Photo By Staff Sgt. Quintin Gee | Sergeant 1st Class Kimberly Horton, offers advices to a soldier on their career in her...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas — The U.S. Army has several opportunities for one to touch and enrich the lives of many young soldiers, and for sergeant 1st class Kimberly Horton, a career counselor for DIVARTY Headquarters Headquarters Battalion (HHBN), receives the opportunity to do just that on a daily basis.
“Being a career counselor is so much more than numbers on a spreadsheet,” said sergeant 1st class Kimberly Horton, the sole 79S or career counselor in her battalion. “Being a career counselor is truly embedding yourself into the development, mentorship, and overall well being of every soldier in your formation.”
Coming from a military family with two active-duty parents, a sister retiring in March of this year, and a newly enlisted son, makes everyone in uniform an extension of her family.
“As a mother to a soldier currently in advanced individual training (AIT), the way I counsel soldiers has become more personal,” Horton said. “I see a little bit of my son in every soldier that I talk to, I treat every soldier like I would want someone to treat my son.”
Having that positive family-like voice in a soldier's life can change the way they view the U.S. Army, said Horton.
“Soldiers may feel like they don’t have a voice in their military career and we are here to help them navigate through some of those tough career choices,” said Horton.
According to todaysarmy.com, career counseling and retention specialists provide military personnel with consultation and guidance on career exploration by reviewing their interests, education, strengths, and abilities. They support the development and implementation of career information programs and they are responsible for collecting and analyzing retention and attrition data. Career counselors provide service members with guidance and motivation in maximizing their career potential, and they provide counseling to transitioning or retiring personnel.
Even though the workload can be challenging to manage at times, Horton said she finds beauty in her work and the relationships she builds with the next generation of the Army’s soldiers.
“Being a career counselor is the most rewarding job in the army. You truly get to know each soldier as an individual and see their growth during their time in the organization,” Horton said. “Whether a soldier decides to continue their service in the active-duty army, or transition to the civilian sector, we are here to act as the honest broker for the soldier and ensure that they are afforded every retention opportunity available to them.”
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2023 17:09 |
| Story ID: | 439675 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Taking care of soldiers, one career at a time, by SPC Marquis McCants, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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