Army Civilians Remain Vital to Future Fight

Army Civilians Remain Vital to Future Fight

Army civilians attending AUSA2024
Photo by: Jeromie Stephens for AUSA

Amid an uncertain threat environment, Army civilians play a vital role in the service’s success, said Agnes Schaefer, assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs.

“Our greatest assets rest not in our weapons systems, but in our people and the unique backgrounds and experiences they bring to the fight every day,” Schaefer said Oct. 16 during an Army civilian showcase at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2024 Annual Meeting and Exposition. “That includes our Army civilians across the enterprise, who play a critical role in the continuous transformation of our total Army.”

Army civilian leaders are working hard to increase awareness of Army civilian service opportunities among young Americans, “who ... [usually] are not even aware that you can be an Army civilian,” Schaefer said.

Last year, “we brainstormed about ways to introduce Army civilian service as a viable career path in a competitive labor market,” she said. “One year later, our efforts have yielded deeper awareness and greater exposure of the opportunities the Army has to offer for civilians. The strides we have made with our Army Civilian Corps over the last few years have been exceptional.”

To better compete against civilian employers, organizations such as the Army Corps of Engineers have implemented technology to expedite the hiring process.

“The talent acquisition recruiting platform … enables candidates to submit their resume into a database that allows us to quickly pull those resumes for… hiring managers to be able to consider them for selection,” said Maj. Gen. Kimberly Colloton, deputy commanding general of the Army Corps of Engineers. "It allows us to fill vacancies faster and get to the right talent at the right place at the right time.”

Army civilians will continue to play a vital role in the Army, Schaefer said.

“Army civilians are the connective tissue of our force, performing critical duties that make the Army who we are. We can't achieve or grow our mission without them,” she said. “As an Army civilian myself, I am full of hope for the next two half centuries to come.”

— Karli Goldenberg