FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Megan Fitzgerald
August 25, 2003 (703) 683-9312; mfitzgerald@acteonline.org
ALEXANDRIA, VA ? The workplace and the workforce are not what they were even a few years ago. Technology is changing how we do business. With continuing improvement and advancements in products and procedures, workers need sophisticated technical skills to compete. Therefore it is more important for people to gain a variety of skills and be very versatile.
The United States Army is a good place to start. It doesn?t just train and prepare its soldiers for combat, the Army provides individuals with a broad scope of training, technology and experience necessary to become a valuable asset to America?s workforce.
Working with employers such as the Army, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) has dedicated itself to preparing both youth and adults for today?s careers. Career and technical education provides students with the opportunity to learn academic and technical skills, explore different career options and discover ways to balance life and work roles.
The Army offers those without decided career paths assistance in finding the one that best suits them. In the Army soldiers can gain experience while learning an array of useful skills. More than 80,000 individuals serve in the Army's more than two hundred different career fields, such as Health Care Specialist or Construction Engineering Supervisor.
?Joining the Army is not a termination of education; it is really an extension,? said Brian Labashosky, a U.S. Army Recruiting Command Education Specialist.
However, if individuals are not interested in continuing their education or have already been to college, gaining training in the Army Reserve that builds on their personal interests can help them in their current career. It also can help them gain new skills to keep current in the workplace and offers them an opportunity to work with the latest technology. Officer Candidate School may also be of interest to those who already have a college degree.
In order to accommodate different situations, the Army offers individuals two ways to join, either full-time in Active Duty or part-time in the Army Reserve. All soldiers incur an eight year military service obligation. Enlisting as an Active Duty soldier means you can choose to serve from two to six years. Agreeing to serve in the Army Reserve means serving part-time for as little as one weekend a month, and two weeks a year. A soldier in the Army Reserve may be asked to serve full time in periods of need.
?The Army empowers individuals to succeed in life by instilling discipline, values, opportunities, and technical skills. They are leaders who are motivated and have professional work habits, as well as high standards of conduct,? said Maj. Gen. Michael D. Rochelle, commander of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
?We understand that not all soldiers choose to make the Army a career. We are confident that the leadership and technical skills our soldiers gain through service will help them achieve a lifetime of success. Those who leave us return to their communities as better citizens.?
Along with educational and career benefits, the Army offers competitive pay and great opportunities for advancement. For more information on careers in the U.S. Army, visit www.goarmy.com.
The Association for Career and Technical Education is the national professional association for the field of career and technical education. Now in its 77th year, ACTE?s membership numbers more than 30,000 teachers, counselors and administrators at the middle school, high school and postsecondary levels.
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August 25, 2003 NR#03-021
