YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea - Eighth Army held its annual retention board competition Oct. 30 on Yongsan Garrison in South Korea.
The career counselors who competed for Eighth Army Career Counselor of the Year were Sgt. 1st Class Cesar Andujo from Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, Sgt. 1st Class Shane Hewitt from 35th Air Defense Artillery, Staff Sgt. Tavares Wilson from 2nd Infantry Division and Sgt. 1st Class Allen Dieterle from 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command who won the competition.
"I am motivated to represent Eighth Army now and in the future," said Dieterle.
Dieterle will compete at the U.S. Army Pacific Command Retention Board in December and ultimately at the Department of the Army Career Counselor of the Year Board in January, said Sgt. Maj. Vickie Rivera, Eighth Army Command Career Counselor.
Rivera was one of the Eighth Army board members, along with Eighth Army Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney Harris, Command Sgt. Maj. Reginald Gooden, HHB command sergeant major; Sgt. Maj. Willene Orr, Command Counselor for 2nd ID; and Master Sgt. Kenneth Campbell, Area II Reserve Component Career Counselor.
The competing career counselors were scrutinized carefully by board members to determine the winner.
"We're looking to see the success of the Career Counselor in managing their Retention Program, their demonstration of outstanding personal qualities and traits required to be a successful NCO and Army Career Counselor, their individual innovations in counseling Soldiers, knowledge of the Army's retention program, personal competency enhancement, force alignment programs and Army National Guard and Army Reserve Programs," Rivera said.
The board was not the only event used to determine the new Eighth Army Career Counselor of the Year winner.
"The competitors started off the competition with an Army Physical Fitness Test and then went right into a 50 questions knowledge based written exam. They finished with a board appearance," said Rivera.
Upon facing the board, Soldiers were asked to tell board members a little about themselves.
"The purpose of the first question is to get them to relax which will give them the ability to articulate their message," said Harris.
Harris also took time to remind each Soldier of their responsibility to help ensure the high quality of U.S. Army Soldiers.
Soldiers, who presented themselves before the board, were able to study using U.S. Army regulations and other relevant materials.
"Much of the board is practical knowledge on day to day processing procedures of Soldiers in accordance with HQDA/Human Resources Command published guidance. The best resource to study from is AR 601-280 (The Army Retention Program) and all published HQDA/HRC/Milper Messages," commented Rivera.
Competitors displayed their knowledge and skills, ending their presentation to the board by reciting the U.S. Army Career Counselor Creed.
"It was a very close competition," stated Rivera. "Eighth Army is proud to have the caliber of Career Counselors we have. Because of the dedication of Counselors and the Commanders/Command Sergeants Major, Eighth Army has one of the best Retention Programs in the Army."
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