Let the games begin…

And so they have…at zero dark thirty this morning four Soldiers from the Army Reserve Careers Division and fifteen Soldier from 11 Aviation command are competing for the honor of being the “Best Warrior” for their respective commands.

The competitors will spend the week on a variety of challenges; the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) consisting of push-ups, sit-ups and a two mile-run; weapons qualifications; negotiate day and night Urban War fighting Orienteering courses; complete a timed Road March; complete a written examination and essay on general military topics; perform in an Army appearance board and other tests of skill such as hand-to-hand combat, first aid, and various mystery events.
Today the Soldiers completed the APFT, weapons firing on two weapons completed mystery event and the Night Urban War fighting Orienteering courses.

The winner will compete at the U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., from June 23-28, 2013. Enlisted Soldiers in the rank of E-1 to E-7 are eligible to compete.

Check us out on FaceBook to view more photos of this week’s events at https://www.facebook.com/stayarmyreserve and leave your comments of encouragement.

“165 Miles for USO of Illinois”

Journal Gazette & Time-Courier

Brian Andries, a graduate of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston and a US Army veteran, is walking from the Chicago area back to Charleston this week, with plans to arrive at EIU’s Old Main about 6 p.m. Friday.

CHARLESTON — When Brian Andries was a student, the three-hour drive from his home near Chicago to the campus of Eastern Illinois University probably often seemed like it would never end.

Think of how long those 165 miles must seem now that he’s making the trip on foot.

Andries, a 2009 EIU graduate and Iraq War veteran, is marking the end of his four-year U.S. Army commitment by walking from his hometown back to EIU. To make the most of the experience, he is raising money for the USO of Illinois, a branch of the national nonprofit organization that has long been known for its support of U.S. troops.

His journey, which he calls “165 Miles for USO of Illinois,” began Saturday in Oswego. Plans call for the last leg of the trip to take place on Friday, when he’ll leave Tuscola en route to EIU’s Old Main — “the definitive ‘welcome to Eastern’ symbol” — for an estimated 6 p.m. arrival.

Donors can contribute online at http://www.gofundme.com/walkforuso. Four different donation levels each offers its own rewards. For example, a $20 gift will earn the donor a photo/video bundle from the walk. The top level, $100, entitles the donor to several perks, including an original song written and recorded by the musically inclined Andries — and the donor can name the subject.

Capt. Andries was already in shape from his Army career — in fact, he was the fastest runner in his infantry company. He’d just returned from the National Training Center in Fort Irwin in mid-March when he focused his fitness regimen for the walking-intensive trip. Training included backpacking at least once a week; lots of running; weightlifting; and hundreds of step-ups, simulating walking up steps. The training culminated with 900 step-ups while carrying a 50-lb. backpack.

The trip would sound daunting to most, but for a veteran who served a year in Iraq as both an infantry and engineer platoon leader, conducting partnered patrols with Iraqi forces and route clearance missions, it’s relatively easy. Plus, Andries is happy that this trip will include gear that is more comfortable than Army-issued backpacks and boots.

Andries will soon move to Los Angeles and remain in the Army Reserve as a public affairs officer specializing in broadcast management. For civilian employment, Andries plans to become a personal trainer, as well as pursue a career in music and acting. more >> http://ow.ly/kqznm

Army Reserve 105th Birthday

One hundred and five years ago today, April 23, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt signed Senate Bill 1424, creating the Medical Reserve Corps, authorizing the Army to maintain a pool of reserve medical officers available for call to active duty in emergencies. On June 3, 1916, The National Defense Act established the Officers Reserve Corps and on June 4, 1920, the National Defense Act Amendments established the Organized Reserve.

Transforming from a strategic force of last resort to an indispensable, operational force of first responders, Army Reserve Soldiers, Warrior Citizens have joined with the active Army to defend the nation’s national security

Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/feature/ArmyReserve105thBirthday#ixzz2RDXUnnsu

Do TEL – Jumpstarting your Transition to a Civilian Career

Jumpstarting your Transition to a Civilian Career

FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
By Lt. Col. Jon Carrico, Jr.

Having an expert on-hand who recognizes the unique skills, talents and abilities associated with serving the nation can make a tremendous difference for a candidate seeking the right fit. According to Ms. Erin Thede, director of the Employment Partnership Office, the service of Soldiers over the past decade has not gone unnoticed.

“A growing number of employers are looking to veterans as potential employees, some out of a sense of patriotism, but in many cases they are simply recognizing a pool of candidates with the skills and experience to enrich their organization,” said Thede. “Transition Employment Liaisons are the newest advocates available to help Soldiers and veterans navigate a difficult job market.”

