Albany Recruiting Battalion hosts Recruiting Reserve Partnership Council

Photo By Ronald A. Reeves | United States Recruiting Command Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Troy D. Kok holds his coin prior to honoring Albany Recruiting Battalion Soldiers for their efforts in making the battalion's Recruiting Reserve Partnership Council a success. The event was held Oct. 16 at Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass. Lt. Col. Christopher Ingels said that the goals of the event were to foster relationships, fill vacancies and boost the battalion referral program.  

WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, MA, UNITED STATES

10.16.2015

Story by Ronald A. Reeves 

U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion-Albany

WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. - Albany Recruiting Battalion's Recruiting Reserve Partnership Council brought Army Recruiters and Army Reserve commanders together at Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts, Oct. 16.

Albany Recruiting Battalion serves 84 U.S. Army Reserve Units with 623 vacancies in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, as well as recruiting centers in Europe. Lt. Col. Christopher Ingels, battalion commander said the council’s goals were to foster relationships, fill vacancies and boost the battalion referral program.

United States Army Recruiting Command Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Troy D. Kok highlighted “One Team, One Fight.” Kok is an Army Reserve Soldier serving as an individual mobilization augmentee on active status.

Kok stressed the need for serving the customer’s needs, meaning that recruiters should be communicating with Army Reserve Units. He pointed to Lt. Col. Ingels and said that Army Reserve Commanders should feel free to contact the Albany Recruiting battalion commander or Command Sgt. Maj. Darrick Hazely if any commander feels the need.

“USAREC is a business. It is the only entity that puts people in the Army and Army Reserve,” the general said.

He talked about specifics that pertain to recruiting and enlisting motivated, qualified men and women for the Army Reserve, including those with prior service. Kok encouraged recruiters to visit unit battle assemblies to foster “great relationships with recruiters.”

John des Groseilliers is an Army Reserve Ambassador from Vermont who attended Recruiting Reserve Partnership Council at Westover.

The Army Reserve Ambassador Program is an initiative of the commander of The Army Reserve and was established in 1998.

Ambassador des Groseilliers said that invitations were important to the awareness of the Army Reserve. He said that he has worked with recruiters to get them into various job and career fairs, including the Vermont Business Expo.

Sgt. 1st Class Donna Vance from Albany Recruiting Battalion’s New Haven, Connecticut recruiting center and Glen Colby from The University of Connecticut encouraged commanders and recruiters to work closely with college ROTC programs.

Recruiters were reminded of the Simultaneous Membership Program for ROTC candidates, which puts extra money into the hands of students and allows them to serve with Army Reserve units for pay, in addition to their ROTC Scholarships.

Also, the battalion referral program, managed by Sgt. 1st Class Eljay Blount, reserve operations noncommissioned officer in charge at Albany Recruiting Battalion, offers incentive programs to Army Reserve Soldiers.

Five qualified leads submitted to Albany Recruiting Battalion by an Army Reserve Soldier earns a certificate of achievement signed by Lt. Col. Ingels, worth five valuable promotion points. The second incentive is the same certificate worth five points. A battalion coin and recognition from that Soldier’s Reserve Unit.

The next Albany Recruiting Battalion Recruiting Reserve Partnership Council is scheduled for early March and is slated to be a two-day event at West Point, New York.

• Date Taken: 10.16.2015
• Date Posted: 10.20.2015 15:23
• Story ID: 179420
• Location: WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, MA, US