SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Career counselors from across the 25th Infantry Division tested endurance, retention expertise, and Soldier fundamentals during the division’s Career Counselor, Senior Career Counselor, and Retention NCO of the Year competition, designed to reinforce Army standards regardless of specialty. The competition began 26 Jan 2026 and runs through 30 Jan 2026.
Competitors opened with the Army Fitness Test (AFT), the first scoring event of the competition, followed by a 50-question written examination measuring knowledge of retention policies, eligibility requirements, and reenlistment options. Participants later faced a mystery event—an indoor rifle zero and qualification course—testing their adaptability beyond administrative duties.
Sgt. 1st Class Javier Acosta, the retention operations noncommissioned officer for the 25th Infantry Division, emphasized that the competition was structured to ensure Career Counselors remain grounded in the same standards expected of all Soldiers. He explained that physical fitness and weapons proficiency are not role-dependent, but core Army requirements.
“It’s an Army standard,” Acosta said. “Regardless of your MOS, you have to be out there and perform. That’s the same reason we did the mystery event as a qualification course — ensuring that all Career Counselors can meet the basic Army standards.”
Acosta also highlighted that the written exam reinforced technical proficiency by testing overall retention processes, including policies, regulations, and eligibility criteria, which are essential for accurate advising of Soldiers.
Staff Sgt. Johnny D. Todd, a Career Counselor assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, stressed that maintaining physical fitness reinforces discipline and credibility when counseling Soldiers about long-term service. He noted that the Army’s continued emphasis on fitness connects today’s Soldiers to the fundamentals instilled during initial entry training.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about the basics,” Todd said. “Everyone went to basic training. Everyone did a PT test in basic training. It’s about keeping in line with those goals and disciplines throughout our careers.”
Todd also underscored the role of physical training in supporting mental resilience, particularly in high-pressure advisory positions where performance expectations and retention goals can generate stress.
“Stress is a big factor,” Todd said. “Going to the gym, going for a run, being at peace with yourself, and bettering yourself overall helps mitigate that stress and brings those stress levels down.”
Staff Sgt. Anthony J. Vasquez, a Career Counselor assigned to the 325th Light Support Battalion, 25th Division Sustainment Brigade, described the surprise weapons qualification as a reminder of the Army’s requirement for adaptability. He explained that while Career Counselors often work in administrative environments, they must remain prepared to operate in field conditions when needed.
“I’m always in the office doing contracts and taking care of Soldiers,” Vasquez said. “But if they need me out in the field, I’m always ready.”
Vasquez added that introducing unexpected, hands-on events prevents Soldiers from becoming overly reliant on administrative routines and reinforces real-world readiness.
“If we don’t do stuff like this, we get too used to offices and PowerPoints,” Vasquez said. “We need to get back to the real world and actually practice what we do.”
As the competition continues, leaders say the event reinforces the importance of mastering Army fundamentals — physical, technical and tactical — to better serve Soldiers and support retention across the division.
Day Two continues with a senior NCO-led board focused on retention policy, counseling scenarios and professional military bearing.
Social Sharing