Team,

Each year, thousands of noncommissioned officers across the Army compete for promotions. Many times the deciding factor in selecting a Soldier is as simple as an assignment. Serving in USAREC has proven to be one of the factors that tips the scales in a Soldier's favor.

The Army-wide selection rate for regular Army staff sergeants selected for promotion stands at 24.4%.  The DA selected regular Army recruiter selection rate is 28.8% and the regular Army 79Rs selection rate is 91%. The Army-wide selection rate of Reserve staff sergeants selected for promotion stands at 48.3%. The Reserve 79Rs considered for promotion to sergeant first class were selected at an even higher rate of 95.3%.

Command Sgt. Maj. Clemmons, Col. Iaccoca and I are proud of each and every one of the 655 newly promotable staff sergeants serving in our ranks. Your hard work and contribution to the mission has not gone unnoticed in USAREC, nor at the highest levels of the Army. Your selection for promotion is a testament to your service, your abilities and your increased leadership potential. We look forward to seeing you in positions of increased responsibility in the future!

I ask that members of USAREC take time to review the list of these junior noncommissioned officers and extend your congratulations as they prepare to become the Army's newest senior noncommissioned officers.

Well done, staff sergeants!

Strength starts here!

Army Strong!

MG Allen Batschelet

As Winter turns to Spring across the country, I am reflecting on some great books and articles that have shaped my thinking since my last update. I offer them to you for your consideration as you begin your Spring reading.

Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War, by Robert Gates.  Since most of our team has served as military or civilian, we have been affected directly and indirectly by the decisions and actions of Secretary Gates.  Significantly, Mr. Gates gives us an insider’s view on the good and bad, ugly and inspiring of service at the strategic level. I highly recommend you add this book to your “must read” list.

When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi, by David Maraniss. While not a new book (published in 1999), inspiring biographies are timeless. Maraniss, a Pulitzer Prize winner, captures the inspiring and very human journey of a leader. That the opening chapter is titled “Tattoos” alone should set our USAREC team for some lively discussion. The good news is there is much more to offer both personally and professionally in this account of Vince Lombardi and his journey.

Treasury’s War: The Unleashing of a New Era of Financial Warfare, by Juan Zarate. For those of us in the military, we see the exercise of national power primarily through a military lens. In the last decade, America has waged war through means not nearly as visible to us but arguably as important. To better understand our times, with an eye to the future conflicts, I commend Zarate’s Treasury’s War.

Things that Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes and Politics, by Charles Krauthammer. Love him or hate him, America for years has found Krauthammer’s insights and essays as must reads. In an era of hyper-partisanship, these essays are both refreshing and centering, and call to rise above and engage the most important things. Check out Mr. Krauthammer’s engagement on Jon Stewart’s “The Dailyshow” here to get a feel for the man (and a sample of his wit).

From my online readings, a few wide-ranging articles:

·         The Missing Piece in Ensuring Afghanistan’s Peace, (ADM(R) Stavridis, former NATO commander, in Foreign Policy)

·         Management Tip: Listen to Your Customers -- Especially When They Disagree, #HBRMgmntTip - @HarvardBiz

·         String Field Theory Genius Explains The Coming Breakthroughs That Will Change Life As We Know It,  (@twitofgus)

·         Five Questions to Identify Key Stakeholders,  @HarvardBiz

·         Want the best tips & tricks for your #Galaxy? Follow us to learn more (@SamsungMobileUS)

·         13 Things Only 'Military Brats' Will Understand,  by @amanda_m_macias (@businessinsider)

Don’t be overly humble! Let us in USAREC know what is shaping your thinking here on MilSuite, or message me and our growing community on Twitter (@USAREC_CG).

Team,

I wanted to provide another update on where we are now and how I see the future direction regarding ALARACT 147/2013, HQDA EXORD 161-13 Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Program Army Stand-Down.

I've made a determination on the majority of all the original cases that called for review by the ALARACT. I expect we'll have the remainder done by the end of the month, at which time the processing of new cases will transition away from the ALARACT processing team.

HQDA continues to refine its guidance regarding continued ALARACT processing and I will provide that updated guidance to you as soon as I have it.

The Army continues to release DA Select Recruiters no longer eligible to serve in a position of special trust back to operational units. Commanders will ensure these released NCOs receive evaluations commensurate with their performance and potential while they were assigned to USAREC.

