I am active duty Navy and it absolutely does not surprise to me see the reactions from these individuals. The reason that young service members get out is not due to the military providing valuable skill sets and the potential to make more in the civilian sector, although it is definitely a benefit. Ill provide some of the reasons I am getting out as i can't speak for everyone. Ive noticed extremely poor and toxic leadership, E6 and below essentially being treated like children across the board by the Chiefs mess, Sailors are not valued or treated with respect most of the time. Working hours can be ludicrous and allow little to no time for one's self. Living conditions on ship are abhorrent, and frankly not fit for humans, I have no idea if this is just due to the op-tempo of my ship, or if it's like this across the board. Food is often inedible, enlisted heads (restrooms) are poorly maintained, its not uncommon to see a head flooded with feces and just ignored. Usually never have basic amenities like toilet paper or soap, whilst Senior enlisted and officer heads have personnel assigned to them to clean and stock them multiple times a day. My ship had mold in its air circulation system that was ignored and caused ship wide respiratory infections. Ive seen a culture that consistently guns for the lowest on the totem pole whenever there is any sort of mishap, I generally see a complete lack of accountability for ranking personnel. Big takeaways from me are poor leadership and living conditions. It's ridiculous to see these service members sit here and act like people only get out because they have better opportunities when the problem is much larger.
Congress woman, I saw a lot of things missing here. # 1. branches have reserve components, there should be programs that allow easy transitions between the two, both directions. It's one way to keep the talent. #2. Military Life sucks for most spouses, anywhere, most everywhere! Retention begins with spouses because they often influence military partners to get out, THEN they regret it. Retention NCO's should have "programs" to influence spouses. #3. Things are NOT better out here, even for military folks with skills, THAT is mostly a myth. Myths are powerful things. Show them the REAL numbers and facts and they will likely stay in. #4. Most companies looking for military folks with skills are paying a lot, initially, but many are PMCs, or contract driven and dump veteran talent when the project or contract ends. Veterans are not being given good info. 5. On the Navy, I have heard stories about conditions on Navy vessels that would make you vomit. During COVID the Navy really treated service members like prisoners, these happenings are remembered and likely stick in service Members heads like PTSD. Stories get around. The suicide rates are nuts, leaders have to talk about everything, not just what looks good at a congressional hearing.
If the skills are highly lucrative then pay them accordingly. Stop allowing privatized military housing to stop bleeding the system economically. Pay 95% of the bah based on actual live able off post housing instead of assessing and providing numbers on neighborhoods that have high crime rates and where you know our service members should not live with their families. Stop wasting service members times and actually provide them a good work life balance. Finally for reserves. Allow service members to receive their retirement at the 20 year mark. Reserve members do the ultimate sacrifice juggling two jobs and still doing their best to meet the needs of the military. For most seeing a retirement until 59 years old is a turn off and most prefer just to get out after their first term. Stop getting them out of their homes and work life for 28 day training events just to not pay them bah or benefits. It’s time to level the playing field across the board.
Imagine living in black mold and rats and thinking this isnt something that should be done about. Imagine the world fucking seeing how bad its gotten; just imagine how terrible and weak we must look if we cant even house our servicemembers. We cant have rentention if my wife and kids are starving and homless.
SEAC Troy states "the skills we give soldiers is highly lucrative on the outside" I was a 68W in the US Army separated in 02/2011, when I got out I was qualified to drive an ambulance as the lowest possible EMT certification level... EMT-B.... earning just above minimum wage. I feel like we have a different definition of "highly lucrative"
He's the most Senior Enlisted member in the entire Military. He outranks all of those other SEA's He's essentially the Chairman's right hand man on enlisted matters.
People are getting out because of shitty leadership, horrible working hours, and shitty pay. Plain and simple. Everything else is a contributing factor. Nobody is getting out of the Military because of a shitty barracks; that's a contributing factor. We want to be treated like the grown ass adults that we are. Not to mention manning. We don't have the bodies, but are expected to still get the work done. COVID was a huge contributing factor, you mandated a vaccine and then forced people out that didn't want to get it. Then deployed people that were quarantined to base or their ship. Not to mention the two week quarantine BEFORE deployment. You had ships out at sea for over 200 days! Essentially a 7 month prison a sentence, but yeah as these advisors pointed out everything is fine. We're all good. Those SEA's are so fuckin clueless on their Junior enlisted.
