U.S. Army Europe Career Counselor of the Year named

By U.S. ArmyDecember 8, 2014

U.S. Army Europe Career Counselor of the Year
Staff Sgt. Efrain Garcia, U.S. Army Europe's Career Counselor of the Year, stands with his son and Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, USAREUR's commanding general, after being awarded an Army Commendation Medal and an engraved plaque here Dec. 5, for earning the t... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WIESBADEN, Germany -- The senior career counselor for the 16th Sustainment Brigade has been named U.S. Army Europe's Career Counselor of the Year for the second straight year.

Staff Sgt. Efrain Garcia took top honors at the 2014 competition at USAREUR headquarters here in November. He was formally recognized by awarded for his accomplishment by USAREUR commanding general Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, Dec. 5. For his achievement Garcia, a native of New York City, received an Army Commendation Medal, a gift card from the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and three plaques, each commemorating his recent accomplishment.

The annual competition tests counselors on a variety of job and Solider skills to select the best career counselor within the separate units across Europe under USAREUR command. The three-day event includes a standard Army physical fitness test consisting of two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups and a 2-mile run; a timed 50-question written test; and an appearance before a board of five sergeants major who grilled competitors on their military knowledge, skills and bearing.

In addition to the three events, judges assessed each competitor based on a submission packet that described their goals and accomplishments.

While Garcia came out on top in the USAREUR level of competition last year as well, he was unable to claim victory at the Army level. That honor went to another USAREUR member, Staff Sgt. Eric Detheridge of the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade. Garcia will get a shot at earning the Army title for this year when he competes in Washington, D.C. early next year.

The job of a military career counselor includes helping active-duty Soldiers nearing the end of their enlistment contracts to reenlist to stay in the Army; to transition to Reserve components if they want to remain in uniform but do not desire to stay on active duty after their contracts end; and assisting Soldiers who would like to change the job they perform for the Army.

Like all Army career counselors, Garcia did not start his military career advising Soldiers.

After serving first as a microwave systems operator and later as an infantryman, Garcia applied to become a career counselor. After two years as a counselor in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, he moved to Europe, joining the 16th in Grafenwoehr, Germany.

The sergeant said an injury made the physical training test the hardest part of this year's competition.

"After fracturing my foot months prior to the competition it was uncomfortable running, but thank God I was able to make it in a time where it kept me competitive," said Garcia

The sergeant said his long-term goals center on helping others to become top Soldiers and career counselors as an instructor at the Army's Recruiting and Retention School at Fort Jackson, S.C., and ultimately as a sergeant major in the Army-level career counselor program.

"I know that when I become a senior career counselor I will be able to develop and mentor fine junior career counselors into this field and give them the tools needed to succeed," he said.

In the meantime he has a shorter-term plan -- to return to the Army-level competition and prove this time that he is the Army's top career counselor.

--

About us: U.S. Army Europe is uniquely positioned in its 51 country area of responsibility to advance American strategic interests in Europe and Eurasia. The relationships we build during more than 1,000 theater security cooperation events in more than 40 countries each year lead directly to support for multinational contingency operations around the world, strengthen regional partnerships and enhance global security.