Usmc: Why Not to Sleep on Post

Sometime in a Marines career they are assigned to stand a post of some sort. It may consist of watching a building and others of guarding cargo. While on these posts there is no difference of the basics in which the duty is to be preformed. All posts have one main principle in common, constant vigilance. Neither contains room for complacency or distant wandering minds. Whether or not the post the marine is standing is in garrison standing outside his/her room or out in the field watching over the other observer with you, holds no value in which the duty is to be preformed. Continues vigilance is what keeps any post safe and secure. To be ever alert and aware of your surroundings, that is meaning of what it is to be vigilant. There are so many different and diverse techniques that you can prepare for the short time of being on post four. You can actually stock up on energy drinks and space them out through the day to help combat fatigue for your night post, another way to help with the fatigue is to constantly move about to keep the blood flowing.

All these minor things will help a certain level of alertness. They are 11 general orders and they are one and the same wherever or whenever a marine is on interior guard duty. All marines are expected and required to know and memorize these general orders and be able to recite them when called upon to do so. Most techniques coincide with the general orders; such as general order number two, which states a marine is to walk his/her post in a military manner keeping always on the alert, and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing. This means to keep moving while looking professional and keeping your eyes and ears open to what is going on around you. On the other hand there is complacency, which means a feeling of pleasure or security, often unaware of potential danger, defect or the like, by with can be small of large factors.

For example while phone watch at your company office following your general orders, being vigilant, and always paying attention to even the smallest of details, or you could be complacent and get caught texting on your cell phone violating general order number seven which is to talk to no one except in the line of duty, or if in the field and you was the only survivor of an assault by the enemy, because you were asleep? Everyone else is dead but youre the only one who survives but you now know that no one would have to give their lives if only you had stayed awake you could have noticed the enemy coming from afar and would have been able to help coordinate a counter attack but no your sleep was more important to you so now you have to face the facts and tell all the family members that you, the sole survivor, fell asleep trying to provide everyone with security. Would you be able to live with yourself knowing that you caused this by falling asleep?

It is uncalled for and very selfish for a marine or any other military personnel to fall asleep on post. It shows that he or she is selfish on their sleep time and not caring for what the post is calling for. They have shown that they cant be trusted to stay awake for a few hours to watch a small area that may or may not have precious cargo that the enemy might want to take from you. If the enemy was presented with a sleeping military member they would jump all over that chance. Not only would the gear that they were told to guard over is gone but it would surely be the end of that persons life for not taking care of themselves on post. It doesnt make any sense to fall asleep on post because there is so much at stake to lose, not only can you lose your own life but the lives of the other military members around you wherever youre located. When youre caught asleep on post there are a number of things that can result from your actions. You can expect a battalion level NJP loss of pay, grade, or the worst you could get killed by the enemy.

I showed to myself and to my fellow marines I didnt follow those procedures. I made the decision to sit there and let it take over my better judgment. I fully understand that by me falling asleep if this were in Iraq or anywhere else in the Middle East, I would have given the enemy the single opportunity to take advantage of my carelessness. That carelessness and complacency has the power to kill others, Other people who do not deserve to get put into that single position. I have honestly put down my fellow peers and NCOs and SNCOs for not being able to maintain my composure and integrity to stay awake on a single task as standing post four at the armory. This action has made fellow marines put a great distrust towards me if I were to go with these marines to Iraq or where ever the place may be. It shows at that instance that I was not looking to take care of my fellow marines just my own self. I now know that these actions I have come to do have hurt my reputation of a decent locked on marine to that of a shit bag, this is unacceptable.

I understand now that it is not just what makes myself look bad but this makes the Guard Force as a whole look bad. These actions are not tolerated and if my actions stay along the same path that I am going I will honestly become a shit bag due to my complacency and arrogance towards the marines in the Guard. This will have given Guard grounds to see remove me from itself. I need to square myself away more than I have already tried to do. These actions are not what a Lance corporal like myself should make. A marine in my position is to make good solid and sound decisions that will not bring harm to anyone but I have made the mistake of putting my fellow marines into a situation that could essentially cost them their lives.

These actions are not tolerated and unnecessary and completely undermine all that the Marine Corps has taught us. Even though these actions were minimal in nature the consequences are on a more elevated scale. These actions should never happen or seem to happen again, they cause a breakdown in communication and a lack of trust in the battlefield. The one place you would need to have trust in your fellow marines is in the combat zone. If trust is lost before a combat zone then the marine will have the worst time of their lives due to the little incentive provided by their fellow marines. Do not fall asleep on duty and all will be ok in your career. Making repeated mistakes like this, will cost you career along with the marines who are with you.