Command Sgt. Maj. Ryan Razon, Special Operations Recruiting Battalion
USAREC
Offers NCOs Unparalleled Opportunities
By Command Sgt. Maj. Ryan Razon, USAREC Special Operations Recruiting Battalion
Oct. 29, 2014
An assignment in U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) comes with many opportunities noncommissioned officers may not realize.
Shortly after arriving at their recruiting center, NCOs recognize USAREC is different offering them many unique challenges. For many, it will be first time since they graduated high school that they will talk with teachers, principals, and students.
Recruiters must assure parents of 17-year-olds that the Army will provide their son or daughter with the best training possible and employ their child with care and professionalism.
Since recruiters are stationed across the country, some NCOs will report to remote locations where they, and maybe one other recruiter, are the face of the Army in that community. Some of these locations do not fully reflect our values and beliefs. An assignment with USAREC provides new experiences and exposes NCOs to challenges found only in this command.
NCOs assigned to USAREC are among the Army’s best. Recruiters must pass background checks, including those associated with an assignment to a “Position of Special Trust.” To be eligible for that Department of Defense designation, only the top five percent in every MOS can be considered for a three-year recruiting tour. Recruiters shape the future of the Army, therefore, NCOs that represent the best of the Army are necessary for this recruiting duty.
Army-selected recruiters may find themselves assigned to the same center from which they enlisted only to find the city or town has changed. Friends that once slept over at your house, or played sports with you, may view the Army as an option of last resort.
The new recruiters must adjust and develop themselves and their recruiting tactics to meet the demands of their hometown’s market and change its perception of the Army. Often the recruiter has the largest impact on how Americans view the Army. Every day recruiters must demonstrate that the Army is a profession of highly skilled and well-disciplined Soldiers, able to serve this nation and the American people in any mission.
USAREC provides unique and focused leadership skills not found anywhere else in the Army. Leading peers away from the installation environment is completely different than leading junior enlisted. Keeping in line with the Army’s Leader Requirement Model, USAREC NCOs must “Lead, Develop, and Achieve.”
One must have a stronger understanding of leadership and the power of influence. What motivates privates and specialists does not motivate sergeants. Finding the right balance of positional and personal power is critical when leading Soldiers of the same or greater rank.
Developing NCOs of the same rank brings its own challenges. How receptive will Soldiers be to development outside of their primary MOSs? Does the leader have the experience required to develop the Soldiers? Is the leader making the time to properly develop and mentor Soldiers?
Finally, the primary mission of USAREC is to achieve mission success and put Soldiers in boots. This is easy to say, however; without the right attributes and applying the correct approach to leading, mission success will not happen on a consistent basis.
A good leader is, first and foremost, a great follower. For many Soldiers, recruiting duty is the first time, in many years, where they are a follower. After an assignment with USAREC, every NCO will have a greater appreciation for leading and will realize how difficult true leadership can be.
We in USAREC realize that NCOs out in the TO&E Army may have negative stereotypes about recruiting duty. How will I remain competitive with my peers? Will I be able to adapt and understand the nuances of recruiting? What will life be like away from a base? If I don’t enlist new recruits immediately, will I be subject to disciplinary action? All are valid questions and concerns that most Soldiers have had at some point in time.
USAREC has evolved from a “mission is everything” command to one that focuses on leader development, teamwork, and ensuring NCOs leave this command better trained and prepared than they were when they arrived three years earlier.
A Soldier’s experience in USAREC should not be full of anxiety and wonder, but one that takes advantage of the positives. Displaying professionalism, securing the best Army for the future, and developing one’s leadership skills are just a few of the unique opportunities that come with recruiting America’s Army.
By Command Sgt. Maj. Ryan Razon, USAREC Special Operations Recruiting Battalion
Oct. 29, 2014
An assignment in U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) comes with many opportunities noncommissioned officers may not realize.
Shortly after arriving at their recruiting center, NCOs recognize USAREC is different offering them many unique challenges. For many, it will be first time since they graduated high school that they will talk with teachers, principals, and students.
Recruiters must assure parents of 17-year-olds that the Army will provide their son or daughter with the best training possible and employ their child with care and professionalism.
Since recruiters are stationed across the country, some NCOs will report to remote locations where they, and maybe one other recruiter, are the face of the Army in that community. Some of these locations do not fully reflect our values and beliefs. An assignment with USAREC provides new experiences and exposes NCOs to challenges found only in this command.
NCOs assigned to USAREC are among the Army’s best. Recruiters must pass background checks, including those associated with an assignment to a “Position of Special Trust.” To be eligible for that Department of Defense designation, only the top five percent in every MOS can be considered for a three-year recruiting tour. Recruiters shape the future of the Army, therefore, NCOs that represent the best of the Army are necessary for this recruiting duty.
Army-selected recruiters may find themselves assigned to the same center from which they enlisted only to find the city or town has changed. Friends that once slept over at your house, or played sports with you, may view the Army as an option of last resort.
The new recruiters must adjust and develop themselves and their recruiting tactics to meet the demands of their hometown’s market and change its perception of the Army. Often the recruiter has the largest impact on how Americans view the Army. Every day recruiters must demonstrate that the Army is a profession of highly skilled and well-disciplined Soldiers, able to serve this nation and the American people in any mission.
USAREC provides unique and focused leadership skills not found anywhere else in the Army. Leading peers away from the installation environment is completely different than leading junior enlisted. Keeping in line with the Army’s Leader Requirement Model, USAREC NCOs must “Lead, Develop, and Achieve.”
One must have a stronger understanding of leadership and the power of influence. What motivates privates and specialists does not motivate sergeants. Finding the right balance of positional and personal power is critical when leading Soldiers of the same or greater rank.
Developing NCOs of the same rank brings its own challenges. How receptive will Soldiers be to development outside of their primary MOSs? Does the leader have the experience required to develop the Soldiers? Is the leader making the time to properly develop and mentor Soldiers?
Finally, the primary mission of USAREC is to achieve mission success and put Soldiers in boots. This is easy to say, however; without the right attributes and applying the correct approach to leading, mission success will not happen on a consistent basis.
A good leader is, first and foremost, a great follower. For many Soldiers, recruiting duty is the first time, in many years, where they are a follower. After an assignment with USAREC, every NCO will have a greater appreciation for leading and will realize how difficult true leadership can be.
We in USAREC realize that NCOs out in the TO&E Army may have negative stereotypes about recruiting duty. How will I remain competitive with my peers? Will I be able to adapt and understand the nuances of recruiting? What will life be like away from a base? If I don’t enlist new recruits immediately, will I be subject to disciplinary action? All are valid questions and concerns that most Soldiers have had at some point in time.
USAREC has evolved from a “mission is everything” command to one that focuses on leader development, teamwork, and ensuring NCOs leave this command better trained and prepared than they were when they arrived three years earlier.
A Soldier’s experience in USAREC should not be full of anxiety and wonder, but one that takes advantage of the positives. Displaying professionalism, securing the best Army for the future, and developing one’s leadership skills are just a few of the unique opportunities that come with recruiting America’s Army.