RELEASE NUMBER: 131206-01
DATE POSTED: DECEMBER 6, 2013
Recruiting the Civil Affairs Soldier
By Jerry Green
95th Civil Affairs Brigade Public Affairs Office
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Dec. 6, 2013) – Prospective civil affairs and psychological operations Soldiers showed up Dec. 5, 2013, to find out what life as a special operations Soldier might be, during the Special Operations Recruiting Battalion's open house held at the Fort Bragg Club.
Soldiers from the Military Information Support Operations Command (Airborne) and 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) presented information about their respective operations within the United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.
"Our goal here today is to get the word out about what the civil affairs Soldiers do for USASOC and the Army," said Col. James J. Wolff, Civil Affairs Regimental Commander at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare and Training Center."There is a lot of interest across the board on young non-commissioned officers who are wondering, what do I do next, and we want to inform them of the different leadership styles that it takes to be an effective Special Operations Soldier. This will give that Soldier the information he or she seeks to find out if this type of job is what they may want to do for their future in the Army."
Wolff explained that civil affairs and other special operations duties are not for everyone. He said that it takes a certain aptitude and mind set to handle the challenges required to be a SOF Soldier.
"It is very important for us to find that person who is trainable through our assessment process," said Wolff. "We want to find that Soldier who we will want to invest time and money to train."
Sgt. 1st Class Patrick R. Weston, a civil affairs medical sergeant and team medic with the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion, and Staff Sgt. Brandon Lampley, 91st Civil Affairs Battalion, also a civil affairs medical sergeant, were positioned at the CA information booth, which displayed the tools of their trade. It included an array of medical devices, instruments, surgical gear and other items they use on deployments.
"The civil affairs medical sergeant receives instruction in dentistry, public health, medical services and veterinarian services," said Weston. "When we deploy, we are able to provide a wide range of medical services."
"There is a lot of interest in the civil affairs, like what do we do and how much schooling is involved," said Lampley. "When we talk about our experiences and the places we go, it creates a type of buzz about civil affairs and generates the quest for more information."
"Although it was a MISOC sponsored event, to tie-in the 95th Civil Affairs is a testament to how serious ARSOF is in filling its ranks with strategic thinking, creative problem-solving, non-lethal subject matter experts," said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Schafer, Civil Affairs Recruiter for the U.S. Army Special Operations Recruiting Battalion. "The partnership in recruiting is as equally important as the partnership down range to change the Army culture on how CA and PSYOP secure the victory through changing, persuading, and influencing the way a populace perceives ARSOF and conventional forces.
The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) and regional focused battalions, organizes, trains, equips and deploys forces worldwide conducting civil affairs operations. The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) is actively recruiting Soldiers from within the U.S. Army for active duty service in Civil Affairs. For more information about the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade go to Civil Affairs Recruiting at http://www.bragg.army.mil/sorb/CA.htm.