NTAG Carolina’s Commanding Officer Shines Light on the Navy’s Warrior Challenge Programs

Photo By Erin Newton | CDR John B. Horn, Commanding Officer of Navy Talent Acquistion Group, performs a 500-yard swim during a Physical Screening Test.  

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES

03.23.2022

Story by Erin Newton 

Commander, Navy Recruiting Command

RALEIGH, NC. - Joining the Navy Warrior Challenge Program is only for the toughest individuals with the strongest mindset and highest determination. With that, the process to join the program is the most rigorous for good reasons.

Cmdr. John B. Horn, commanding officer, Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Carolina, a native of Alexandria, Virginia, is a Naval Pilot by trade, but that didn’t stop him from completing the Navy Warrior Physical Screening Test (PST) alongside candidates and applicants trying to qualify for Navy Special Warfare (NSW/ Naval Special Operations (NSO) programs at (Smithfield Recreation and Aquatics Center) March 23, 2022.

The day started before sunrise at the pool with a 500-yard swim. The swim was followed by push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and a 1.5-mile run.

Cmdr. Horn’s results were some to be proud of, qualifying him for the Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman, Navy Diver, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, and Aviation Rescue Swimmer programs.

Cmdr. Horn’s scores: 8:38 minute swim, 74 sit-ups, 56 push-ups, 7 pull-ups, and a 10:50 minute run.

“My goal was to get out there and show support to our Warrior Challenge Talent Scouts and to provide encouragement to candidates and applicants in the process that may be struggling," said Horn. "I was proud that I qualified for many of the programs, but more importantly, it gave me a great appreciation for what our NSW/NSO Talent Scouts do and what our special warfare applicants must do to qualify for the program,”.

For Warrior Challenge Program candidates, passing the PST is only the beginning. To ensure that they stay physically fit and motivated for bootcamp, candidates must requalify every 30 days or they chance losing their contracts. After completing bootcamp, candidates then go through more training that pushes them to unthinkable limits. “Though these candidates face many challenges, it’s a community where each of them pushes each other to do and be the best” said Chief Petty Officer Joseph Bryant, an NSW/NSO Talent Scout from NTAG Carolina.

Bryant went on to say, “Recruiting NSW/ NSO candidates is like finding a needle in a haystack,”. It’s not unknown that these jobs are dangerous and physically and mentally demanding. So, finding individuals that are ready to take that on is difficult and there are many obstacles we and the applicants face along the way. Once a candidate has a Special Warfare contract it’s important for them to stay motivated and to have realistic goals and plans that they can follow.

“As a Talent Scout for the NSW/NSO community, we pride ourselves in having the candidates come together two times a week to exercise. This holds them accountable to ensure they are ready for what lies ahead of them. We as Talent Scouts sacrifice a lot of our time to travel and take part in these exercises as well, not because it’s our job and duty to do so, but because we want to see these candidates succeed, it’s important to them and it’s important to us,” said Bryant.

Our NSW/NSO Talent Scouts have a high responsibility and we thank them for all of their hard work and sacrifices.

Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, three Navy Recruiting Regions and 26 Navy Talent Acquisition Groups that serve more than 1,000 recruiting stations across the world. Their combined goal is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.

For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, go to http://www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NavyRecruiting), Twitter (@USNRecruiter) and Instagram

• Date Taken: 03.23.2022
• Date Posted: 04.07.2022 14:47
• Story ID: 418055
• Location: RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, US