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The Mentor - A Comprehensive Guide to Army Counseling and Leadership

Can a counseling statement be written by someone other than the counselor?

I recently received a counseling statement that was written by my OIC, but the counseling was given to me by my NCOIC. Is this within regulation?

Counsel Quick - Army Counseling Software

I don’t know of any regulation that directly prevents this; however, I would not consider this to be the correct, or most effective, course of action. From my own professional experience, I think that the individual preparing the counseling statement should be the one administering the counseling session.

Appropriate exceptions

Inexperienced NCO: One exception to this would be a situation in which the counselor is significantly challenged when it comes to preparing or writing a counseling statement; in this case, the challenged leader should attempt to prepare the counseling and  have his superior review the counseling document. The superior should then use this as an opportunity to mentor the junior leader, providing instruction on how to properly prepare a counseling statement.

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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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The Mentor - A Comprehensive Guide to Army Counseling and Leadership

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  • 1SG Fonseca

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    If I was handed this counseling statement to go and counsel. I would first ask, this is not my thoughts. If you feel this, can you go counsel the Soldier? Cuz this is where the Soldier can put, a big NO. the information is not correct due to wrong counselor…..Just my thoughts.

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