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COLUMBIA, S.C. - Fiscal year 2020, which spanned Oct. 1, 2019 – Sept. 30, 2020, was an active year for the South Carolina National Guard.
More than 1,000 U.S. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were deployed in support of overseas missions, with the South Carolina National Guard having a presence in Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Germany, Colombia, and more, providing needed support at the request of the nation. Additionally, the South Carolina National Guard was activated in the state in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest in South Carolina, as well as Washington D.C., and in the aftermath of tornadoes that impacted the state in April.
Due to the demands on the National Guard, there is always a need for new recruits to join the ranks. In fiscal year 2020 the Recruiting and Retention Battalion recruited 1,105 U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers into the South Carolina National Guard. This accomplishment was more than 101 percent of the National Guard Bureau (NGB) goal for the South Carolina National Guard to recruit during the fiscal year and surpassed the number of enlistments for the organization in at least the past five years.
“Of just pure enlistments…we have averaged 957 the previous five years,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Allen Gleaton, South Carolina Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion commander.
He added, this accomplishment did not come without its challenges, especially in the new environment presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“[COVID-19] significantly impacted recruiting due to the closures of schools and college campuses. Unable to be in direct contact with the recruit-able populations caused the recruiters to conduct business in a summertime-like environment, usually our least productive months,” Gleaton said. “Even when schools allowed partial return of students, outside organizations such as the [National Guard] were not allowed to enter the schools due to health concerns.”
For this reason, recruiters had to find creative ways to reach the recruit-able population.
“With our traditional avenues of engagement - high school presentations, athletic events, displays, area canvassing, as well as community events - no longer an option beginning in March, we initially encountered a severe drop off in engagement,” said U.S. Army Master Sgt. Michael Anthony, South Carolina Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion, Company A, 2nd Platoon non-commissioned officer in charge. “Interested applicants, as well as their Families, had legitimate concerns about direct engagement with our recruiters. The recruiting force, already very in tune with the technology available through their devices, relentlessly displayed creativity and adaptability in finding ways to engage through Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, Google Meet, and Zoom. Their critical thinking and resolve to complete the mission was on full display in a time where all traditional avenues were not available…our recruiting force displayed extraordinary means of prospecting and engaging with our state’s recruit-able population in a truly unprecedented time.”
The citizens of South Carolina experienced having South Carolina National Guard Soldiers working in the communities in support of COVID-19 response efforts in the state since March, which may have also helped support the desire to join for some applicants.
“I believe the South Carolina Army National Guard’s mission was highlighted during these difficult times. In a time where people are further removed from a family history of service, they were able to see our Guard Soldiers actively helping others and easing the burdens within our South Carolina communities. This witness, definitely spoke to individuals willing to serve and support their community, as we did see an increase from people actively seeking the opportunities of the National Guard,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class James Sanford, South Carolina Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion senior recruiter in Greenville.
Sanford added, for those interested in joining, some of the basic requirements to enlist in the South Carolina National Guard include being a U.S. citizen or having legal permanent residence status; be at least 17 years of age and a currently in high school as a junior, and not to exceed 35 years of age; if not currently a high school student, have a high school or GED diploma, or have obtained at least 15 semester hours of college credits; meet dependency requirements; meet general medical fitness standards in regards to height and weight; and must be able to pass a security background check.
The South Carolina Army National Guard offers a wide variety of military careers with armories located in 40 of the 46 counties in the state. The major commands include the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade headquartered in Charleston, the 59th Aviation Troop Command, 59th Troop Command, and Medical Command all headquartered at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, the 218th Regional Training Institute headquartered at the McCrady Training Center in Eastover, the 228th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade headquartered in Spartanburg, the 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade headquartered in Eastover, the 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command headquartered in Anderson, the 117th Engineer Brigade headquartered in Newberry, and the Joint Force Headquarters in Columbia.
This past fiscal year, the top five careers selected by new recruits included Infantry – 11B, Motor Transport Operator – 88M, Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic – 91B, Combat Engineer – 12B, and Military Police – 31B, explained Gleaton.
Currently, the South Carolina Army National Guard has 103 recruiters stationed throughout the state at armories and storefronts. For citizens interested in joining, Sanford said, the best way to contact a recruiter is at https://www.nationalguard.com/ where you can enter your zip code and it will provide you the contact information for a local recruiter.
As FY21 began Oct. 1, 2020, it will present a new goal for the South Carolina Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion, and it may present its own unique challenges. Sanford explained, the Recruiting and Retention Battalion is made up of committed Soldiers willing to work as a team and accomplish the mission.
“This recruiting year posed unprecedented challenges that no one could see coming. Our ability to meet the NGB goal for FY20 was due to the unwavering work ethic, creativity, and resolve of our recruiting and retention non-commissioned officers,” said Sanford. “It was a true collective effort amongst our [Recruiting and Retention Battalion], and it could not have been done if were not for our recruiting operations center personnel, our Military Entrance Processing Station professionals in both Charlotte, [North Carolina] and Fort Jackson, [South Carolina], and our recruiting and retention section chiefs supporting and enhancing our efforts for mission accomplishment.”
| Date Taken: | 10.01.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.08.2020 10:46 |
| Story ID: | 380548 |
| Location: | COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 471 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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