JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
It’s no secret that the U.S. Army has experienced challenges with achieving annual recruiting goals. This dire concern can impact U.S. national security if recruiting does not improve and has been addressed at the highest levels of the Army.
Facing this recruiting issue head-on, two sibling Army Soldiers developed a plan to speak to young Americans at a recent Health Occupations Students of America, or HOSA, Symposium in Denver, Colorado.
Capt. Lamanda Jackson, a former Army enlisted motor transport operator and now an Army Medical Service Corps Officer, and her brother, Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Rogers, an NCO Army Recruiter with Wheat Ridge Army Recruiting Company located near Denver, seized the opportunity to combine their efforts to increase recruiting during the HOSA event.
For Jackson, better known as "Action Jackson" in her current Army assignment, the task became more defined once the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, Maj. Gen. Michael Talley, established a recruiting outreach team to enhance the U.S. Army Recruiting Command recruiting efforts.
Jackson has worked incredibly hard organizing this unique MEDCoE team, learning about the Army’s recruiting needs, identifying nationwide opportunities to share the unique Army stories, and traveling to select locations to equip and inspire others to "Be All You Can Be" in the Army. MEDCoE’s team highlights the competitive advantages within Army Medicine career paths that provide Americans with incredible training and education to build highly sought-after and successful professions.
“We rely on diverse backgrounds and perspectives to address our nation's complex challenges,” Jackson said.
While the interactions targeted Army Medicine competency and performance, MEDCoE leaders also gained insight to evolve the dialogue to improve how they capture their individual Army stories.
Her sibling, Rogers, has demonstrated in-depth subject matter expertise since he began recruiting in 2017. During pre-COVID-19 times, he became Richmond, Virginia’s, Top recruiter for 2017-2018. This success provided him with a platform to increase networking and knowledge within the Army recruiting system.
It’s not a surprise that Rogers became excited when his sister reached out to him for assistance in her new mission. To navigate the mountain of Army recruiting acronyms and processes, Rogers coached and mentored the MEDCoE recruiting team so that they could operate more effectively in their recruiting efforts. He integrated the MEDCoE team into his recruiting brigade’s HOSA symposium so that they could razzle-dazzle an audience of more than 1,300 registered students, educators, counselors, and other influencers.
This brother and sister duo’s collaboration highlighted the MEDCoE team’s value as a recruiting national asset. Their attendance at the first HOSA event resulted in invitations to four additional state HOSA events. The siblings’ efforts may reach up to 6,000 prospects, which is almost 10% of this year’s Army recruiting goals. This spark may set an example that other Army branches can replicate to curb the current recruiting trend.
The MEDCoE recruiting team continues to evolve their recruiting tactics to showcase significant military and Army Medicine contributions to society and attract new talent to the Army. A few of the MEDCoE Recruiting team's efforts include:
• Adopting schools to highlight opportunities in the Army and Army Medicine
• Building U.S. Recruiting Command partnerships to participate in outreach events aimed at educating potential applicants about Army Medicine military occupational specialties
• Developing open house events at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston to showcase Army medical training to educators and students
The MEDCoE recruiting team serves to enhance the efforts of Army recruiters by providing medical experts to answer vital applicant inquiries about medical certifications within the Army. "There's a lot of potential further to develop these young prospects into Soldiers," Jackson said.
Telling the Army story and informing potential recruits is at the core of the MEDCoE recruiting team and Army recruiters. "I learned a long time ago that you are as good as your resources," said Rogers, "I am just glad I was able to be with my sister, we came together to make an impact in the Army."
To learn more about a career in Army Medicine visit https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/specialty-careers/health-care.html.