The Minuteman The Monthly Recruiting Newsletter of the Texas Army National Guard
September 2015 Texas Association of Broadcasters Honors TXARNG at Annual Conference. New Smartphone App! New Recruiting Platform! New TXARNG Website!
Texas High School Football Season Has Officially Begun! Time To Get On The Field! Recruiting And Retention Welcomes Its Newest Graduates From Recruiter Basic Training.
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“Lead from the front.” - Audie Murphy
Photo by Lucia Briones
Keeping Up With The Times When it comes to the newest and hottest trends in the tech industry, trying to keep your leads and Soldier’s attention, while maintaining security, can be a pretty daunting task. Starting September 1st, Recruiting and Retention will receive a few changes, as well as additions, to its social media platforms. These new sites and applications will not only efficiently engage potential leads, but provide better online assistance to currently enlisted Soldiers and to their families. New Website: In order to better maintain security against hackers, the TXARNG website will now be hosted by the Texas Military Forces Public Affairs Office. The new URL is www.txmf.us/army-guard, however, www.txarng.com will automatically redirect to the new site. TXARNG Debuts on Instagram: With more than 30,000 combined followers on Facebook and Twitter, its time to take it to the next level. At just 80 posts to begin with, @TXARNG is already beating 30 other National Guard accounts! If you would like to have your photo posted to the new Instagram account, please submit your recruiting event photos to S5 Marketing. BFAC Texas Guard App: Soldiers and potential leads will now have the ability to easily get in contact with their local recruiter. The new app, available on Apple and Android, can provide basic contact information, photo galleries, current benefits, and even a quick-five question “Learn More” survey which will go directly to their department’s NCOIC. When utilized correctly, this can be a prime feature for RRNCOs when covering onsite events.
TXARNG and TAB Celebrate Five Years of Strong Partnership On August 6th, the Texas Association of Broadcasters held its annual conference at the Rennaissance Hotel in Austin, Texas. In keeping with tradition, the Texas Army National Guard was in attendence and opened the award ceremony with the Color Guard and guest speaker. This year’s special guest speaker was 71st Troop Command Commander, BG Sean Ryan.
From the Commander By MAJ August T. Murray, Ph.d Commander, USA Recruiting and Retention BN
“Importance of Individual Readiness” September is an important month for many reasons, Including the end of our mission and the preparation for the new mission year. In addition, I have asked leaders to place special emphasis in September on Mandatory Training Tasks, NCOES SSD, and on MedicalDental Readiness. Please take advantage of the last two weeks in September to complete your SSD, become fully medical ready and knock out training tasks. I ask that all Soldiers in this command maximize their mission days in October by scheduling elective leaves or schools before or after October; as this is the most important month of the mission year.
Photo by Lucia Briones
Each year Texas Army National Guard takes part in TAB’s Non-Commercial Sustaining Announcement Program. This generous program is designed to donate airtime to the campaigns of non-profit and government agencies. By multiplying an agency’s budget of 3:1, TAB’s NCSA program provides statewide coverage of important messages that might otherwise go unseen or unheard.
In addition, plan for and take advantage of block leave later this year during Thanksgiving and the Christmas and New Year holidayweeks. I am grateful to serve with you and grateful for your efforts. Let’s finish September strong, and make ready for the new FY! Texas Strong! Texas Proud!
Congratulations to the following Recruiters for receiving badge upgrades in August:
SFC Thomas Gardner SFC Eric McLeod
Photo Courtesy of TM 9
SFC Ashley Jeanes
www.txarng.com www.facebook.com/texasarmynationalguard www.twitter.com/texasguard www.flickr.com/photos/txarng_recruiting www.instagram.com/txarng
New School Year, New Possibilities! Texas A&M University’s Corps of Cadets welcomed 898 new freshmen this year. On August 26th, MAJ Murrary and RGN III/TM 9’s, SSG Smith, addressed nearly 200 new cadets about the opportunites of joining the Texas Army National Guard.