The Army has also started notifying certain senior 79R NCOs that they are being reclassified to Special Reporting Code 09U.  NCOs identified for 09U so far have or will be given the opportunity to serve to 20 years AFS and retirement eligibility.  It is a CCIR to me if HRC identifies an NCO for 09U without the opportunity to serve to 20 years AFS, as I view this as a de facto involuntary separation. 

09U NCOs will either be PCS'd to other positions IAW Needs of the Army, or remain at current location attached or assigned to another organization in the no cost move footprint; in no case can an 09U remain in USAREC. 

The reclassification action itself cannot be appealed.  If, however, as I indicated in my last ALARACT Strength 6 Sends, I expect and direct Commanders to ensure that any Soldier effected by the ALARACT be afforded the opportunity to request reconsideration by providing new, missing or amplifying information for my consideration. It is a Commander's responsibility to ensure I receive those requests as well as any request initiated by an effected Soldier who wants to request a waiver: 

  - Once a Soldier has been served with Notice of Removal IAW ALARACT 147/2013, new and material evidence may come to light.  New and material evidence is evidence, not previously considered, that the offense did not happen.

  - Evidence of mitigating and extenuating circumstances will be less persuasive.

  - Matters in mitigation are particular acts of good conduct or bravery and evidence of the reputation or record of the Recruiter in the service for efficiency, fidelity, temperance, courage, or any other trait that is desirable in a Recruiter. 

  - Extenuating circumstances are explanations why the offense was not that serious.

  - Commanders may forward to the CG, USAREC, previously undisclosed information related to the administrative removal of Soldiers from recruiting under ALARACT 147/2013.

  - Brigade Commanders will send the matters to the USAREC G1 for processing to me.  Brigade Commanders will only forward requests that they endorse.

  - The attached slide lays out the reconsideration process flow. 

  - Any such waiver requests MUST be submitted for command consideration and arrive at this HQs by 11 APRIL 2014. 

I know this process continues to put considerable stress and uncertainty on much of our team. I am committed to conducting a thorough, unbiased review of our force IAW the DA screening guidance.

In cases where a recruiter is identified for removal from USAREC because of confirmation of an ALARACT-related disqualifying condition, I continue to direct Commanders to ensure that Soldier and Family continue to be treated with dignity and respect throughout the process.

Strength starts here!

MG Allen Batschelet

Team,

You are getting it done!  Your hard work and persistence is showing up in the number of young men and women volunteering to serve this great country.  We are not there yet…in fact we are just starting to turn the corner.  However, I can sense the shift in momentum and know each of you believe…in yourself, and your team…in our ability to achieve our mission.

We are in the process of conducting a “mission reset” allowing us to see our full mission – to see ourselves. The mission has remained constant; however, as a command, we have not achieved 100 percent.  Our current systems do not allow us to see our shortfalls from the last six months and I am concerned we have made little progress at making up shortfalls year to date.  We might be in an “out of sight, out of mind” situation.

The mission is the mission. The numbers do not go away when we miss our marks at the phase line – they roll over into the future months. So beginning next week you will see two new changes in Leader Zone. First, is a mission reset.  Your past missions were changed to what you achieved.  We will distribute your shortfalls, from October through February, through the remaining months of the year.   This allows everyone to see the total mission and not lose sight of the effort required.

The second change is we are shifting our focus in Leader Zone from phase line missions to year-to-date missions for the rest of the year. We are modifying our IT systems to reflect this change.  The Leader Zone screen will now track your progress on the year-to-date mission with the objective to end each phase line with at least 100 percent mission accomplished.  If you do not achieve the YTD mission at the end of the PL, the shortfall rolls into the next PL.  You will clearly see your total mission.

Resetting the mission allows us to see the current requirements and positions us to make up the past shortfalls by the end of the fiscal year. I am confident we will achieve these goals as long as we remain focused and know what we have to do...I believe in your ability to achieve our mission!

As always, the headquarters missions the brigades, and the brigade leadership will exercise mission command and distribute the mission to maximize accomplishment. This could result in mission increases for some centers. We need every center performing to its maximum potential. Do not slow down or just aim for the minimum standard…set the standard!  Show others how it’s done.  I expect leaders to recognize and reward performance…decide now that you are the team your leaders will recognize!

This mission is achievable. It requires focus, dedication and a team effort to finish the year at 100 percent or better.

I applaud all you have done up to this point, and I ask you to dig in and persevere as we make up the shortfalls of the past few months and finish the year as a team.

Provide the Strength!

MG Allen W. Batschelet