Well. Firstly let's get rid of the asbestos in the housing units. I bet those "outside" jobs won't let thier employees get cancer from basic relocation. This is not asking much Sgt Maj
But again the leaders have failed to say anything about leadership! leadership right now sucks. I am not sure what NCO and Staff NCO schools are like right now but all I read is complaints about leadership.
Wow the Marine Corps needs to get a Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commandant because this guys is absolutely worthless. I was in an Army Training BN and the Biggest Population of Branch Transfers we had were Marines that wanted to continue to Serve but hated the Marine Leadership
Damn Not 1 comment... Well leave it to me, I'll comment. I think that there's going to come a day when my country will have to reinstate the draft in order to have enough soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines & coast guardians to fill the ranks. I don't want to say the all volunteer force is a failure but I think that most people would agree that a 19 year old PFC E-3 driving a new Audi Q5 is probably a little overpaid... I also think that there will come a day when we won't be able to afford to pay the all volunteer force. IDK... BTW I'm a retired US Army Sergeant First Class & I served my country for over 20 years.
I also believe one day there may be a draft. But not for tone deaf reasons like "our lowest ranking/ poorest memeber make too much money", but for the fact that 19 yo PFC is an advanced auto mechanic that can do better literally anywhere else. Paying janitor pay maybe isn't the best way to keep our nuclear engineers in subs? Or pay actual real life doctors as low level managers. The military requires our members to be more advanced than ever with less resources at every level across the branches. Our enlisted that are highly qualified tend to not want to stick around when their basic rights to not live in squalor aren't being met. Mold, rats, disrepair, and God knows what else is unacceptable. Yet here we are, having to have a hearing to meet bare minimum that isn't being met statside.
I cannot believe any of these people said 'retention is not a problem'...
Thats also what i said lmmfaooo bro what the actual hell?
That guys a such a tool and pinhead
good work lets get these barracks looking right
Some jobs outside are lucrative, most not. But quality of life is way better.
I am active duty Navy and it absolutely does not surprise to me see the reactions from these individuals. The reason that young service members get out is not due to the military providing valuable skill sets and the potential to make more in the civilian sector, although it is definitely a benefit. Ill provide some of the reasons I am getting out as i can't speak for everyone. Ive noticed extremely poor and toxic leadership, E6 and below essentially being treated like children across the board by the Chiefs mess, Sailors are not valued or treated with respect most of the time. Working hours can be ludicrous and allow little to no time for one's self. Living conditions on ship are abhorrent, and frankly not fit for humans, I have no idea if this is just due to the op-tempo of my ship, or if it's like this across the board. Food is often inedible, enlisted heads (restrooms) are poorly maintained, its not uncommon to see a head flooded with feces and just ignored. Usually never have basic amenities like toilet paper or soap, whilst Senior enlisted and officer heads have personnel assigned to them to clean and stock them multiple times a day. My ship had mold in its air circulation system that was ignored and caused ship wide respiratory infections. Ive seen a culture that consistently guns for the lowest on the totem pole whenever there is any sort of mishap, I generally see a complete lack of accountability for ranking personnel. Big takeaways from me are poor leadership and living conditions. It's ridiculous to see these service members sit here and act like people only get out because they have better opportunities when the problem is much larger.
Toxic leadership well said and explained. You are on target 🎯.
Congress woman, I saw a lot of things missing here.
# 1. branches have reserve components, there should be programs that allow easy transitions between the two, both directions. It's one way to keep the talent.
#2. Military Life sucks for most spouses, anywhere, most everywhere! Retention begins with spouses because they often influence military partners to get out, THEN they regret it. Retention NCO's should have "programs" to influence spouses.
#3. Things are NOT better out here, even for military folks with skills, THAT is mostly a myth. Myths are powerful things. Show them the REAL numbers and facts and they will likely stay in.
#4. Most companies looking for military folks with skills are paying a lot, initially, but many are PMCs, or contract driven and dump veteran talent when the project or contract ends. Veterans are not being given good info.
5. On the Navy, I have heard stories about conditions on Navy vessels that would make you vomit. During COVID the Navy really treated service members like prisoners, these happenings are remembered and likely stick in service
Members heads like PTSD. Stories get around. The suicide rates are nuts, leaders have to talk about everything, not just what looks good at a congressional hearing.
ADJUST THE FUCKING PAY!!
