Courtesy Photo | Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division...... read more read more
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BAGHDAD — The 2nd "Iron" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division — Baghdad has deployed to Iraq on three occasions since March 2003 for a total of 42 months; more than any other Army unit during the same time frame. That fact has not hindered the brigade from meeting its retention goals.
"The mission was to re-enlist 758 Soldiers, but we're actually at 120-125 percent right now. We re-enlisted 928 Soldiers so far with another 70 ready to re-enlist," said Sgt. 1st Class Garold Largent of Saint Joseph, Mo., the brigade's senior career counselor.
The unit boasts above average retention rates for this time period, as put out for every brigade combat team Army wide. According to the Army retention goals, units should be at 58 percent while the Iron Brigade is at 122 percent, an extraordinary 64 percent above the requirement.
"It's my fourth deployment and it's not that common," said Largent. "It's usually at 100, 110 Soldiers (the amount who re-enlist). There is sometimes an influx at the end of rotation, especially for a lot of first-term Soldiers: they made a deployment, it's not that bad, and they re-enlist," said Largent.
Soldiers from all different military occupational specialties decided to extend their time in the Army while they were deployed to Iraq. The Army paid $6.5 million in bonuses to Iron Brigade Soldiers who re-enlisted while deployed to Iraq. The bonuses were tax free; another incentive for Soldiers to re-enlist.
Many Soldiers re-enlisted towards the end of deployment because they were about to finish their assignment, and through re-enlisting can choose to stay in Germany or choose another duty station of their choice.
"I was really bent on getting out, but during the deployment I re-enlisted back in September to stay in the Army for another five years," said Sgt. Jamal Davis, of Tuskegee, Ala., who is currently on his third deployment. "After this deployment I'll go back to Germany and then [change duty stations] to Fort Sill. I re-enlisted for a [non-deployable] position, so I would like to get an instructor slot down there - and then after that it'll be wherever the Army takes me."
Davis also felt that this re-enlistment option will allow him to enjoy the benefits the Army offers Soldiers along with the ability to spend more time with his family.
"It's between the assignment and the economy, being what it is right now, the Army is giving me all these free benefits, medical and what not," said Davis. "For me personally, it comes into play, but another thing— I guess you could say is spending time with my kids because I have two kids. Spending time with them will be a big change because the only thing that they know right now is that daddy goes to work and daddy deploys."
Although there are many reasons Soldiers re-enlist, there are different trends that are consistently present in Soldiers who do.
"For many Soldiers it was just being part of the Army team, camaraderie, esprit d' corps, basically just team," said Largent.
Soldiers also re-enlisted for a chance to switch to a different military occupational specialty, to change from their current duty to something they would enjoy more.
"I was infantry in the Marine Corps, and I was shot while I was in Fallujah and that's why I was discharged," said Spc. Daniel Barbours of Bullard, Texas, and member of 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment. "So I came in the Army as a 94A (land combat electrician), and I was spending a lot of time doing guard tower duty, and not going out much. Then I started going on patrols with the tankers and I was like, 'start sending me out on patrols.' So I re-enlisted and re-classed as 11B (infantry), and received a $5,000 bonus."
Although it is up to each individual Soldier to make the decision to re-enlist, the command climate and their attitude towards their Soldiers plays a large part in each Soldier's decision to re-enlist.
"The reflection of retention is a reflection on the command. When Soldiers don't re-enlist it's a command influence so it's more based off of command guidance," said Largent.
The Iron Brigade is one of many other brigade combat teams in the Army that have had excellent retention rates this year, leading to an overall excellent year for retention throughout the Army.
"The first quarter of fiscal year 2009 was the most successful in Army history and we met 249 percent of our goals," said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston during a visit to MND-B headquarters in Iraq earlier this year.
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2009 08:58 |
| Story ID: | 33377 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 647 |
| Downloads: | 593 |
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