What is barracks duty?

Question

My boyfriend is in the USMC and he told me that he got stuck with barracks duty. I'm not sure what that means. Anyone know?

I understand that it means he has to stand duty at the barracks, obviously. I'm asking more as to why you get chosen to do that and what all is involved.

And no, he's not out with somebody else.

Answer 1

It means he is stuck there to clean and watch over the barracks, and will not be able to see you (or, it means that he is just saying that and will be out with someone else, instead).

Answer 2

Define Barracks

Answer 3

Yea, barracks duty is when you have to sit in a barracks office all night and answer phones and clean up. It's so there is always someone available 24 hours a day to handle business while everyone else is off duty. But, half the time a guy in the military says this is because he wants to go out with his buddies and pick up other chicks and he just tells his girlfriend that he has barracks duty as an excuse. Watch out!!!

Answer 4

Back when I was active, 71-76, I served Barracks duty in Iceland(74) . Marines back then guarded Naval Facilities around the world and CONUS. Of course that was then, and it sucked! I wouldn't take a million bucks for the experience!

Answer 5

He must be a low rank to get it. Fire watch is what you do when you guard the barracks. Barracks duty is when you do chores around the barracks. Like cleaning the laterine/bathroom, or waxing the floors.

Answer 6

everybody rotates barracks watch.. they have to walk around the barracks making sure that doors are locked and no unauthorized personnel are around. the shifts are run 24/7. anywhere from 4-6 hours at a time usually, but even after their shift is up they cannot leave.

Answer 7

To make it simple.....certain duties are required every month. For example Barracks duty. A roster will come out with 30 peoples names on it and they will have to pull duty on a certain day. It is no big deal and part of being in the service.

Answer 8

Barracks Duty in boot camp is practice for standing watch. It's kind of a formality there. But a company leaves a guy on duty when they're away from the barracks to make sure nobody comes in and steals anything... also to watch for such things as fire.

In my experience, the military have similar watches wherever they are. In enlisted areas aboard ship, they have "compartment watch."

And, in boot camp, though one poster suggested it, he doesn't have the opportunity to "go out with somebody else."

Answer 9

In the Army Barracks suty meant that I had to stay there for 24 hoirs to make sure the people in the barracks did not get out of hand, I had to walk the halls occasionally, stay at the front door incase someone came back drunk, deal with the MP's (military Police) incase someone came back with a DUI, so I could call the 1SGT and tell him one of his soldiers had messed up, keep soldiers from lottering around the front door, keep soldiers from partying in the halls, make sure soldiers did not party in the halls, keep the day room clean, make sure no one fought, ect.

Answer 10

You said you already know what it is to some extent, as to how he ended up with it. It is on a rotation. Everyone in his batallion must pull it once a cycle. This is put out on a roster so that you know when you are going to have it ahead of time. The only way that he could have just come up on it, is if he were swapped out with someone else at the last minute. This is not uncommon either.