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Around Texas A quick look of events that happened around the state last month
Photo Courtesy of SSG Diane Wagoner
Photo Courtesy of 1-143rd Infantry Regiment
Texas HS football season has begun and with it comes many opporunities to interact with fellow students, parents and coaches. Just ask SSG Wagoner, who was spotted at the Cedar Creek Eagles game on August 29th. “I think it’s so important to get embedded into your local community, whether it be a football game, the lunch room, or lunch at a local joint. Building a rapport with the community will help me bring in our next generation of Citizen Soldiers.”
Congratulations to the 1st Battalion (Airborne) 143rd Infantry Regiment Paratroopers And Special Olympics (El Paso) for winning First Place in the Fire Truck Pull event, held at the Special Olympics Texas - Central Texas Area! The team beat out 17 other teams in the Non-EMS division by pulling a fire truck with the fastest time, weighing more than 55,000 pounds. Fantastic job to everyone who competed on August 30th! Rec. & Ret. BN Commander, MAJ Murray and RGN I Commander, MAJ Crady, journeyed to El Paso and met with all members at both armories.
Photo Courtesy of TM 3
Left: TM 3 Warriors at Live Fire demonstation. Right: LTC Mike Torres addressing the 3-133 FA BN. through military and non-military supply sources to meet unit readiness and operational requirements.
O
n August 15th, the Warrant Officer Section participated in the Federal Recognition Board by sending two enlisted members seeking appointments to become warrant officers. In order for a warrant officer to be concurrently appointed as a Reserve Warrant Officer of the Army, the State action must be federally recognized. Federal recognition is the process which ensures that officers appointed by the States meet the qualifications required for service in the Federal Armed Forces. Attending candidates include WOC Ramone Martinez and WOC Chelsea Ruiz. WOC Martinez is seeking to become a qualified 920A Property Accounting Technician. He will be responsible for locating and acquires standard and nonstandard equipment and supplies www.nationalguard.com
Candidate Ruiz will be filling a vacancy in the 72nd IBCT as a Network Management Technician (255N). She will be responsible for management and supervision of local and wide area networks. In addition, she will play a vital role in the planning, installation, administering, integration, operation, and servicing of network systems.
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And Abroad
R&R / BSM POCs Commander MAJ August T. Murray (512) 782-1383
SSG Lauer, who is currently deployed out to Egypt at Camp Sinai on a peace keeping mission, is still working the three tenants of recruiting and retention. He recently reenlisted 26 soldiers who are also deployed on the same mission. SSG Lauer has been apart of Recruiting Command since 2006, serving different roles such as a RRNCO and RSP NCO for Region III’s Team 9. Suffice it to say, SSG Lauer looks forward in returning to Texas from his third deployment later this year.
Recruiting & Retention Command Trains 27 New Unit Retention NCOs!
Executive Officer MAJ Jim Carney (512) 782-5404 Command Sergeant Major CSM Kristopher Dyer (512) 782-5163
BSM SGM SGM Richard Grantham (512) 782-5444 Strength Manager Assistant MSG Eric Miles 512-422-6958 72nd IBCT SSG Jimmy Smith (936) 205-2258 56th IBCT SFC Francisco Torres (512) 537-4841 36th CAB SFC John Homan john.a.homan4.mil@mail.mil
Photo by SSG Chris Gojanovich
Instructors SSG Gojanovich and SFC Moore instructed and certified twenty-seven Soldiers to be Retention NCOs throughout the Texas Army National Guard. Retention course is two long days with hands-on training using necessary programs to ensure Soldiers are being properly trained to extend Texas National Guard Soldiers. Within every battalion, unit commanders selected their most qualified, motivated Soldiers for this position.
Congratulations, RBT Graduates!
71st BFSB SSG Bryan Calhoun (210) 787-9127 176 th EN SFC Craig McCarty (512) 565-8849 DOMOPS (JTF-71/136 MEB) SFC James Banks (512) 517-6742 36th SUS SFC Chaz Patterson (254) 424-1039 TRP CMD / JFHQ / R&R / 36ID SFC Carl Moore (512) 964-1361
Photo by Steve Johnson
TXARNG R&R welcomed 11 new Recruiters (Class 15-004) to the field on August 28th. The 11 Soldiers spent two-weeks at Camp Mabry during Recruiter Basic Training.
www.nationalguard.com
RCT / IST SFC Veronica Torres (512) 782-1471 OSM SFC George Lloyd (512) 782-5491