Photo By Sgt. Maj. Nathan Hoskins | Officers from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, discuss issues during...... read more read more
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By Sgt. 1st Class Rick Emert
1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers don't expect life in a combat zone to be easy. But when issues arise that could affect morale – and ultimately, the mission – commanders have tools at their disposal to get those issues out in the open and resolved.
The 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Commander, Col. Dan Shanahan, used just such a tool by holding a brigade sensing session, March 25.
Groups of Soldiers, separated by rank, discussed issues that were weighing heavily on their minds, and the brigade's equal opportunity advisor, Sgt. 1st Class Terry Huntley, selected the top five from each group that he recommended the commander address, Huntley said.
"One of the big things that came from the junior enlisted group were questions about why other brigades (on Camp Taji) are allowed to wear (physical training) uniforms at the dining facility and (Morale, Welfare and Recreation)," Huntley said. "The commander told them there is a reason why they can't wear the PT uniform in those places; mainly because they may go in with sweaty, nasty uniforms on after doing PT. But he said he would review the brigade policy."
Other issues included the mandatory wear of ballistic eye protection, especially while doing PT, and married Soldier couples sharing a room in the living areas. Soldiers argued that the glasses fog up and create a bigger hazard while they run. They said it wasn't fair for married Soldier couples to be able to share a room when single Soldiers are not allowed to have members of the opposite sex in their rooms at any time, Huntley said.
The Equal Opportunity Office conducts the sessions quarterly during the deployment, he said.
Usually, brigade level sensing sessions are held when a new command sergeant major joins the unit or if a problem arises, but Shanahan directed that the brigade hold them every three months during the deployment, Huntley said.
"I would say they have been really effective," Huntley said. "For example, after the last sensing session, the only issue that was readdressed at this one was the General Order No. 1 question about married Soldier couples sharing a room. All other issues have since been resolved."
The sensing session began with all of the participants sitting through some sort of training together. The training at this session was on sexual assault, Huntley said.
After the training and a brief from the brigade commander, the Soldiers broke down into their respective peer groups for their discussions.
Because they were among their peers, the discussion was open and candid, Huntley said.
"I've not had a problem with Soldiers feeling they couldn't speak freely," Huntley said. "Because of the demographic breakdown for the ranks, the Soldiers in any one group are rarely even from the same (company-sized) unit. Everything is anonymous when the issues are briefed to the colonel, we don't use any of the Soldiers' names."
While the concept of the sensing session may seem a little too "warm and fuzzy" for troops in combat, Huntley said their success can't be argued.
"This group of junior enlisted, which had the largest numbers of all the groups, rated their morale at three-point-five on a scale of one to five," Huntley said. "That's a high number for a combat zone. They're saying their morale is good."
| Date Taken: | 04.02.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2007 17:10 |
| Story ID: | 9735 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 76 |
| Downloads: | 62 |
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