Question for people in the military or former military?

Question

I have an issue with a soldier. She is now claiming she is a certain religion because they a lot of holidays. She is saying she is suppose to get all of the holidays off. I am trying to find the regulation that states exactly what she is allowed and how to go about it. She is one of those that will run to EO at the drop of a hat. If anyone knows about this please give some input.

Answer 1

Well, if she runs to EO, she is supposed to try to inform the immediate chain of command 1st, then platoon sgt/platoon leader, 1SG/CO, CSM/BN CO, then when it all fails, then she can go to EO.
Dont be intimidated by her threats? You have to document her behavior on DA 4856 Counseling statments and inform your chain of command on what she is trying to do. If your 1SG & Commander know, then they will help you find the truth. But if you try to take care of it yourself, she will try to "tip toe" and walk all over you.
Talk to your unit Chaplain and speak to EO yourself. They will definitely help you because you arent the only one that has gone through this.
Believe me, I know.

Answer 2

Smart move is to contact the command chaplain at your installation...they will have the current Army policy on religious accomodation for such requests.

Last I saw, it was the Army's policy to approve requests for accomodation of religious practices when they will not have an adverse impact on readiness, unit cohesion, health, safety, discipline, or otherwise interfere with the soldier's military duties.

Still....spin up the chaplain and get his/her take on it.

Any holidays are, of course, subject to the needs of the service. I did a 16 hour Christmas shift on a mountaintop, so I know whereof I speak. You don't put in for the faith with the most holidays and get built-in days off. You can also remind the good soldier that she is given 30 days of chargeable leave per year.

I saw a USAF medic (I won't mention the religion just so nobody claims I'm a hater) who was a devout member of a nontraditional faith. She wanted like 10 days off for an observance, BUT she said she had no problem working all the other holidays. After some wizzing and crying and moaning, the bureaucracy said "fine, you're working allllll the other holidays and spelling your colleagues." End of story.

Answer 3

Let her run to EO. I have seen soldiers with BS problems treaten and go to EO all the time. There is some paperwork but in the end nothing happens if what they say is unfounded or just BS.

What religion is she claiming to be? Check up on it and find out exactly what those practices are. Then if she is telling the truth, that is what leave is for. Make her use her leave days if she wants time off.

Answer 4

The military does not have to provide religous days off. Heck, they don't even have to promise to give you days off for any reason. If she is insisting on getting all religous holidays off, first talk to the chaplin to find out what these holidays would be and what is appropriate for accomadating them. Next, talk to your supervisor. There is nothing wrong with going up the chain to get information and, in some situations, it protects you as well as gets you the information you need. You may not have dealth with this before, but am betting someone above you has...that is what they are there for.

It is my understanding that the military can try to accomodate religous beliefs within the confines of the mission. Muslims will be allowed to pray several times a day, as long as it does not interfere with mission or duty. If they must be in a meeting during one of the daily prayers, the meeting takes precedence. If you are devoutly Christian and have been raised not to work on Sundays, the military will try to accomodate you, but if you are in a field where you need to work Sunday duty, you most certainly will. My bet is, you will be told (and again, get this information from your chain of command) that if she wants religous holidays off, she can request them as leave and you can grant them or not using the same protocals you would use for any other leave. Of course, in using leave for religous holidays, she may have to work other holidays that others get off (Easter, Christmas) and have less leave for vacations. If she doesn't like this and does take it up the chain, you will be covered as you had already alerted them to the issue by asking yourself.

Answer 5

Consult your chain of command and a Chaplain. Keep records of all couseling sessions and never counsel or discuss these matters without a third party present. There is nothing in the military regs that state a particular denomination gets holidays off.

Answer 6

Get all the holidays off? Yeah right!

I have worked during Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter Sunday, July 4, and even on my birthday. I am veteran and I have worked on Veteran's Day each of the last ten years.

When the military needs you on duty, you are on duty. If that clashes with your religion, the military does not need you.

I do remember one individual who refused to work on Sundays, said he was a Seventh Day Adventist. I asked to see his dog-tags (which have a member's religion), but he refused. I bet his was using religion to get out of work, but the NCO fell for it.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

the Government is only intitled to give the holidays reconized. Religious holidays other than the legal ones must be forcasted like leave.

Answer 9

Good time to consult with the Chaplain. Which has the added bonus of helping cover your butt down the line.

Answer 10

whatever man i dont feel bad for em. make em work and suck it up. theres a ton of other service members making all kinds of sacrifices day in and day out and theyr not asking for pity.