ARLINGTON, Va. –
Thirteen recruiting officers and noncommissioned officers headed to the Pentagon July 13 for a recognition ceremony hosted by the Army chief of staff.
Gen. James C. McConville recognized U.S Army Recruiting Command’s top company command teams for their success during the third quarter of fiscal 2021. The ceremony honored one company from each of the six recruiting brigades and the Special Operations Recruiting Battalion.
“There’s a reason we brought you all the way up to the Pentagon,” McConville told the USAREC personnel during the ceremony, which was held in the Hall of Heroes. “We want you to know what you and your teams do is extremely important to the United States Army.”
Army senior leaders recognize USAREC personnel each quarter, but this was the first time in a year the event was held in person. The first and second quarter ceremonies this year, recognizing recruiting NCOs and station commanders respectively, were both held virtually because of health and safety concerns based on the COVID-19 pandemic. The fourth quarter is reserved for battalion and brigade-level recognition during the Annual Leaders Training Conference at Fort Knox.
Maj. Gen. Kevin Vereen, USAREC commanding general, opened the company-level ceremony with remarks commending the Soldiers on their hard work and accomplishments throughout one of the most challenging recruiting environments the command has ever seen.
“We are all here today to show our appreciation for their dedication to this mission and for being professional ambassadors for our great organization and serving as examples of our Army values in communities all across the country,” Vereen said.
In the third quarter of this fiscal year, these seven companies accessed a combined total of 520 new enlisted recruits; 26 board selected medical officers; and 510 Soldiers sent to Army Special Operations assessment and selection courses.
“You are the ones that go out and find and inspire these extraordinary young men and women to serve the country,” McConville said. “It has been very challenging since COVID; you had to improvise, you had to innovate, you had to come up with different ideas of how you do that, and you have done that extremely well.”
Each Soldier received a Meritorious Service Medal, a commemorative coin, and a USAREC watch that contains the nostalgic photo and slogan of Uncle Sam.
“In many of our communities, you are the face of the Army,” McConville told the Soldiers. “You are what people think of when they see the Army ... I’m very honored to be here, very proud to have an opportunity to recognize each and every one of you.”
The top recruiting company command teams recognized during the ceremony include the following:
1st Recruiting Brigade - Brooklyn North Recruiting Company
- Capt. Sukhjinder (Sunny) Singh
- 1st Sgt. Edgardo Quinones Feliciano
2nd Recruiting Brigade – San Juan Recruiting Company
- Capt. Oscar Soto Cordero
- 1st Sgt. Lizmarie Davila
3rd Recruiting Brigade - Louisville Recruiting Company
- Capt. Cedric Pollard
- 1st Sgt. Shandell McClain
5th Recruiting Brigade – Western Slope Recruiting Detachment
- Sgt. 1st Class Michael Stone
6th Recruiting Brigade - Guam Recruiting Company
- Capt. Maria Bais
- 1st Sgt. Christopher Miller
Medical Recruiting Brigade - Military District of Washington Medical Recruiting Company
- Capt. Kyle Thomas
- 1st Sgt. Tommy Manan Contreras
Special Operations Recruiting Battalion - Fort Bragg ARSOF Recruiting Company
- Maj. Kyle Greene
- 1st Sgt. Michael Walsh
The full video of the ceremony is available DVIDS - Video - USAREC Top Recruiting Company Command Teams Recognition Ceremony (dvidshub.net)