Preparing my defense

I can see it on the horizon -- a Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss (FLIPL) is coming. The three questions are 1.) Has there been a loss? 2.) Was negligence the proximate cause? and 3.) Whose negligence was the proximate cause of the loss?

The first question is difficult to measure. When I took command, I didn't know what the right procedures were, and didn't record equipment shortages. I correctly identified the end items (for example, "truck"), but didn't notate any missing Basic Issue Items (like the 12-inch adjustable wrench that goes with it). That makes it almost impossible to determine if anything was lost along the way.

Assuming that a loss can be identified, the question then is: Was someone negligent? By default, the focus will be on me, and this is where I am most vulnerable. It would be very easy, and almost irrefutable, for an investigating officer to state simply that I am solely responsible because I was company commander.

Yet there were a number of systemic problems at work as well. The property book officer, who was in charge of 17 companies, never noticed that my initial change-of-command FLIPL didn't mention any shortages. Our mission pace prevented the battalion headquarters from conducting the inspections required by AR 1-201 §3-3 and AR 710-2 Table B-7. And I had to deal with a number of supply sergeant issues -- I tried to relieve one and a put a bar to reenlistment on another. I wasn't exactly dealt a full hand in terms of human resources.

So if negligence was the primary reason for any loss, perhaps it was mine, and perhaps we were all must thrown into a rotten situation. In the span on one year, we not only closed down one company (in Area II), but also started up another one (in Area III), while the headquarters was located in an entirely different area (Area IV). That's no small feat.

Add in the fact we did this 1.) in the middle of a major exercise (CJLOTS) and 2.) during the summer PCS cycle, and it becomes apparent that we've accomplished some incredible stuff as a battalion headquarters. If some property accountability fell by the wayside, I would suggest that it was not because of negligence.

At least, that what I hope I can convince an investigating officer to understand.