Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/15265
Reserve Commander Talks About Move to Bragg by JANICE BURTON Up & Coming Weekly had a chance to talk with Lt. Gen. Stultz, the commander of the U.S. Army Reserve Command about their transition to Fort Bragg. Stultz, a South Carolina native, is excited about the move, and how his command can integrate into the community. U&C: Most of the attention for the BRAC move has been focused on U.S. Army Forces Command. Tell us a little about your command. Stultz: The US Army Reserve Command is composed of more than 206,000 Soldiers permanently stationed in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Saipan, Guam, Germany and Italy. On average the Army Reserve has approximately 30,000 soldiers mobilized everyday serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti and 15 other countries around the world, as well as in the United States. The Army Reserve is primarily Combat Service and Combat Service Support units such as Engineers, Military Police, Transportation, Medical, Civil Affairs, Mili- tary Intelligence, Signal, Logistics, Aviation and a number of other key enablers for the combat forces. In my role I am dual-hatted as the Chief Army Reserve with an offi ce in the Pentagon where I am an advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army for Army Re- serve matters. I am also the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Reserve Command serving as the com- mander for all Army Reserve Forces around the world. The U.S. Army Reserve Command is currently located at Fort McPherson in Atlanta and will be relocating to Fort Bragg next year. UCW: How many people/jobs will your com- mand bring to the area? Stultz: The Army Reserve Command is com- Lt. Gen. Stultz, commander of the U.S. Army Reserve Command. prised of approximately 1,500 personnel with full-time military, civil service and contractors comprising the headquarters. While the full-time military positions will be fi lled by soldiers who will PCS to Fort Bragg, a number of the civil service and contractor positions will need to be fi lled because the personnel currently occupying the positions do not desire to relocate from the Atlanta area. We have already started recruiting and hiring personnel to fi ll some of the positions. One of our newest hires as a Senior Executive Service Employee is Mr. Addison “Tad” Davis. You may re- member him as Col. Tad Davis, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander, from 2000 to 2003. As we begin to mi- grate functions from Fort McPherson to Fort Bragg beginning early next year, we will accelerate the process of fi lling positions at Fort Bragg. Between Forces Command and the U.S. Army Reserve Command, there should be some exciting opportunities for people in the Fort Bragg area. UCW: Many of your jobs are fi lled by reservists. Tell us about the training that is ongoing with these citizen soldiers to integrate them into the work force. Stultz: Over the past three years we have developed the Employer Partner- ship Initiative where we have established formal relationships with businesses across America to identify and help fi ll their critical needs with skilled Army Reserve soldiers. We fi rst started with the medical community who identifi ed critical shortages in the medical technology fi eld, radiology, respiratory, surgical etc. We signed partnerships with several major medical organizations where the Army Reserve will either identify existing soldiers who are already qualifi ed or recruit new soldiers, train them and cer- tify them and then make them available for employment. It’s a true win-win-win situ- ation because we get a qualifi ed medical technologist for our Army Reserve hospital units, the medical community gets a drug free, physically fi t, battle tested, leader to fi ll their needs and the individual has a career in both the civilian and military establish- ment. We quickly expanded to the trucking industry with our military truck drivers, law enforcement with our military police force and on and on. Today we have more than 1,000 employers across America including such big names as Wal Mart, General Electric, Schneider and Conway Trucking, Washington, D.C., Police Department, and many others who are employer partners with the Army Reserve. We have now taken our program and expanded it to include all Reserve-components and the Federal Gov- ernment Employment Offi ces. We can truly tell an individual “Join the Army Reserve and get a career.” I am certain that we will bring a high-level quality workforce to Fayetteville that will enhance the local business community. UCW: What are your thoughts on the move, and how do you plan to integrate your command and your staff into the community? Stultz: We are excited to be coming to Fort Bragg. I was born in North Carolina, grew up in Dillon, S.C., just 50 miles south on I-95, went to Davidson College in North Carolina and married the love of my life, Laura, 35 years ago in her hometown of North Wilkesboro. This is a homecoming for me. The key to the Reserve compo- nent is the community. We are part of the community. Our soldiers work and live in the community. They serve as your policemen, fi remen, school teachers, coaches, WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Come See for Yourself why Goodnight’s Comedy Club was ranked “One of the Top 10 Places to Sit Down and See Stand Up” — USA Today This Week! 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In closing, let me say a personal thank you to everyone in the Fort Bragg area for the support, love and care that you have continued to give to our soldiers and families. Our men and women in uniform are a true national treasure. They raise their hands and take an oath voluntarily to serve their country knowing that they are most likely going to be asked to go in harms way. They do so because they love their country and they know their country loves them. God Bless them all and God Bless America. JANICE BURTON, Associate Publisher COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or editor@upandcomingweekly.com r