Unlike most Army Reserve battalions, the 4-413th Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (SROTC) Battalion rarely gets all its Soldiers together in the same place at the same time, but on February 6, they did just that.
Using Microsoft Teams, the battalion conducted its first ever virtual “All Hands” call, which is now planned for quarterly.
Typically, the battalion only gets together during annual training for six days. Aside from the Headquarters element, most of the battalion drills as SROTC assistant professors of military science (APMS) at colleges and universities east of the Mississippi River. This makes it tough to coordinate hails and farewells, routine briefings, and collective training.
Seizing upon the platform provided, the battalion staff created a 4-hour window. The “All Hands” call began with members of the staff providing updates on medical readiness, annual training, and permitted political activities under the Hatch Act. They then transitioned into wishing a “happy birthday” to all 51 of the battalion Soldiers celebrating birthdays over the next quarter, “congratulations” to those welcoming newborns in the past quarter and to those NCOs who recently reenlisted.
Speaking of hails and farewells, the battalion welcomed 17 new Soldiers with individuals joining as APMS at universities in Florida, Ohio, Michigan, New York, North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia. Also recognized were four individuals leaving for new units and the retirement of Master Sgt. Robin Fulks, the battalion’s S4 non-commissioned officer in charge, who has 28 years of service. She was the longest serving member of the 4-413th and her presence and expertise will be sorely missed by the entire all in the battalion.
The APMSs also took time to share best practices, including tactics, techniques and procedures that best served them in instructing and assisting cadets preparing to enter the Army Reserve.
Following the town hall, Lt. Col. Julius Penn of the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command – Army Reserve Element (JECC-ARE), discussed the JECC-ARE’s capabilities and the opportunities available for Reservists, introducing Soldiers to previously unknown jobs within the Army Reserve. The battalion also received suicide prevention training from Mr. Jason Rogers, the Suicide Prevention Program Manager for the 104th Division (Leader Training), providing impactful and powerful discussion and instruction on this most important topic.
Lt. Col. Pamela Gilbert, the battalion commander, and the battalion’s command sergeant major Command Sgt. Maj. Kim Murphy closed out the training by thanking everyone for the hard work and dedication they put in to teaching the Army’s future second lieutenants. That Dedication was re-energized by the “All Hands” call, helping to refocus the 4-413th SROTC Battalion for the months ahead.
NOTE: The 4-413th is looking for E-7s, E-8s, O-3s and O-4s interested in serving in as an APMS please contact Capt. Heather Hunkus at [email protected]