National Hiring Days US Army Employer of the Week

The Army is looking to hire 10,000 new soldiers during its first nationwide virtual hiring campaign making the U.S. Army our Employer of the Week.

Army National Hiring Days kicks off June 30 and runs through July 2, said Brig. Gen. Patrick R. Michaelis, deputy commanding general, operations, Army Recruiting Command.  

“It’s pretty big and audacious,” he said of the effort to virtually recruit new soldiers to serve in 150 different occupations.

Michaelis said the event seeks to inspire people across the country to “join us.”

During the three-day event, Army leaders, operational units, recruiters and community partners will focus on encouraging those who are interested in serving to explore the Army’s career paths. Michaelis said. those paths range from traditional combat roles to jobs in logistics, engineering and technology.

“This is an all-Army approach to hiring,” he said. “It is a digital marketing blitz. All major commands are involved.”

To become an enlisted soldier, individuals must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; 17-34 years old; achieve a minimum score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test; meet medical, moral and physical requirements; and be a high school graduate or equivalent.

Qualified applicants are eligible for bonuses up to $40,000 or student loan reimbursement up to $65,000, depending on the selected occupation, ASVAB scores, contract length, and timeline for shipping to basic training.

The event will also focus on hiring new soldiers from diverse ethnic, social and economic backgrounds, Michaelis added.

“We know we want to be reflective of society,” he said. “We look at diversity as a strength because it makes us stronger as an organization.”

Michaelis said the hiring blitz will also highlight the benefits of military service, including health insurance, retirement plans, training and education opportunities, and family support programs.

 Army recruiters have focused heavily on virtual communications since mid-March when stay-at-home orders went into place to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

“We made a conscious decision in March to telework and paused the in-processing of new recruits,” said Michaelis, who added the service must still meet its recruiting levels. 

Interested individuals can visit hereto see if they meet qualifications, learn about job opportunities, hiring incentives, and connect with a local recruiter.

Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.

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