FORT SILL, Okla. -- As the Army begins to draw down, Soldiers are finding it harder and harder to re-enlist.
While retention can prove difficult, there are some things each Soldier can do to make themselves more marketable to the Army.
Sgt. Maj. Patrick Hickok, 32nd Air and Missile Defense Command career counselor, came to Fort Sill to inform 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade Soldiers how they can ensure they remain a valuable resource to the Army and let them know about some of the recent changes to the Army's retention policy.
"First of all, there has already been a change in the re-enlistment window," said Hickok. "We had an expanded window at one time when we were in the Army grow-phase but the new window requires you to re-enlist within 12 months of your Expiration Term of Service (ETS)."
Hickok stressed that although Soldiers are eligible for re-enlistment once they are 12 months out from their ETS date, they are no longer eligible for re-enlistment once they are 90 days from their ETS. This means Soldiers only have nine months to make a decision on reenlistment.
"It's important to stress that Soldiers need to make thair decision sooner rather than later," said Hickok. "We'd much rather Soldiers make that decision within the first 90 days. If the Soldier is qualified and willing to reenlist and they are getting something that they desire and works with the Army's needs, then there is really no reason to wait. What I've seen sometimes is options change and bonuses along with assignments go away."
There are many things a Soldier can do to make themselves more appealing to the Army and increase their chances of retention.
"The first thing to remember is that Soldiers need to be an expert in their jobs and display a high level of proficiency," Hickok said. "They also need to do the basic requirements of a Soldier like qualify with their weapon, pass the Army Physical Fitness Test and be in accordance with Army weight control standards.
We need Soldiers to think of their time in the Army as a career, maybe not a 20-year career, but this is their career path at this point."
Hickok shared his insight on those Soldiers who don't want to stay on active duty, but instead to transition to the National Guard or Army Reserves.
"When Soldiers separate from the Army we want to keep them as part of the Army team, we can do that in another component, whether it's in the Army National Guard or Army Reserve," he said. "There are bonuses in these components, but one thing we lose sight of is the networking capability of a Soldier when they transition into the National Guard or Army Reserve.
Sgt. 1st Class Rudregus Davis, career counselor for 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery, reminded Soldiers there are many benefits and programs available for veterans.
"A lot of Soldiers get out and have a hard time finding employment without having or making a plan," said Davis. "Right now across the United States there's a huge number of veterans who are not taking advantage of some of the job placement benefits and the employment initiatives that the government has put in place especially for veterans."
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