FORT KNOX, Ky. –
The U.S. Army Recruiting and Retention College has been training and educating Army recruiters since 1983. While the curriculum has evolved, its purpose to turn Army Soldiers into Army recruiters has not. During a Dec. 14 ceremony at Olive Theater, Fort Knox, Kentucky, 151 men and women graduated from the RRC. Of those, 60 graduates earned a meritorious promotion.
Soldiers who successfully completed the Army Recruiter Course as a sergeant were promoted to staff sergeant. Maj. Gen. Thomas Drew, U.S. Army Human Resources Command commanding general, and Maj. Gen. Johnny Davis, U.S. Army Recruiting Command commanding general, presided over the promotion ceremony.
For some Soldiers, the advancement in rank is more than what it may seem on the surface.
“This promotion is fantastic for us because it will not only help us carry a little more confidence into recruiting, but also help those former sergeants tremendously that are going to high cost of living areas,” Staff Sgt. Tanner Larsen, a native of O’Fallon, Missouri and recruiter with the Minneapolis Battalion, said. “They will have more opportunity to focus on their work and have less family, financial, and marital stress.”
While attending the ARC, students focus on learning policy and regulations pertaining to recruiting operations, applicants’ qualifications, and virtual recruiting practices. They also practice interviewing techniques and prospecting through a culminating capstone event where they put everything they have learned to the test.
Of the 151 graduates, 18 also graduated from the Recruiting Station Commander Course. The goal of this course is for students to fully understand the role and purpose of a station commander within a recruiting station. They learn how to go about executing all duties and requirements of a station commander within USAREC.
“Together, Recruiters and Station Commanders have the most important mission the Army has right now,” Command Sgt. Maj. Hilda Garcia, 3rd Recruiting Brigade command sergeant major, said. “Help us fill the ranks, shape the Army of the future, and ensure we remain the most powerful fighting force in this great Nation; adhere to the Army Values, stay true to yourself, always do what you know in your heart is right, and be a champion.”
During the graduation ceremony, the RRC recognized five distinguished honor graduates, an honor awarded to the students with the highest-grade point average in each class.
The following Soldiers earned distinguished honor graduate:
Army Recruiter Course:
- Sgt. 1st Class Antoni Alatorre
- Staff Sgt. Daniel Bautista
- Staff Sgt. Gerald Elston
- Staff Sgt. Richard Harvey
Recruiting Station Commander Course:
- Sgt. 1st Class Roman Marfil
They also named five distinguished leadership awardees, which is voted upon by the class and bestowed to the Soldier who displays leadership in the classroom.
The following Soldiers earned the distinguished leadership award:
Army Recruiter Course:
- Sgt. Nicholas Anderson
- Staff Sgt. Destinee Ellison
- Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Franklin
- Staff Sgt. Christian Herrera
Recruiting Station Commander Course:
“I challenge our new recruiters to take their confidence, enthusiasm, and passion to interact with their communities, tell their Army story, and find our future Soldiers,” Col. Rick Frank, RRC Commandant, said. “They will find this profession incredibly rewarding and contagious as they help people’s change their lives, meet their goals, and become part of the Army Team.”