SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii – To identify the best Career Counselors within the division, the 25th Infantry Division and U.S. Army Hawaii Retention Office held a Career Counselor of the Year competition Jan. 22-25, 2024, culminating in an award ceremony to announce the winners of the competition, Jan. 26, 2024, at Schofield Barracks’ Weyand Field.
The ceremony was held to honor 12 25th Inf. Div. retention career counselors that competed across three different categories; senior career counselor of the year, career counselor of the year, and retention noncommissioned officer of the year.
The winner of the Senior Career Counselor of the Year category was Master Sgt. Steven Taylor, the winner of the Career Counselor of the Year category was Sgt. 1st Class Manuel Briones, and the winner of the Retention NCO of the Year category was Staff Sgt. Jared West.
“Thank you so much to this team here in terms of working through counseling, retaining the right Soldiers to continue to serve, it’s an honor to stand before you,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Marcus Evans, the 25th Inf. Div. and USARHAW commanding general. “This team of career counselors have the top scoring retention in the Army in one category, and second in another category, as we work through this fiscal year, could not be done without you all’s support and leadership in this very important area.”
Over the span of three days leading up to the awards ceremony, the 12 competitors were evaluated in four areas: the Army combat fitness test, a written examination testing their knowledge of the Army retention program, each if their ability to deliver a senior leader brief that assessed the competitor’s oral presentation skills and overall understanding of the Army retention program, and lastly a formal board.
“I could not be prouder of each and every one of these amazing competitors,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Brian Pascual, the 25th Inf. Div. and USARHAW command career counselor. “During the board some of my battle buddies said to me, ‘Hey sergeant major, it looks like you’re having a proud Dad moment’ and all I could do was give them a smile because that’s a reflection of our organization.”
The competitors in the Senior Career Counselor category included: Master Sgt. Matthew Kindle, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and Master Sgt. Steven Taylor, 25th Inf. Div. Sustainment Brigade.
The competitors in the Career Counselor category included: Staff Sgt. Javier Acosta Figueroa, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team; Sgt. 1st Class Manuel Briones, 2nd IBCT; Sgt. 1st Class Roberto Erazo, 25th Inf. Div. Artillery Brigade; Sgt. 1st Class Josie Manalo, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade; and Staff Sgt. Michael Perez, 2nd IBCT.
The competitors in the Retention NCO category included: Sgt. Josue De La Fuente, 25th DIVARTY; Staff Sgt. Thomas Scott, 3rd IBCT; Staff Sgt. Anthony Vasquez, 3IBCT; Staff Sgt. Jacob Vaughn, 25th DIVARTY; and Staff Sgt. Jared West, 2IBCT.
“I’m very confident that our winners are going to represent the 25th Inf. Div. well at the next level, and I would not be surprised if they move on to represent U.S. Army Pacific at the Department of the Army level,” said Pascual.
Each category winner was awarded an Army Commendation Medal from the 25th Inf. Div. commanding general and the division command sergeant major.
“It was definitely challenging, so it’s good to see all the hard work that you put in pay off,” said Taylor about winning his category of the competition. “At the end of the day you represent not only yourself, but your teammates, your brigade, division and the Army as a whole.”
The winners of each category will represent the 25th Inf. Div. at the U.S. Army Pacific-level Career Counselor of the Year competition in February 2024.
“As I continue to move to the next level in the competition, I look forward to becoming more well-rounded, not just as a career counselor, but as a leader and NCO,” said Taylor. “Just being able to learn more skills and abilities and bring everything back to my team to enhance as an organization is great.”
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