If the skills are highly lucrative then pay them accordingly. Stop allowing privatized military housing to stop bleeding the system economically. Pay 95% of the bah based on actual live able off post housing instead of assessing and providing numbers on neighborhoods that have high crime rates and where you know our service members should not live with their families. Stop wasting service members times and actually provide them a good work life balance. Finally for reserves. Allow service members to receive their retirement at the 20 year mark. Reserve members do the ultimate sacrifice juggling two jobs and still doing their best to meet the needs of the military. For most seeing a retirement until 59 years old is a turn off and most prefer just to get out after their first term. Stop getting them out of their homes and work life for 28 day training events just to not pay them bah or benefits. It’s time to level the playing field across the board.
E4 making 35k a year while people in the same career making 100k plus , its the lack of pay in the military..
Imagine living in black mold and rats and thinking this isnt something that should be done about. Imagine the world fucking seeing how bad its gotten; just imagine how terrible and weak we must look if we cant even house our servicemembers. We cant have rentention if my wife and kids are starving and homless.
SEAC Troy states "the skills we give soldiers is highly lucrative on the outside" I was a 68W in the US Army separated in 02/2011, when I got out I was qualified to drive an ambulance as the lowest possible EMT certification level... EMT-B.... earning just above minimum wage. I feel like we have a different definition of "highly lucrative"
Why is the previous sgt major there instead of the current is the current not invited
He's the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman [of the Joint Chiefs of Staff], and it says he is.
@@Robertx19 again same responsibility’s but he passed the responsibility to the next he is a former Sgt major
He's the most Senior Enlisted member in the entire Military. He outranks all of those other SEA's He's essentially the Chairman's right hand man on enlisted matters.
People are getting out because of shitty leadership, horrible working hours, and shitty pay. Plain and simple. Everything else is a contributing factor. Nobody is getting out of the Military because of a shitty barracks; that's a contributing factor. We want to be treated like the grown ass adults that we are. Not to mention manning. We don't have the bodies, but are expected to still get the work done. COVID was a huge contributing factor, you mandated a vaccine and then forced people out that didn't want to get it. Then deployed people that were quarantined to base or their ship. Not to mention the two week quarantine BEFORE deployment. You had ships out at sea for over 200 days! Essentially a 7 month prison a sentence, but yeah as these advisors pointed out everything is fine. We're all good. Those SEA's are so fuckin clueless on their Junior enlisted.
274 days out to sea for me, had 3 port calls, was out 4-5 days on land.
Well.
Firstly let's get rid of the asbestos in the housing units.
I bet those "outside" jobs won't let thier employees get cancer from basic relocation.
This is not asking much Sgt Maj
If retention is not problem for the USMC then im valdimir putin
But again the leaders have failed to say anything about leadership! leadership right now sucks. I am not sure what NCO and Staff NCO schools are like right now but all I read is complaints about leadership.
I would like to speak with you offline about retention if you'd be willing to listen
Wow the Marine Corps needs to get a Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commandant because this guys is absolutely worthless. I was in an Army Training BN and the Biggest Population of Branch Transfers we had were Marines that wanted to continue to Serve but hated the Marine Leadership
The marine SMA is a liar
He’s the worst out of all of them, nothing but a yes man
Talking about the mafia! Good!
What a bunch of junk
Damn
Not 1 comment...
Well leave it to me, I'll comment.
I think that there's going to come a day when my country will have to reinstate the draft in order to have enough soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines & coast guardians to fill the ranks.
I don't want to say the all volunteer force is a failure but I think that most people would agree that a 19 year old PFC E-3 driving a new Audi Q5 is probably a little overpaid...
I also think that there will come a day when we won't be able to afford to pay the all volunteer force.
IDK...
BTW I'm a retired US Army Sergeant First Class & I served my country for over 20 years.
I also believe one day there may be a draft. But not for tone deaf reasons like "our lowest ranking/ poorest memeber make too much money", but for the fact that 19 yo PFC is an advanced auto mechanic that can do better literally anywhere else.
Paying janitor pay maybe isn't the best way to keep our nuclear engineers in subs? Or pay actual real life doctors as low level managers.
The military requires our members to be more advanced than ever with less resources at every level across the branches.
Our enlisted that are highly qualified tend to not want to stick around when their basic rights to not live in squalor aren't being met. Mold, rats, disrepair, and God knows what else is unacceptable. Yet here we are, having to have a hearing to meet bare minimum that isn't being met statside.
GOV:
Botches Afghan withdrawl.
Spends bajillion dollars aid to ukraine.
Also the Gov:
Berates the us military about living conditions.