USAREC CG visits Raleigh Recruiting Battalion

Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Snow (left), Commanding General, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, talks with leaders and NCOs at the Raleigh Recruiting Command Headquarters, Feb. 3.

Story and photo by

Ronald. H. Toland Jr.

     Maj. Gen. Jeffrey J. Snow, Commanding General, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, visited the Raleigh Recruiting Battalion Headquarters and surrounding footprint, February 2nd and 3rd.

     During his visit, he met with the command team, and Soldiers and staff heads, discussing recruiting operations and gauging the battalion's overall Army strategic recruiting mission, recruiters as role models, the battalion's "Operation Enduring Hope," and his expectations for recruiting goals and recruiters.

     Snow's ideal concept is for recruiters to not be salespersons, rather community investors.

"'Today's recruiters face a seemingly daunting task,'" Snow said in an interview Tuesday with the Fayetteville Observer. "'Only about three in 10 American youth are eligible to join the Army. The rest are disqualified by academics, physical abilities or moral reasons, such as criminal records.'"

     And the Raleigh Battalion Commander underlined that sentiment saying,  "We offer the Army trans-formative experience," said Lt. Col. Ted Hudson.

     During his brief visit, Maj. Gen. Snow also visited recruiting centers in Hope Mills and Lumberton, N.C.

Amy reservist plans to be an officer

Story and photo
by Ron Toland
Raleigh Recruiting Battalion

     Austin Kasper, 17, from Leland (Wilmington), N.C. enlisted in the Army Reserves, Jan 27th, as a Combat Engineer, but plans to be a career officer.
     "I plan to be a full-time student, majoring in business, using my G.I. Bill," he said.
     "Once I get my bachelors, I will apply for OCS and then be a career officer," he said.
     Kasper will serve on a six-year contract.
     "I'm excited; it is the right thing to do--serving my country, protecting the things and people I love," he said.
     Kasper ships to Basic Training, in Aug., after graduating from high school.