Can soldiers on patrol or in battlefield wear personal electronic devices such as GoPro? | AskTOP.net – Leader Development for Army Professionals

Can soldiers on patrol or in battlefield wear personal electronic devices such as GoPro?

Can soldiers on patrol or in battlefield wear personal electronic devices such as GoPro? My commonsense answer would be no, but you are more better at suited to answer this question given your experience.

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 Bottom-line

I would say “NO” civilian items are not authorized as part of the uniform.

Discussion

The only regulatory information I found that was closely related is:

3–7e. Required or prohibited wearing of the Army uniform

Wearing a combination of civilian and military clothing is prohibited, unless prescribed in this regulation or directed by the Secretary of the Army.

By extension you are personally responsible for the health and welfare of your Soldiers.

  1. Does this equipment pose a safety risk to the Soldier or other members of the team?
  2. Does the equipment endanger the potential image that would be portrayed of the Army and its mission? For example, a GOPRO video is released on Facebook and causes significant damage to the public opinion and the Army mission.
  3. The equipment unnecessarily weighs the Soldier down and impacts their performance
  4. The equipment is distracting to the Soldier or other on the Team. Example: IPOD being played loudly

If so I would suggest the equipment must go.

Thoughts

If you have any doubt check with the 1SG and Commander.  They are ultimately the individuals that make the call on unit uniform policy.

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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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