More than 300,000 veterans will enter the job market over next four years. Transitioning to a civilian career can be challenging. TELs are experts in recognizing specialized capabilities and assisting transitioning active duty Soldiers seeking employment opportunities.  “TELs not only have a working relationship with many civilian organizations, they also have access to job portals and hiring networks that feature employers interested in hiring veterans and Soldiers,” said Angel Faggins, program manager for the EPO. “Our liaisons are working to reduce the veteran unemployment rate by using an EPO-maintained network of employment specialists whose established relationships with local and national employers are vital in assisting Soldiers.”

TELs provide employment assistance to Soldiers at specific military posts as they transition from active duty. As Soldiers depart active duty and relocate to other parts of the country, the TELs refer Soldiers to Army Career Employment Specialists who are geographically-dispersed throughout the country. ACES receive the Soldier and provide continued support, resume development/enhancement, application process support, interview assistance, and jobs skills translation.

“I’m so excited to be in a position to help military families as they transition to civilian life,” said Jason Cowee, the transition employment liaison at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. “I consider it a privilege to serve these great Americans, and I consider it a privilege to be a voice for veterans as I educate and encourage employers to consider the value our veterans bring to their organization.”

Along with the network maintained by EPO, TELs have the depth and breadth of experience necessary to assist Soldiers. TELs are former service members who have first-hand knowledge of the transition process. Many of them were non-commission officers with assignments as recruiters or military career counselors. They are armed with a vast array of tools to assist service members as they leave active duty.

In order to best assist service members’ transition to the civilian workforce, TELs are co-located with Transition Assistance Career Counselors, who assist Soldiers interested in continuing their military career in the reserve component while completing the Transitional Assistance Program at their local Army Career Alumni Program office. TELs use the “Hero-2-Hired” job portal site (H2H.jobs) for veterans/transitioning military and Reserve Component service member.

According to Pfc. Luis Morales, “The Hero 2 Hired website really works. While I was in a TAP class, I went to the website and posted my resume. In the next 30 minutes, Martin-Brower, a global logistics company, contacted me. When I spoke with them, they were doing interviews in the education center where I was taking the TAP class. I interviewed and got hired on the spot.”

Soldiers can contact the local TEL at their installation transition point for assistance. TELs are located at seven installations: Fort Campbell, Fort Belvoir, Fort Bragg, Fort Stewart, Fort Sill, Fort Hood and Joint Base Lewis-McChord. By the fall, EPO will expand TEL coverage to nine additional locations. The proposed new locations include Fort Knox, Fort Drum, Fort Jackson, Fort Gordon, Fort Bliss, Fort Carson, Fort Irwin, Fort Riley and Fort Leonard Wood. If you are not at one of these installations, you may still leverage TEL services by creating a job-seeker account on H2H.jobs indicating that you would like to receive personal counseling assistance.

So what are you waiting for? Get that jumpstart on your next life’s adventure and visit www.usar.army.mil/employerpartnership for more information about EPO, TELs, and specialized civilian employment case management. You can also find EPO on social media by searching for EPO careers.

Sgt. Audie Murphy Competition and Induction

Six Soldiers from the Army Reserve Careers Division were inducted into the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club on February 6, 2013 at Lackland Air Force Base, TX.

Last September, the Army Reserve Careers Division chapter of the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club held their competition at Ft. Benning, GA. Twelve candidates competed in a variety of events to include an Army Physical Fitness Test, essay, written test, appearance board, land navigation, weapons qualification and drill & ceremony. Each candidate had to individually pass all events to continue competing. Failure to pass an even meant leaving the competition immediately. Prior to the national competition, candidates were nominated by their individual commands for showing exemplary behavior and Soldier skills at a local board.

The competition started with candidates being required to achieve at least a 270 on their Army Physical Fitness Test. In the dim light of early morning, candidates pushed, grunted and sweat their way to obtaining a score high enough to keep them in the running for selection.
Once the Army Physical Fitness test was complete, Soldiers did a quick uniform change to the Army Service Uniform for the appearance board, written test and essay. The written test consisted of 100 questions on various subjects including weapons, first aid, leadership and Audie Murphy knowledge. In addition to the written test, candidates were required to write an essay between 500-600 words on their leadership philosophy and how it relates to the club’s leadership philosophy. Candidates did an amazing job of displaying their leadership techniques and shared personal stories on how they became successful leaders.

The appearance board proved to be the most challenging of events and held the most weight for scoring. Candidates were judged not only on their knowledge of Army subjects but also on military bearing, uniform appearance and confidence. Sponsors entered the board room first to brief board members on the candidate. Encouraging words could be heard in the hallways as sponsors supported their candidates prior to entering the board room and instilled confidence in them. Each candidate spent a grueling 45 minutes in front of board members answering questions and reciting the Non-Commissioned Officer creed. Once everyone was boarded, candidates were released to prepare for the next day’s activities.
Land navigation was the first event in the final day of competition. To continue in the competition, candidates were required to find at least one out of three points in three hours. Once all points were plotted, candidates trudged through the woods in search of the bright orange signs displaying points.

