Brig. Gen. Martin, USAREC deputy commanding general, and Marjorie Harvey with the "Girls Who Rule the World."
USAREC DCG Joins the Girls Who Rule the World
By 1st Lt. Leslie Martell, USAREC Public Affairs Office
Dec. 9, 2015
Brig. Gen. Donna Martin, U.S. Army Recruiting Command’s deputy commanding general, was one of the guest speakers at the “Girls Who Rule the World” camp in Roberta, Georgia, last month.
Designed by Marjorie Harvey and The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation, the goal of the three-day, two-night program is to enhance the development of young girls and expose them to the benefits and importance of a positive self-image, responsible personal conduct, respect for self and others, and cultural enrichment and mentoring.
During the event, more than 100 at-risk African American girls and young women between the ages of 13-18 were broken into groups of 10 with two Army mentors. NCOs and officers, ranging in rank from staff sergeant to lieutenant colonel, provided a broad range of experiences from which the girls could learn.
“The ‘Girls Rule the World Event’ is the epitome of what we should be striving for in all recruiting initiatives”, said Martin.
“The positive image that our Army officers, NCOs and cadets set for these young girls was beneficial not only to our recruiting effort, but to the nation as a whole by helping to instill positive values in America’s future.”
Martin was one of the panelist on the “Girls Lead. Girls Serve. Girls Change the World” panel. She also gave closing remarks and presented the Future Leader award.
The small-group setting allowed the mentors to connect on a personal level with the girls. All of the Army mentors were female African Americans, allowing the girls to connect on a cultural level and ask the mentors pointed questions about their military experiences.
It was obvious the girls were motivated and intrigued with the Army. The mentors were able to dispel common myths about the Army. By having successful Army mentors of the same cultural background present, the girls were able to see a tangible way to be successful.
“The importance of providing the opportunity through multi-cultural events for America’s youth to see individuals in their own image succeeding is too invaluable to measure,” said Martin.
The Accessions Support Brigade STEM semi was also on site, highlighting technical MOSes.
Many of the girls selected for the program come from a home and/or a school environment lacking in structure or consistency. The Army mentors showed them protocols that fostered teamwork and structure within their small groups. The girls learned cadences, but were able to personalize them to fit the individuality of their group. The girls were expected to sit up and stay awake through briefings, dress appropriately, stand when speaking, and introduce themselves. These small changes from normal school behavior helped instill confidence and promote discipline within the group.
By 1st Lt. Leslie Martell, USAREC Public Affairs Office
Dec. 9, 2015
Brig. Gen. Donna Martin, U.S. Army Recruiting Command’s deputy commanding general, was one of the guest speakers at the “Girls Who Rule the World” camp in Roberta, Georgia, last month.
Designed by Marjorie Harvey and The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation, the goal of the three-day, two-night program is to enhance the development of young girls and expose them to the benefits and importance of a positive self-image, responsible personal conduct, respect for self and others, and cultural enrichment and mentoring.
During the event, more than 100 at-risk African American girls and young women between the ages of 13-18 were broken into groups of 10 with two Army mentors. NCOs and officers, ranging in rank from staff sergeant to lieutenant colonel, provided a broad range of experiences from which the girls could learn.
“The ‘Girls Rule the World Event’ is the epitome of what we should be striving for in all recruiting initiatives”, said Martin.
“The positive image that our Army officers, NCOs and cadets set for these young girls was beneficial not only to our recruiting effort, but to the nation as a whole by helping to instill positive values in America’s future.”
Martin was one of the panelist on the “Girls Lead. Girls Serve. Girls Change the World” panel. She also gave closing remarks and presented the Future Leader award.
The small-group setting allowed the mentors to connect on a personal level with the girls. All of the Army mentors were female African Americans, allowing the girls to connect on a cultural level and ask the mentors pointed questions about their military experiences.
It was obvious the girls were motivated and intrigued with the Army. The mentors were able to dispel common myths about the Army. By having successful Army mentors of the same cultural background present, the girls were able to see a tangible way to be successful.
“The importance of providing the opportunity through multi-cultural events for America’s youth to see individuals in their own image succeeding is too invaluable to measure,” said Martin.
The Accessions Support Brigade STEM semi was also on site, highlighting technical MOSes.
Many of the girls selected for the program come from a home and/or a school environment lacking in structure or consistency. The Army mentors showed them protocols that fostered teamwork and structure within their small groups. The girls learned cadences, but were able to personalize them to fit the individuality of their group. The girls were expected to sit up and stay awake through briefings, dress appropriately, stand when speaking, and introduce themselves. These small changes from normal school behavior helped instill confidence and promote discipline within the group.