Celebrate Freedom, SOaR brings STEM asset to Southern Alamance High

Story and photo
by Ron Toland

Raleigh Recruiting Battalion

     Students at Southern Alamance High School in Graham, N.C. were treated to having an AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter visit their school, Sept 23, supporting the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), education process.

     With the Celebrate Freedom Foundation, the students were able to get up-close with the chopper through a program called Project SOaR – student/school opportunities and rewards.

     The Celebrate Freedom Foundation tours southeastern state high schools, generating interest in STEM subjects and educating students on the importance of them and how they connect the classroom to real-world global jobs and careers.

     And students at the school loved it.

     “It is really cool to see and have the hands-on experience with real-world technology and how it ties in with other skills and experiences,” said Kiara Vanhook, a senior at the school who is enlisting in the military after graduation as a military police or animal care specialist.

     SOaR connects the dots for the students and shows the importance of education and staying in school.

     “It really shows how jobs, STEM and technology are tied together. It helps a lot,” said Vanhook.

     “It is a real attention getter and brings the real-world to the students,” said career development coordinator, Pam Smith.

     “Careers in STEM hits all topics in different careers,” she said. “And it demonstrates the importance of possessing the knowledge and skills needed to succeed.”

     The benefits of the asset are a real magnet for recruiting.

     “With this asset we allow students to hear options about the Army and careers that we offer,” said Staff Sgt. Chad Owen, from the Burlington Recruiting Station.

     “The men and women gave insight on how many different jobs are needed to make the helicopter run.  It also gave insight in the benefits that service members receive while serving in the Army.”

     Owens also said that the tie-in to education and careers is important.

     “This gives students knowledge how they can get a career started and have their education paid for them,” he said.

Greenville, N.C. Recruiting Center meets recruiting targets

Photo and Story by

Shahron James

Public Affairs Officer

Raleigh Recruiting Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class Meola, Center Leader for Greenville Recruiting Center

The Greenville Recruiting Center has met their targets for fiscal year 2015. As part of the Raleigh Recruiting Battalion, the Greenville Recruiting Center has performed as one of the better recruiting organizations.   

They are rank #7 within recruiting stations in North Carolina trending for #5 rank.

Currently they have enlisted 98 Regular Army (RA) and 10 Reserve (R) personnel.

Today Center Leader Sgt. 1^st Class Meola sat down with the local paper, the Daily Reflector reporter Abbie Bennett, to discuss their success. 

“I will say that many of the recruits today are joining the Army for job opportunities and educational benefits,” said Sgt. 1^st Class Meola.   

Even though the Greenville Company has met their targets, they are still enlisting recruits from the greater Greenville Area. According to Sgt. 1^st Class Meola their goal is not to drain or take from the community, but to build solid citizens.

“Even though many people are joining the Army for benefits, many of them are coming back to improve the community,” he said.

Sgt. 1^st Class Meola stressed the fact that they are looking for qualified individuals, making note of some of the disqualifiers for military service.

“We need people that are medically and morally qualified and are able to pass the ASVAB. Failing the ASVAB is perhaps the greatest deterrent to recruiting in our area,” he said.

Despite having disqualified candidates, the center has met the goal and state that since September 11, 2001 they have enlisted over 1500 recruits in the U.S. Army.

“I am not sure many of today’s recruits are joining for the same reasons they did back then. You have to consider that some of the freshmen in high school weren’t even born when 9/11 happened,” said the Center Leader.

“I joined the military 13 days before 9/11 and was looking for a way to pay for college. Many of today’s recruits are doing the same thing,” he said.

Those that are joining the Army today are considered to be the top 1% of the population that are qualified for military service in the Regular Army or Reserves.  

The focus of the Army is to build a force for 2020 and beyond. That means that there are benefits to serving that may not be available in other branches of service. 

The U.S. Army is still the only branch in which recruits are allowed to select their job and plan their future before shipping out to Basic Training. This is part of the tools that have allowed companies like Greenville Center to meet their goals.

Furthermore, Sgt. 1^st Class Meola says that the recruiters are heavily involved in the high schools.

“We are in the high schools 4 to 5 times a week and we get involved in the community with such things as high school football games,” he said. 

The Greenville Company will be sponsoring the Friday Night Football at North Pitt High School this Friday and possibly having Future Soldiers “swear in” their enlistment.

People in the Greenville area are encouraged come out a join in the festivities.   

Fayetteville Company exceeds recruiting goals

Drew Brooks of the Fayetteville Observer with Recruiting Command Leadership

Story and Photo by

Shahron James

Public Affairs Specialist

Raleigh Recruiting Battalion

Despite reports of the U.S. Army failing to meet mission requirements, the Fayetteville Recruiting Company, nicknamed Dawgpound Recruiting, has exceeded their recruiting goals for fiscal year 2015.

Fayetteville Observer reporter, Drew Brooks, sat down with Raleigh Recruiting Battalion leadership Lt. Col. Hudson and Command Sgt. Maj. Cheatum to include Fayetteville Company leadership, Cpt. Baskin and acting 1^st Sergeant, Sgt. 1^st Class Spiesman.

“The Fayetteville Company met their regular Army mission last week. It is an amazing task. Their average on enlistments per recruiter is like no other,” said Lt. Col. Hudson

Fayetteville Company is one of the top recruiting organizations in all of the United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC), to include the United States Army Recruiting Europe (USAREUR).

Even so, recruiting in Fayetteville, N.C. is not without its challenges according to Cpt. Baskin.  She spoke of the changes in policy and that, unfortunately, people are turned away.  

“Three out of ten are qualified. Standards are high and they should be. We are building a smarter and stronger Army. Primarily, we are looking for the math and science students to fill the Army’s technology jobs,” she said.

Command Sgt. Maj. Cheatum added, “Recruiting this nation’s sons and daughters is not an easy task, everything is technological. So we have to be 100% professional and make sure we are providing a service as the Army’s ambassadors.”

Almost everyone in the room had some type of personal story as to how the Army has positively affected their lives or the lives of their children.

“We are not taking people from the community. That is not our goal. We are training soldiers to be productive people in the community.  This is true even in my own family. I have put a target on my son for the recruiters here in Fayetteville, “said Lt. Col. Hudson.

 “My son entered into the Army 10 years ago and has definitely become a more mature and productive citizen,” said Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Cheatum.

“Recruiters are critical to that process and in letting enlistees know the truth,” he said.

Lt. Col. Hudson added, “No one remembers their first commander or their 1^st Sgt., but everyone remembers their recruiting experience and most likely their recruiter.” 

“You know the bottom line is we love what we do. It really is one of the greatest jobs in the Army. It is a blessing,” he said.