FORT BENNING, Ga. Aca,!" A local Army Reserve unit with a mission to groom noncommissioned officers for Drill Sergeants School has opportunities for Soldiers getting out of active duty.
The Columbus-based 3rd Battalion, 485th Infantry Regiment, is seeking Infantrymen and Soldiers in other military occupational specialties to fill a range of openings, said Maj. Ceci Riedel, the battalion operations officer. Positions are available for NCOs in pay grades E-5 to E-7, first lieutenants and captains.
Aca,!A"11B is the most needed MOS but any MOS can be accepted,Aca,!A? she said. Aca,!A"Our greatest need is for company (executive officers) and commanders. There is great opportunity for career progression within the unit and we strive to place our Soldiers in the positions where they can learn and advance.Aca,!A?
Riedel said there are major advantages to joining the Army Reserve. Programs such as the Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces puts Soldiers in touch with corporations that value the traits and knowledge service members possess. Other benefits include pay for various missions, continuation of Tricare and more time at home.
Aca,!A"The biggest thing is opportunity,Aca,!A? she said. Aca,!A"In the Army Reserve, your career is truly in your hands, both as a Soldier and a civilian.Aca,!A?
The 3rd Battalion, 485th Infantry Regiment, consists of 146 Soldiers, a command element and five drill sergeant companies: three at Fort Benning and two in northwest Florida. Its higher headquarters Aca,!" 1st Brigade, 98th Division (Institutional Training) Aca,!" also is in Columbus.
The battalion maintains a company mobilization rotation that allows Soldiers to train and plan ahead, Riedel said. On average, each company completes a 12-month activation every four years.
Aca,!A"Our routine assignment is to train Soldiers in basic combat training at Sand Hill,Aca,!A? she said. Aca,!A"In addition, we may also be tasked to assist other units with training they may need, anything from ROTC cadets to pre-deployment training. Those assignments can be one week to 70-plus days in length and are filled by Soldiers from our other companies who are not in line to mobilize.Aca,!A?
Riedel said the battalion hopes to be fully staffed with drill sergeant-qualified NCOs and company command teams in the near future, but pinpointing a specific recruiting goal or time frame is difficult because of constant fluctuations in its personnel roster.
Being in the Army Reserve offers the Aca,!A"best of both worlds,Aca,!A? she said.
Aca,!A"You continue to serve our country as a Soldier and have a civilian career,Aca,!A? she said. Aca,!A"Many reservists work side by side with their active-component counterpart and the full-time Soldier has no idea they are a reservist. The reserves are well trained, not only in their MOS but also in the civilian occupation they have chosen.Aca,!A?
The local battalion and brigade are set to move into a new state-of-the-art Army Reserve facility on Fort Benning by this fall, Riedel said.
WHOAca,!a,,cS ELIGIBLE FOR THE ARMY RESERVE'
The U.S. Army Reserve is open to high school graduates between ages 17 (with parent signature) and 34 who are U.S. citizens. To learn more about the entry qualifications, people should contact their local recruiting office.
Applicants interested in joining 3rd Battalion, 485th Infantry Regiment, in Columbus must be prior service or currently serving with a rank no lower than sergeant, be able to meet height and weight requirements, and pass the Army physical fitness test with a minimum of 70 points in each event. Soldiers also must interview for a position.
* For more information, contact unit administrator John Adams Sr. at 706-561-4072 or e-mail him at john.everette.adams@usar.army.mil.
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