The pandemic has virtually changed the Army’s way of recruiting since April 2020.
“It’s been pretty challenging,” Sgt. 1st Class Drew Lee, station commander for the Birmingham Medical Recruiting Station under the Atlanta Medical Recruiting Company, 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion, said. “Because normally we’re able to get out and interact with the community and talk to the students on campuses and visit the schools and faculty (in the schools), and hospitals as well. But due to COVID, all of that ceased.
“After that it kind of gave us a chance to sharpen our skills more with social media and virtual. And in a sense it’s kind of been a plus for us as well because some of those hard to reach people – doctors and things like that – they don’t have as much time during the day. So we actually reach them through Skype or Zoom, virtually. So they can give us five minutes on Skype before they have to go back into surgery or continue their busy schedule.”
Lee was among the 42 Soldiers who visited Huntsville last week for the third quarter Station Commander Quarterly Leadership Development Training. The 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion, based at Redstone, seeks medical professionals to join the Army and it recruits the Southeast portion of the United States, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The battalion has 140 officers, Soldiers and civilians. Of the 25 members at Redstone, 10 are Soldiers. The battalion’s three recruiting companies include Nashville, Atlanta and Orlando. It has 17 stations total, including 16 medical recruiting stations and the chaplain recruiting station which is in Morrow, Georgia.
Their week culminated Friday with a change of command ceremony at Heiser Hall. Lt Col, Brad Tibbetts succeeded Lt. Col. Andi Tallman as commander of the 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion.
“We’re looking for quality medical professionals who genuinely want to serve our country and genuinely want to serve our Soldiers,” Lee said. These include nurses, doctors, dentists, physical therapists, psychiatrists and psychologists.
Lee, in the Army 17 years, arrived at the Birmingham station in October. As station commander he is among six Soldiers including Capt. Ernest Ashford, Staff Sgt. Joshua Roland, Staff Sgt. Vontrella Jeffries, Staff Sgt. Michael Porter and Sgt. David Shumaker. Their goal for fiscal 2021 is to recruit eight active duty Soldiers and four Army Reserve.
“We have a plan in place for the rest of the fiscal year to send three applicants per month to the selection board to attain the rest of the FY’s mission,” Lee said.
Army National Hiring Days began May 10 and continue until June 14. This is the second year for the nationwide virtual career fair where people can talk one-on-one with an Army recruiter and learn about the variety of job opportunities and signing bonuses available. “It puts the Army in a bigger light. We’re always open,” Lee said.
Lee, 36, from Marion, joined the Army in March 2004 when he dropped out of Alabama State University after two semesters. “Coming fresh out of high school I realized I wasn’t mature enough for college,” he said. “I had two (older) sisters that were currently serving. So I knew I needed to do something. I couldn’t stay at home. So it was the Army.”
After three years in uniform, he decided to start college again. The recruiter is five classes shy of a bachelor’s in business from Post University in Connecticut. He expects to complete the online curriculum within the next year and a half. Lee served in Kuwait from September 2007 to November 2008.
He resides in Marion with his wife of 11 years, Lucy, and their daughter, Anayah, 11, and son, LJ, 8. The couple met when they were Soldiers at Fort Eustis, Virginia, in 2007. Lee said he hopes to attain the rank of master sergeant and hopefully has the opportunity to run a company.
“It’s been great,” he said of his Army career. “There has been good and bad but there’s no organization out there that is perfect. Everything that I’ve needed to support my family, the Army has been there and allowed me to do that seamlessly. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would still choose the Army. There’s no other organization that gives you the skills, assets and leadership capabilities that the Army does.”
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2021 11:38 |
| Story ID: | 397270 |
| Location: | HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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