U.S. Army Recruiting Command Timeline
Oct. 9, 2014


1964

• Oct. 1, 1964 - U.S. Army Recruiting Command is formed at Fort Monroe, Va., with an authorized staff of 92 officers, enlisted Soldiers and civilians
• Brig. Gen. Leonidas Gavalas is the first commanding general
• Command is organized into 6 Recruiting Districts

1966

• Authorized recruiter strength is raised from 1,750 to 2,200
• The 2% limitation on female strength is lifted
• Institute of Heraldry approves the USAREC recruiter badge to identify Soldiers on recruiting duty
• July 1, 1966 - Recruiting Command is placed under the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Department of the Army

1967

• January 1967 – The red, white and blue recruiting patch with the bell is authorized by Institute of Heraldry
• November 1967 - The recruiting tab approved for the USAREC patch

1971

• The Army’s first recruiting advertising campaign is “Today’s Army Wants to Join You”
• First television ads are aired in the spring – a $10 million 10-week test

1972

• December 1972 - The last draftee enters the Army; he ships to training in June 1973

1973

• Ad slogan changes to “Join the People Who’ve Joined the Army”
• July 1973 - USAREC begins recruiting an all-volunteer Army
• July 15, 1973 – USAREC headquarters moves from Hampton, Va., to Fort Sheridan, Ill.

1974

• The five numbered Recruiting Districts are redesignated as Regional Recruiting Commands 
• USAREC phases in the REQUEST system
• The recruiter badge is modified to include “pop-in” stars and the gold badge was created to denote recruiter achievement

1975

• Secretary of the Army approves the incorporation of sapphires onto the gold badges, as well as the permanent wear of the gold badge once Soldiers leave the command.
• Fiscal Year recruiting mission is 204,600

1976

• July 1, 1976 - Military Enlistment Processing Command (now the Military Entrance Processing Command) is established as a USAREC subordinate element at Fort Sheridan

1978

• The command begins recruiting for the Army Reserve
• Army Recruiter Ring is approved for presentation; 12 recruiters receive the award that year

1979

• January 1979 – the short-lived advertising campaign “This is the Army” begins two-year run
• Oct. 1, 1979 - MEPCOM becomes an independent command
• Nov. 15, 1979 – Maj. Gen. Maxwell Thurman becomes USAREC Commanding General

1980

• October 1980 – “Be All You Can Be” is introduced

1981

• January 1981 - First “Be All You Can Be” commercials air

 
1982

•   The Army College Fund introduced
•   The JOIN (Joint Optical Information Network) system is introduced

1983

• Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger declares AVF no longer experimental
• October 1983 - Regional Recruiting Commands are designated as numbered Recruiting Brigades; District Recruiting Commands are redesignated as Recruiting Battalions.

1985

• Ad campaign introduces sub-theme “Find Your Future in the Army”
• Montgomery GI Bill enacted

1987

•  Ad campaign introduces sub-theme “Get an Edge on Life in the Army”

1992

• BRAC relocates USAREC headquarters from Fort Sheridan to Fort Knox, Ky.

1994

•  Glen E. Morrell Award is introduced, named after retired Sergeant Major of the Army Glen E. Morrell, who served as the USAREC command sergeant major from October 1981 to September 1982

1995

• Army Medical Department Officer Procurement Division and the medical specialty recruiting missions moved from the Office of the Surgeon General to USAREC
• April 19, 1995 – Seven Oklahoma City Battalion employees and one family member die in Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing
• Sept. 17, 1995 – USAREC dedicates headquarters building as Gen. Maxwell R. Thurman Center for Recruiting Excellence
• 1995 - USAREC’s advertising budget is $55 million

1998

• Oct. 1, 1998 – USAREC realigned under TRADOC
• USAREC begins fielding recruiter ARISS laptops through 1999

2000

• The Partnership for Youth Success program is launched

2001

• January 2001 – “An Army of One” debuts
• June 14, 2001 – USAREC dedicates parade field in honor of James Montgomery Flagg, the artist who created the famous Uncle Sam recruiting poster
• Army first sponsors the U.S. Army All-American Bowl

2002

• Feb. 15, 2002 - U.S. Army Accessions Command is established as a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command headquartered at Fort Monroe, Va. 
• October 2002 – USAREC realigns under USAAC
• November 2002 - USAREC transfers mission of 10 of its recruiting companies to civilian contractors for the contract recruiting company initiative required under FY 01 NDAA
• 2002 – Fiscal year cost per accession is $15,572

2003

• January 2003 – Cyber Recruiting Station opens at Fort Knox

2005

• January 2005 - USAREC’s five Army Medical Recruiting Detachments are redesignated as Medical Recruiting Battalions
• March 2005 - Army Reserve age limit was raised from 35 to 40
• April 2005 – Morell Ring is approved; the first rings were presented Sept. 26 of the same year
• July 21, 2005 - Special Operations Recruiting Battalion activated under 2d bde

2006

• $1,000 Referral Bonus Program Pilot is initiated as authorized by FY 06 NDAA
• Nov. 13, 2006 – Referral Bonus doubles to $2,000.
• June 21, 2006 - Individuals up to but not exceeding their 42nd birth date are eligible for enlistment into the Regular Army and Army Reserve as authorized by the FY 06 NDAA. 
• October 2006 – “Army Strong” is introduced at AUSA

2007

• Contract recruiting company initiative ends
• Sept. 1, 2007 – USAREC Soldiers begin wearing Army Star shoulder patch on ACUs
• Oct. 1, 2007 - USAREC activates Special Missions Brigade
• Oct. 2, 2007 - Medical Recruiting Brigade Headquarters activates at Fort Knox, Ky., to assume control of the five Medical Recruiting Battalions.

2009

• January 2009 – PaYS signs 300th partner
• March 2009 – Referral bonus pilot program is suspended
• September 2009 – USAREC begins testing Pinnacle Recruiting Concept
• September 2009  -  Special Missions Brigade is inactivated

 
2010

• Year of center commander

2011

• November 2011-Changed recruiting stations to recruiting
• Chief of staff approves master badge to replace gold badge, ring and Morrell medallion

2013

• Team based “Small Unit Recruiting” implemented – One team one fight

2014

• Recruiter bell patch returns
• First master badge competition held, seven earn the badge
• Recruiting and Retention School relocated to Fort Knox, Ky., from Fort Jackson, S.C.

 

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