The Mission brief with Becca and Lieutenant General Jon A. Jenson held some encouraging messages for the future of the Army National Guard. With over 41,000 guardsmen working globally, it is no surprise that they have been keeping busy with the Army’s agenda.
The main goals of the National Guard include being sustainable, modernizing, recruiting, the State Partnership Program, encouraging the Space National Guard, and helping the United States Army to succeed. A few local projects they have been working on lately are substitute teaching and covid-19 relief.
Lieutenant General Jon A. Jenson gave great advice when it comes to retention that can apply to all disciplines. His major principles were to “have a relevant mission in the reserve component, a positive command climate, and to understand where everyone is in their own life cycle”. It is important to meet people where they are at and not “ask soldiers to do more than they can do”. Treating people like individuals and not making everyday dauntingly important is the key to retention.
My favorite message of this question and answer session was when the Lieutenant General said, “If you train for the most complex mission, you will be able to do something less complex than that.”
