Q. What precautions is USAREC taking to protect its recruiters and those with whom they come in contact?
A. All recruiting stations within U.S. Army Recruiting Command have shifted to mobile and virtual operations to limit in-person contact. Recruiters will remain accessible to those interested in a career with the U.S. Army, but they will communicate through text, phone calls, direct messages or video chat rather than face-to-face. Recruiters will have limited in-person contact with their Future Soldiers who are preparing to ship.
Q. Are you still shipping Future Soldiers to basic training?
A. Yes, the Army is still shipping Future Soldiers to basic training. USAREC is monitoring the situation daily to determine which locations are still safe for shippers. Future Soldiers in high-risk areas are being rescheduled for future training dates, and everyone is being screened before being sent to training.
Q. How are you ensuring Future Soldiers who are shipping to basic training aren’t sick?
A. As a precautionary measure, Army recruiting is prescreening all Future Soldiers who are within 15 days of shipping to basic training. Future Soldiers who are at increased risk or have symptoms are directed to contact a medical provider to be evaluated and then must be cleared by the Military Entrance Processing Station before shipping. This could result in a delay in shipping to the training base – the length of the delay will depend on how long it takes the individual to be free of any symptoms and ensure she/he does not have coronavirus disease as well as training seat availability. Future Soldiers who are not at increased risk and are symptom-free will ship to basic training as scheduled. Future Soldiers receive another round of screening upon arrival to the training base.
Q. Will COVID-19 have an impact on the recruiting mission?
A. USAREC is monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and focused on taking actions to protect the health and safety of its personnel and families. Recruiting events and activities have been cancelled across the nation, which is impacting how we communicate about Army career opportunities. However, our recruiters are actively focusing on the virtual space to continue to connect with individuals who are interested in serving. We are using our mission modeling system to analyze the potential impacts, but at this point, it’s too early to know the overall impact on the mission.
Q. What is happening to recruiters currently scheduled to PCS or attend a school?
A. Currently the DoD has placed a stop movement order to halt all travel for service and family members whether it is for a PCS or to attend a school. Please contact your local command to get further guidance as measures are developed to accommodate the changes in policy.
Further guidance from USAREC CG for those in PCS status:
- If you’re signed out and your household goods are picked up, continue to your CONUS PCS location.
- If your household goods have not been picked up, stay in place.
Q. Where can Future Soldiers find out if they will ship to basic training as scheduled?
A. With all the rapid changes, Future Soldiers need to maintain constant contact with their local recruiters. Information regarding overarching changes for Future Soldiers can be found through the Future Soldier Center at https://www.facebook.com/ArmyFutureSoldierCenter/.
Q. What precautions are being taken at Military Entrance Processing Stations?
A. Military Entrance Processing Stations are being evaluated regularly to ensure they are protecting the health and safety of those in the facilities. MEPS that are currently open are taking a variety of precautions. They are taking the temperature of every shipper before they get on the bus in the morning. Everyone – to include employees, assigned military, guidance counselors/liaisons, delivery people, contractors, official visitors -- has their temperature taken before entering any MEPS facility. To reduce the number of people in the MEPS, no families or other visitors are allowed in the facilities at this time.
Q. What is the status of Soldiers completing basic training and scheduled to attend Advanced Individual Training at other geographical locations?
A. BCT graduates will continue to the AIT locations based on guidance from their chains of command.
Q. What will happen to Soldiers completing AIT who are scheduled to report to their first duty station?
A. Active duty Soldiers scheduled to report to their duty station after completion of AIT will await further guidance on travel. Army Reserve Soldiers will return back to their respective units.