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Lt. Col. Steve Ingram, commander of the Alabama Army National Guard (ALARNG) 22nd Recruiting and Retention Battalion (RRB), believes fiscal year 2024 could be another record-breaking year for ALARNG recruiting efforts. One year.
Ingram attributes much of the success to a consistent effort to hire quality recruiters.
“We look for the best and brightest in the organization,” he said, “and they get better and better every year. Our community has highly qualified recruiters with very capable and dedicated leadership who Maximizing the resources provided has contributed greatly to their success.”
This approach paid big dividends in fiscal year 2023, when the organization added 1,172 new enlisted personnel, the most since 2010 and nearly 300 more than the previous year, in all 54 states Ranked among the top five in the region.
Ingram said he expects continued success in fiscal 2024, with more than 100 more enlisted personnel now enrolled than at the same time last year.
Key to success is the 22nd RRB employing eight recruiting teams around the clock. Each team is responsible for a different county. Team 6 in the Auburn and Opelika areas are the elite teams for fiscal year 2023; Team 3 in Jefferson and Shelby counties are currently experiencing the most success this year.
Sergeant Major. Daniel Ray Caldwell, Group 3’s chief of recruitment and retention, said success is not just about marketing the Guard to potential recruits, but also about building community. Each recruiter on Team 3 serves approximately 3,000 people.
“I want my recruiters to be able to think outside the box; it’s not just about setting up a table at the high school and talking to students,” Caldwell said. “We need to talk to staff, teachers, parents and build community relationships. It’s a long process, but persistence will pay off.”
“We often receive calls from community leaders asking to attend events, and while events may not do us much good as recruiters, it’s important to continue building community connections as Guard members.”
A recruiter for Team 3, Sgt. Dieynabou Diallo said her success comes from viewing potential new hires as future teammates and future leaders.
“I take this responsibility very seriously,” Diallo said, “and our entire team takes it very seriously.” [Recruits] Might be young, but these are very mature decisions that will impact their lives. I give them all the information I can and offer support, but I don’t pressure them because ultimately it’s up to them. “
Ingram said Alabama has had success with the broader military recruiting, but 22nd RRB recruiters still face the same challenges and struggles common across the country. Finding interested young citizens who meet strict medical requirements, Army height and weight standards, and can pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Test (ASVAB) test is no easy task.
“We do encounter a lot of kids who are overweight and have lower test scores, but an important part of my job is advising them on how to succeed in the future,” Diallo said.
“The bottom line is, only one percent of the population serves in the military, and the one percent that walks through our doors are those who are motivated, want to serve and are willing to jump through those barriers.”
Frankee Fuenes Rutihea, a 20-year-old Alabama Army National Guard recruit, is among the 1 percent. He said his motivation for joining was to better care for his family and take advantage of the learning and educational opportunities the National Guard provides.
“This is a new experience for me and I am nervous about leaving my family to train,” Ruticia said. “But I still stay motivated because I know they’re proud and once I get back from training I can continue to serve and stay close to home.”
These stories are everywhere in Alabama, where recruiters with the 22nd Recruiting and Retention Battalion continue to bridge the gap between citizens and soldiers.
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