Army (especially the Reserves). All you can really do is run your concern up your chain if everyone is that concerned about the repercussions. Be careful, though, if you don't have rock solid proof that the individual is over standards and not on the weight program or hasn't been talked to behind closed doors about his/her situation.

usualsuspects84:

Nobody can make the decision for you what you should do. I've been in situations where I've had to make that personal choice; sometimes I suffered for it, sometimes I didn't. For me - bottom line was to own self be true - but that was my choice. And sometimes I choose not to fight the battle (and usually regretted or felt bad afterwards).

A command that large (perhaps even the one I'm working at)... there must be a mentor or senior person you have trust in, if not in your own direct chain, that you can lay out the scenairo without naming names and ask for guidance on how to handle the situation.

Part of the problem, is as djwright4341 suggested, you must have your facts straight - not guesssing or assuming - since many negative actions are designed to be done in private and may not be public knowledge.

If no mentor, there needs to be a Command Master Chief. Lay it out for him/her - that it's causing you problems because you don't know how to guide your subordinates - ask them what do you tell your juniors when this situation is brought up.

If you're confident enough and willing, you also have the Command Request and Complaint Mast process. That's very visible but it goes right to the CO.

Fear of UNKNOWN repercussions - is owned by you or those who hold them. They may be real or they may not. I'm not naive enough to think it never happens - but in my 28 years experience - the fear far outweighs the reality and that more often than not it does not happen.

I don't know your rank or position - but somewhere down the road someone junior to you will likely bring a similar concern to your attention. What will you tell them to do? And if it's good enough for them - what are you willing to do. If you were the supervisor, or the Command MCPO, what would you want your juniors to do? Tell the Newspapers? Participate in the small group rumor mills? Think about it.

If all you do is post on this board, I hope the venting helps - but it won't solve your problem, the individual in question problems, or the command's problem.

Leadership is sometimes having to make a hard or unpopular call or take an unpopular action.

Regardless of what you decide to do.
Best Wishes

Salba,

That is a great answer. The CMC is a great option, althout I would wonder what one might do if that was the person in question.

The question that keeps coming back to me though regardless of what I think is "is this even worth questioning?"

I agree that just because somebody isn't being held to the standard isn't an excuse for those that are being held to try and sluff off and not follow the rules.

I don't know if there ever can be fairness in the Coast Guard Weight Standards (and this is coming from somebody who has always been within MAW by well over 50 lbs).

I've seen people over their MAW doing a great job, and those that under still looking for sound powered phone batteries wasting the day away.

But for more speculation in this above scenario, the member in question is confirmed to be over the MAW in excess of 35, over the 8% BF. This is confirmed by Admin. So nobody can use the arguement that maybe just because this person looks overweight they aren't.

Do like you did here.. write something anonymously... be it to the CO, XO, Admin officer, CMC or Navy times.. (You will have to include your name to Navy times but.... they will publish it anonymously...)

This is just more of the same.. Inconsistancy, Inconsistancy, & more Inconsistancy... Of course since I'm no longer in, I'm not sure how much there is, but it will never go away...

Good luck...

Wray...

usualsuspects84:

Okay... then facts are straight. That being the case - I usually turn the question around and approach it as "I have a problem Master Chief, can you help me with it?" My problem is I've got folks asking about this situation and wanting to know what to do about it because they think it's unfair or whatever. Help me Master Chief, how do I answer them?

Now you're not blaming or complaining, you're seeking professional leadership advice from the man/woman sitting at the right hand of the CO who is charged with helping those in the command deal with such issues as this.

That'd be my tactic.
Good Luck
Best Wishes

quote:

In this case, sticking your neck out to make a point, or because you think it is the right thing to do, might just get it chopped off.

If you believe you are right then you should not allow the possible consequences to stop you from bringing th eissue to someone's attention.

There will be many times when you may have to do the right thing even when it is unpleasant. Years from now you will want to be able to look back and say "I always tried to do the right thing, not the easy thing."

I'm interested

Just be advised that the member MAY have an existing medical issue. Not trying to make excuses just trying to help. If this person and situation is as you say that is extremely unsat.

what about our commandant? think he's in weight standards

Excellent question.... but, he goes by the Headquarters standards...

Wray...

I would say there's likely to be extenuating circumstances to which you are not aware ... so I suggest you keep out of it.

When he was down here in NOLA fro Katrina he looked to be within standards. He does not have little girly wrists so his standard might be more forgiving. The weight standards are weird - I am within 10lbs of MAW. I appear fit but my 13yr old daughter has bigger wrists. The system is whacked out anyways. I say performance over anything else and the COMDT appears to be doing his job just fine.

My thoughts exactly Socially....It's easy to point fingers, and even human nature at times, when we percieve there are others who are not held to the same standards and accountability, especially when it pertains to the weight program. I think the best approach is for each person to put more focus on ensuring they are individually within the standards and not worry about someone elses situation, which, like you said, there may be circumstances that other people are not privy to.

quote:

Originally posted by supportSARgetlost:
what about our commandant? think he's in weight standards

No, I do not THINK he is within standards, I KNOW he is. There are few people on this earth with more integrity than ADM Allen. He was the first person to go through every part of this program when it was first signed.

Wpb,
Looking the other way and staying focused and concerned on a persons own issues may work in some situations but IMHO that is probably how the person that usualsuspects is concerned with got so fat. Probably no one told him "Hey, Dude, You sure are getting porky lately." No one felt comfortable enough or concerned enough to pull him aside and explain the importance of a professional appearance, good health, and how that shows dedication to duty, pride in service, pride in self, self-discipline, etc.
I am not afraid to look in the mirror; I may not like what I see but unless I do so I may never know how to improve myself, and I have my shipmates to tell me what I missed. I like knowing I can count on my supervisors and subordinates to keep me in check.

BMWCC:
I guess i wasn't clear about how I said what I said. After reading your post, I agree with you, just want to make clear that while I do believe in personal accountability, if we as leaders fail to hold our folks to the same standards, then yes, we are doing a disservice to people who are obviously not compliant. I'm a big believer in making sure one is in compliance first before pointing fingers, anda also believe as we move up the chain and become leaders, we do our people a disservice by looking the other way. I did not mean to imply that if everyone just minded their own business that life would be grand. I had to hold someone to that a while back and it sucks to do it, but it had to be done. I myself have to struggle every weigh in because of my body frame and weight composition, but I make sure I am compliant before I look at holding someone else accountable for not being compliant, and before I tell someone to get on the treadmill and run, I'll be doing it myself.

I worked with a E8 at the CGA who was well over the weight standards. He was slated to make E9 and retire in another year or so.

At the time policy stated that if you could not meet the weight standards, advancement or transfer were not allowed.

Not only did the CG advance him to E9 they also transfered him back home to AK.

Seem strange to you? Not if your grand daddy was an admiral. Ringknockers forever!

Anyone who knows this person aka THE PENGUIN knows he was the most incompetent, overweight POS at the CGA.

(rant off)

I guess that standards have changed over the past. In the day, this person would have been called to task for appearance and hauled to the scales and body fat clappers.

Good leadership begins by example at the top.

It's good to be the king!

He might be wearing some heavy body armor.