The 43rd Adjutant General Battalion, located at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., has instituted a no-cussing policy for its soldiers. Four violations of the policy could end a soldier’s Army career. (U.S. Army)
An Army unit at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., has barred its soldiers from cussing and threatened those that repeatedly break the new rule with involuntary separation from the service.
The initial entry training post’s 43rd Adjutant General Battalion installed the rare swearing ban for its soldiers last month after the completion of a climate and culture investigation initiated to probe complaints of “extreme use of profanity,” Tiffany Wood, a spokeswoman for Fort Leonard Wood, said Tuesday. The battalion is responsible for accepting new Army recruits into the service and in-processing them before they begin basic training.
The policy bans the use of “profanity, vulgar language [and] rude gestures or remarks” for soldiers while they are on duty, according to an April 17 memorandum that was circulated online via social media. “Vulgar or offensive language” is also barred on clothing and personnel items in the battalion’s work areas.
“All soldiers, trainees and employees deserve to be treated with dignity and respect when performing their duties or operating in the 43rd AG Battalion (Reception),” the memo reads. “The most productive work environment is one where employees and soldiers treat each other as they would like to be treated.”
Wood said unit leadership consulted with Army lawyers and Army Training and Doctrine Command regulations before implementing the policy. However, she said the policy was under review by leadership at Fort Leonard Wood’s Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, which oversees the battalion and other units that train recruits and soldiers at the post.
The policy includes a “four strike” system, which applies punitive actions based on how many times a soldier is caught swearing. Soldiers face verbal counseling the first time, written counseling for a second offense and “removal of favorable actions” — things like pending promotions or awards — for a third violation. A fourth infraction could mean the end of a soldier’s Army career, according to the policy, which states that strike four results in “separation for misconduct based on a pattern of behavior.”
Wood said Tuesday that, so far, no soldiers have received official punishment or been kicked out of the Army for violating the no-expletives policy.