From there, candidates were sent to the Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) 2000 to qualify weapons on the simulated range. Tensions were high in the qualification room as sponsors helped mentally prepare their candidates for the qualification. Once their weapons were zeroed, candidates had one chance to qualify after a practice round.

The next event, Drill & Ceremony, moved the candidates outside to test their marching skills. Each candidate marched a squad around, calling commands and cadence. Although drill and ceremony seemed to be a fairly passable event, this was the last item standing between the candidates and their official selection notification.

All 12 competitors did an outstanding job throughout the competition and each brought their own leadership style and skills. While not everyone made it through to the end of the week, they should all be commended on having the strength, discipline and courage to participate in such an intense competition. They are true signs of what it means to lead by example and epitomize the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club motto of “You Lead From the Front.”

The 6 Soldiers (and their sponsors) selected to the Army Reserve Careers Division Sgt. Audie Murphy Club are as follows:

5th BN – Sgt. 1st Class Troy Nuckles (Master Sgt. Kelli Harr)
8th BN – Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Gale (Sgt. 1st Class Sabrina Derhammer)
8th BN – Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Lundtvedt (Sgt. 1st Class Sabrina Derhammer)
11th BN – Sgt. 1st Class Ramirez (Master Sgt. Mario Marquez)
11th BN – Sgt. 1st Class Breslin (Master Sgt. Mario Marquez)
Army Reserve Careers Division HQ- Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Thorne (Master Sgt. Kelli Harr)

The above listed Soldiers were officially inducted into the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club at the Army Reserve Careers Division Annual Training on 6 February 2013.

Ready and Resilient with Chaplain Carl Fisher

Chaplain Fisher

Chaplain Carl Fisher invite you to share your thoughts and resources on how we can best enhance the readiness and resilience of our Soldiers, Civilians and Families in the Army Reserve.

His question? What can we do to increase the physical, emotional, spiritual, family and social well-being of our Soldiers, Civilians and Families?

Your can follow him on twitter @ https://twitter.com/chaplainfisher or post your answer on Facebook by clicking here. The site does not officially represent the views of the Army. Its intend it to be a site where people can freely and honestly express their thoughts and views without going through the chain of command. Chaplain Fisher want to learn from you and hopes to find a way to incorporate your resources and ideas into our Army Reserve Family.

Twenty Eight Years Ago

Written by Master Sgt. Lorene M. Edwards
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Sgt. Maj. Leah Ruzynski, from 8th Battalion, Army Reserve Careers Division, removes Sgt. 1st Class Edwards rank before pinning her Master Sgt’s rank

It seems like yesterday when I was sitting in a Recruiting Office in 1985 waiting for my friend to get finished so we could go to the lake.  It was the Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Madison, WI.  I was comfortable sitting with my feet propped up on the coffee table, until a raspy, loud voice said; “Get your feet off my table.”  It was then that I looked around at the posters, studied the portrait of a General and the ribbons on his uniform and asked the question, “What did he do to get all those?”  Then the question that sealed the deal was; “This really doesn’t look that hard; I mean this looks easy, anyone can climb under a log with mud on them, right?”

I had no reason to join the Military; I was one of those kids that “Just Did It”.  I served for 8 years in the Marines and of the four that I did on Active Duty, it was there that I learned that “the door to opportunity swings on the hinges of adversity.”   Being a female in the Marine Corps wasn’t easy; but it made me into the woman I am today.  Determined, confident and goal oriented.

After a several year break in service, I walked into the Army Recruiting Office and told them; “white lies leave black marks on reputations and my only question is, can you make me a Drill Sergeant?”   Within months I was in DS School trying to adjust to the differing sounds and steps of cadences and learning that in the Army if I wanted someone to swab the deck I had to be prepared for mass confusion. 

I have learned in my 22 years of Military service that all branches are equally important to America; each bringing its own skills to the fight.  I have learned that determination and overcoming of obstacles don’t have to be alibi’s but opportunities.   It has been an honor to serve in all my capacities within the ranks of the Army over the last 15 years.   These all taught me how to be a better person, subordinate and Leader.  These years have taught me that our organization is built and maintained by investing in others; by taking care of each other and solving problems with level headedness.

When people ask how I could be in the Military so long; I just say that any man’s life can be a coincidence but I prefer to make mine a reflection of me.   I am grateful that the Army has trusted me to hold the rank of MSG.  This is an accomplishment that I only accept due to the diligent leadership of all those I have served under; Army and Marine Corps alike.  Rest assured that I will fulfill my greatest obligation and I will not fail in your trust.   

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