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CAMP ADDER, Iraq – The 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 4th Infantry Division recently exceeded its annual re-enlistment goal 61 days into the new fiscal year.
Every fiscal year, the Iron Brigade is given a re-enlistment goal, as determined by the Department of the Army. The goal for the brigade was to re-enlist 427 soldiers before the end of the fiscal year 2011. The 3rd AAB far exceeded that goal by reenlisting 470 soldiers by Dec. 1.
Not only is this accomplishment a first within the Iron Brigade, but it is a new record for the entire 4th Inf. Div. The 3rd AAB was the first brigade to close out its re-enlistment year, not just for United States Division-South, but for all the brigades in Iraq.
The brigade has the hard work of the Iron Brigade retention team and the battalion command teams to thank for the accomplishment.
“You can’t achieve this type of accomplishment without having command involvement,” said Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Zielsdorf of Conroe, Texas, brigade senior career counselor, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd AAB. “I firmly believe that each commander, each first sergeant, and each platoon leader is actively engaging their soldiers and saying, ‘Hey, we want you to stay on the team.’”
Along with the brigade’s overall reenlistment goal, some battalions within the brigade have achieved similar success.
Re-enlistment goals are broken down into a series of categories, such as initial re-enlistees and career re-enlistees. The 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, and the 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment have all reached their goals in every category with the rest of the battalions close behind. However in the aggregate, the brigade has reached or surpassed every category.
The brigade retention team must always consider the short and long-term goals of each soldier. The team’s recent success is proof that they stand firm in doing what is best for the soldier, the brigade, and the Army, said Zielsdorf.
Many soldiers have been given the opportunity to achieve their own goals by re-enlisting.
For example, Spc. Joshua Morris, network systems operator, Company B, 3rd STB, re-enlisted for the option to go to college for his business administration degree. Re-enlisting soldiers are afforded the opportunity to take a semester of college upon redeployment.
“I just wanted to set myself up for life after the military,” he said.
A large number of soldiers re-enlisted for their choice of another duty station.
“There’s nothing wrong with moving,” said Zielsdorf. “I’ve moved six times in my 15-year career. A lot of soldiers joined the Army to see the world.”
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 12.18.2010 11:57 |
| Story ID: | 62236 |
| Location: | CAMP ADDER, IQ |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Iron Brigade reaches re-enlistment goal in record time, by PFC Khori Johnson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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