Arent earns Career Counselor of the Year award

Photo By Clemens Gaines | Wearing his just-awarded Army Commendation Medal, Staff Sgt. Joseph Arent holds his bronze eagle and is joined by Command Sgt. Maj. Henney Hodgkins and Col. Pat Nikkia, deputy commanding officer, 20th CBRNE Command  

UNITED STATES

11.22.2019

Story by Clemens Gaines 

20th CBRNE Command

Staff Sgt. Joseph Arent competed and won the Career Counselor of the Year award for the 20th CBRNE Command on Nov. 20.

“This is a humbling experience,” said Arent, from San Pablo, California, after he was selected over two other career counselors in the command. Arent, from the 242nd Ordnance Battalion (EOD), 71st Ordnance Group (EOD), is stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. The other competitors were Staff Sgt. Kevin Robinson from the 48th Chemical Brigade at Fort Hood, Texas, and Staff Sgt. Robert Marbury from the 79th Ordnance Battalion (EOD), 71st Ordnance Group (EOD), also at Fort Hood.

The three-day competition included significant physical as well as mental challenges where each competitor was graded according to Army standards. This included taking the Army Physical Fitness Test, height and weight measurements, a 50-question multiple choice exam, and writing a 750-word essay on Army reclassification options. “I really had to stay focused on the test,” Arent said.

In addition, each noncommissioned officer was examined by a board of senior NCOs led by Command Sgt. Maj. Henney M. Hodgkins from the 20th CBRNE Command. "This is a tough competition," said Hodgkins. "It is vital that our career counselors are top notch in their knowledge and presentation of options to qualify Soldiers."

The other board members included three sergeants major and a master sergeant. With elements of a job interview, each Soldier reported into the board, demonstrated several facing movements, had their ribbons carefully examined (including measurements of the proper distance between ribbon rows), discussed their scores on the tests, had to explain why they may not have met a standard, and recited the Career Counselors Creed. “I listened to the creed from my phone on my way to work at Fort Carson,” said Arent, “to help me memorize it correctly.”

Before becoming a career counselor, Arent, who entered the Army in 2010, served as a cavalry scout providing support to both infantry and mechanized units.

For his selection, Arent earned the Army Commendation Medal. In addition, he will now represent the 20th at the U.S. Army Forces Command competition in early December.

“This was a good experience for me, and it was nerve racking,” said Arent, “but on the good side of nerve racking.”

• Date Taken: 11.22.2019
• Date Posted: 11.25.2019 14:55
• Story ID: 353106
• Location: US