Who can I talk to about the threats my roommate is making? | AskTOP.net – Leader Development for Army Professionals

Who can I talk to about the threats my roommate is making?

I have recently been involved in drama with two other Soldiers. It started when my roommate accused me of bullying her so she could be moved into a room with her friends. They just took her word for it and my SGT moved her and gave me a new roommate. The new roommate carried a knife. The SGT took the knife from her after her friend threatened to take my life. The SGT took no further action. Everything was just swept under the rug. The new roommate and her friends say things to me throughout the day like, "Six feet under." I have told my SGT that I feel threatened and unsafe, and I was told to brush it off. He tells me that they will find a way to chapter me out of the Army or take my pay if I don't stop complaining about these girls. I feel like I am not being taken seriously because of the false accusations of my first roommate. I have tried to talk to my 1SG, but I have not been allowed to. I have no idea who else to talk to about this.

Company Command: The Bottom Line - Army Leadership Guide

You must involve the chain of command.

Prepare a written statement to present to the Commander and 1SG. Sit down and make a list of specific incidents that have happened and a list of potential witnesses who may have overheard the threats. You should also include the statement the SGT made about retaliation if you continued to report the issue and his threats to end your career. Ensure all comments or statements you submit are factual and honest.  Providing false information will do nothing but get you in trouble and cause you to lose credibility. Once you have a prepared statement that is factual and void of emotion, speak with your Commander and 1SG on open door policy. This policy should be posted outside the unit orderly room or on the unit bulletin board. The best way to handle this is to ask your platoon sergeant to arrange a meeting for you. If the platoon sergeant wants to attend the meeting I would encourage you to allow him to do so.

Your chain of command will take the information you provide and look into it. If there are no witnesses there may be little they can do but they will most likely counsel the individuals involved that if they continue they will be subject to punishment under UCMJ. Once individuals like this are called on the carpet they typically disengage from the behavior. If the behavior continues, report it immediately.

There are other agencies you can report this issue to including: IG, Chaplain, JAG, and military police. The best method is to use the chain of command first as they are in the best position to put a stop to the behavior.

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Mark is a Retired Command Sergeant Major with 26 years of military leadership experience. He held 3 military occupational specialties (Field Artillery, Nuclear Weapons Tech, and Ammunition Ordnance). Mark is one of the leading military authors in the fields of leadership, counseling, and training.

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  • Part-Time-Commander

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    Great advice Mark.

    I’d like to chime in and say that if your chain of command is even half way competent, they will listen to your side of the story and address the issue.

    Chuck

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