When you are on guard you are responsible for everything that occurs within the limits of your post while you are on duty. You are also responsible for all equipment and property located within the limits of your post. The exact limits of your post are defined by the special orders. The special orders should also include every place a guard must go to perform your duties. You will investigate every unusual or suspicious occurrence on or near your post provided that you do not have to leave your point of duty to do so. If necessary, you or the NCO who is on guard with you will contact the chain of command for instructions.
While on guard you will remain at your place of duty and continue to perform all duties required until you are relieved by proper authority. If a guard requires relief because of sickness or for any other reason, you to notify your chain of command and wait until you are replaced by another guard or you have permission from the proper authorities to leave your point of duty. If you are not relieved when your time of duty is up, you do not abandon your post. You or the NCO on duty will contact your chain of command for instructions and stay at your point of duty until you are properly relieved.
While on guard you will read over your special orders prior to you starting your duty. You will obey, execute, and enforce all special orders pertaining to your post. The commander of the guard is responsible for insuring that all guards understand their special instructions prior to being posted. In addition to your special orders, a guard is responsible to obey and carry out any orders or instructions from the commanding officer, field officer of the day, and officers and noncommissioned officers of the guard.
No other persons are authorized to give a guard orders or instructions. Any special instructions for a guard should be issued through the guard’s chain of command. When on guard you will pass instructions to your relief when appropriate. The information is also given to the commander of the relief. You will perform your duties in a military manner and serve as an example to others. A guard reports all violations of special orders to the commander of the relief. You may have to apprehend the offender, if necessary. A guard reports all emergencies that occur on or near post.
The guard will take whatever action is prescribed in your special orders or guard instructions. Anytime the guard is in doubt as to what action to take, or it is not covered in the special orders, you will call the commander of the relief for instructions or assistance. Sleeping on guard duty is not tolerated by any means. If you fall asleep on guard duty a lot of things can happen. Your post can be over run, the equipment that you are meant to guard could be stolen, or the building you’re guarding could get broken into.
You could face a UMCJ action for falling asleep because you’re in violation of FM 22-6 which covers guard duty. You are looked upon to perform your duty at all times and if you fall asleep you fail to do your part and cover all things that are covered in you special orders. Any violations that may occur at your post you can become a part of because you fell asleep while the violations happen. Falling asleep on guard duty prevents you from reacting in a timing manner to an emergency. Over all falling asleep hinders you from doing your job on guard.
