SURPRISE, Ariz. – After eight years in the U.S. Army, everything appeared to be on track for Staff Sgt. Steven Hutchins.
His career had seen him advance through the ranks as an infantryman, taking in assignments in Alaska, Washington and a deployment to Afghanistan, all of them broadening his outlook on life and what the Army had to offer.
Then in early 2017, Hutchins and his wife Shantel were told their son Brody, then 3, was suffering from an illness called Chiari Malformation, a condition where the brain is abnormally small, causing brain tissue to extend into the spine.
With this traumatic news, Hutchins and his family were compassionately reassigned to the Phoenix Recruiting Battalion, Hutchins returning to his home state of Arizona, here he’d left almost a decade ago to serve his nation.
“I was born and raised in in a town called Snowflake. I lived a pretty quiet life with plenty of outside activities … my siblings and I spent our time riding horses or hiking a canyon by our house,” Hutchins reminisced. “My grandfather was a big influence on my life, as I didn’t know my biological father. One thing we always did was go fishing together. So that is something I fell in love with.”
Hutchins attended Snowflake High school and graduated in 2008, before briefly attending Glendale Community College for 3 semesters.
That’s when the military came calling.
“In my family lineage we have Soldiers dating back all the way to the Civil War. I developed an interest in it because I wanted to help people and make a difference – I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines and watch,” Hutchins said. “Also 9/11 had a huge impact on my youth. I saw what this country and her people could do when they came together and it really left a mark on me to be a part of something to help protect people.”
Hutchins juggled the various military branches as options, before deciding on the Army, enlisting in 2009 at the age of 19.
“Once I made the decision to enlist, I went to every branch and talked with all of the different recruiters and listened to what they had to say. I chose the Army because it was the right fit,” he explained. “I loved the idea of being able to pick my job. My recruiter was very informative and helpful. I lived here in Surprise and was recruited out of the Glendale office.”
Hutchins chose the military occupational specialty of infantryman, something that didn’t sit well with his immediate family.
“To me this was what being in the Army was all about. I loved the idea of being out in the field, shooting guns, blowing stuff up and challenging myself to the max,” Hutchins said. “My family didn’t like that I chose this job, but I had to do it for myself. I knew they would support me even though they were upset, but this is what I wanted to do.”
The subsequent years took Hutchins to various locations, where he plied his craft with a series of experiences that he said were both challenging and exciting.
“I lived in Alaska at Fort Wainwright for three years and enjoyed the outdoor experience there ... not many people get to say that they have lived there,” he said. “I also was able to deploy to Afghanistan and spend one year there. It was very unique in how their culture is so different from ours. It was a very humbling experience.”
Hutchins and his family, now including daughter Mia, were stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, when Brody was diagnosed with his potentially life-threatening condition, causing Hutchins to file for a compassionate reassignment in Feb. 2017.
“I was assigned to Phoenix West Recruiting Company, assisting the stations with anything they needed help with, school events, equipment and community events,” Hutchins said. “I volunteered to become a recruiter so that my family and I could remain local and my son could stay with the same doctors at Phoenix Children’s Hospital due to his health.”
With Brody requiring surgeries for his condition, it was imperative Hutchins be at his side, every step of the way.
“The amazing leaders here at the Phoenix battalion made sure I was able to take care of my son and go to every appointment with and for him. He has had several brain surgeries and was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation at a very young age,” he said. “Brody is a fighter and myself or my family cannot thank the leaders of this organization enough for the opportunity to stay here for his health.”
Hutchins officially became a recruiter in March, 2018, and has since become an integral part of the Surprise Recruiting Station.
“I was placed on a team with veteran recruiters who really showed me the ropes and helped me with the transition,” Hutchins added. “Recruiting to this point has been one of the most profound experiences of my Army career. Being able to see young men and women choose to join and help them through the process has been so rewarding for me.”
Although navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic has been a struggle, Hutchins said he and his team have adapted as necessary, their ongoing goal to attract the finest Future Soldiers undiminished.
“I want to make sure that those around me are successful. To me that is going to be my ultimate success – continuing to leave a positive mark on Soldiers and people,” he explained. “That’s why we’re here, to build and continue our legacy as the world’s greatest Army. My development and success is a result of leaders and Soldiers helping me get to where I am now.”
With his family’s well-being and Brody’s health being of utmost importance, Hutchins said he is grateful for the life the Army has provided him and urged anyone considering enlisting, to make the leap.
“If you are on the fence about joining – do it – don’t sit back and wait. Life will pass you by before you know it,” Hutchins said. “It won’t be easy, but you will earn everything you work for. It will be satisfying after each goal is accomplished, I promise you.”
| Date Taken: | 09.15.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2020 07:49 |
| Story ID: | 379247 |
| Location: | SURPRISE, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Recruiter overcomes family adversity to pursue career goals, by MAJ Alun Thomas, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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