‘We’re asking for the public to pay attention’: WI National Guard facing recruitment crisis

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Fewer people are signing up to serve and enlistment data for Wisconsin reveals a sharp decline in new recruits in the last 20 years.

Lt. Colonel Shannon Hellenbrand, the Commander for the Recruiting and Retention Battalion for the Wisconsin Army National Guard, says there are several factors contributing to a decline in enlistments.

“The environment is just so much more challenging for us to get into the hearts and minds of Wisconsin citizens,” said Hellenbrand. “The propensity to serve or the interest or likelihood that a person will ever learn about the military or approach service is at an all-time low.”

According to enlistment data, more than half as many people signed up to serve last year as compared to 2004.

Right now, the Wisconsin Army National Guard is operating at 90% strength, which Hellenbrand says is something she’s never experienced in her 25-year career.

“Ninety-percent strength means that the job for every single soldier in our ranks is doubly or triply hard,” she explained. “We still have to accomplish the missions, they continue to come down for us, but we have to do it and it’s that much harder.”

All branches of the military are reporting a decline in recruitment. In 2015, the Department of Defense data reveals a total of 3,825 enlistments within the state of Wisconsin, but that number dropped to 1,511 enlistments last year.

AFTERMATH OF 9/11

In the wake of 9/11, when she first started as a recruitment officer, LTC Hellenbrand says there was no shortage of people willing to consider a career in the military.

“We had people knocking our doors down with four-year degrees, people who wanted to come and serve and who were interested in just putting a uniform on for God and country,” Hellenbrand recalled. “It was a call across the world that everyone of us felt.”

She says she was surprised to learn many of the people she recruited had no connection to the attacks in New York City or Washington, D.C.

“It was just because they felt like they wanted to serve in a greater sense and they felt like they wanted to serve something greater than themselves,” Hellenbrand recalled.

RECRUITING THE COMMUNITY

Derek Ruck is a staff sergeant for the Wisconsin Army National Guard and tasked with finding new recruits.

“Trying to help people understand what the Army National Guard is, but also help people find out if the Army National Guard is something that would fit well in their life,” said Ruck.

He primarily works within the Madison area and says there’s a lot less awareness of the Wisconsin National Guard than in other parts of the state.

“Some areas may have a larger force of the Wisconsin Army National Guard within the areas so people know more about it,” said Ruck. “Other areas may have less so less people know less about it.”

In Dane County, Ruck says community engagement, like volunteering at high school sporting events, is one way to connect with possible recruits.

“It really comes down to us being willing to help out wherever is needed,” Ruck said.

When talking with high school or college students, Ruck says he tries to explain the benefits of wearing a uniform.

“Being able to talk to them about being able to talk to them about being able to get their college paid for or being able to find a career path that’s going to make them successful,” said Ruck. “I’ve been able to help a lot of people figure out what they’re trying to do in life and figure out where they’re trying to go.”

NEW FACES WITHIN THE RANKS

The promise of college tuition was a factor in Private Jay Dayne’s decision to serve. A graduate from Sun Prairie East High School, Dayne says he was torn about what his career would look like after high school.

“My grandparents were both in the military, so it was kind of like an idea, but my family was very, sports heavy,” said Dayne. “It was a back-and-forth on which one I was going to do.”

As an engineering student at Winona State University, Dayne says he feels like he made the right decision.

“You get like a push forward in life, you get discipline,” said Dayne. “You get a lot of things you wouldn’t get to get those if you didn’t join the National Guard.”

FOCUS ON RETENTION

As recruiters work to enlist young people like Private Dayne, Lt. Colonel Hellenbrand says there’s a focus on retaining the members already within the Army National Guard.

She says the main reason someone will choose to leave service is because it no longer fits with their family dynamic, especially frequent deployments.

“When we rely on the same people over and over and over again to activate, this means our part-time service members are activated that much more frequently,” said Hellenbrand. “The number one reason why our soldiers leave the ranks, even those mid-point soldiers who have ten years of service is because its no longer compatible with their family members.”

In the last few years, Hellenbrand says the Guard is making changes to enable better communication amongst officers and leadership about activations.

“We’ve created an environment where people feel safer bringing up those concerns,” said Hellenbrand. “What I’m really proud of is I’ve watched leaders and my peers change the way that they consider whether or how badly they need somebody to activate and when.”

BREAKING BARRIERS

Another aspect of retention is making women and people of color feel like they have a seat at the table.

“We are interested in creating the spaces where they feel confident that they can serve and thrive,” said Hellenbrand. “We want our soldiers to be reflected in the leadership that we have.”

The Wisconsin Army National Guard has established the Parenthood, Pregnancy, and Post-Partum Program to support soldiers who are growing their families. Some of the policy changes allow for exceptions for women who need lactation spaces or an operational and training deferment program to allow for longer parental leave.

If you are interested in learning more about the Wisconsin National Guard, click HERE.

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