DA names Weers Reserve Component Career Counselor of the Year

 By CATRINA FRANCIS
Turret Senior Staff Writer
catrina.francis@us.army.mil
Former Secretary of State and retired Gen. Colin Powell once said, “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, learning from failure.”
Master Sgt. Robert Weers, the Army Reserve Component Career Counselor of the Year, learned this lesson during his preparation for the installation, Training and Doctrine Command and Department of the Army boards.
Working as a recruiter for six years taught Weers the work ethic to prepare and win the DA board and be No. 1. He believes that a recruiter is successful as long as he doesn’t sound like a used car salesman. He also believes in the importance of taking on a challenge.
“I wanted to challenge myself,” he said. “Going to the board would be a step in the right direction.”
Although Weers had some accomplishments early in his career, he still believed in setting the right example for other Soldiers and noncommissioned officers.
Preparing for the installation board was no easy feat because Weers works full time, attends college, is involved with karate and a father of four. So that meant studying became a Family affair.
He said studying was done in bits and pieces.
“I would sing the Army song while driving my kids to school,” explained Weers. “My wife would go over things at lunch, and before I went to bed I would look at Army policies. (I took) a break on Sundays. I had to give my brain a break.”
He said knowing Army policy is a must for a career counselor because, “Everything changes in our job. You have to know policy. We (might) talk to a Soldier and then get a call saying, ‘(the assignment) has changed. We have to call the Soldier and let him know it’s changed.’”
Weers said his wife can now recite the NCO and Army Reserve creeds. Weers isn’t the only one who sings the Army song; he said the whole Family can now sing it.
“The kids got tired of the Army song,” he said.
Although studying required a lot of time and effort, Weers said not winning the competition was never an option.
“I (told) my kids (that) I was not going to waste tax dollars—I was going to win,” he explained. “Taxpayers are not paying for me to lose.”
Even though he was confident about winning, Weers admits to being nervous. At one point during the installation board he wasn’t speaking loud enough and Sgt. Maj. Evy Lacy, one of the board members said, “I can’t hear you, speak up.”
“A lot is going on while you are sitting in that chair,” Weers said.
After winning at the installation level and TRADOC, Weers didn’t have time to sit back and relax. He said the Army competition was next and that board kept the Soldiers busy.
But it wasn’t all work for the Soldiers once they got to Washington, D.C. They had an opportunity to tour the city, the Pentagon and the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Once the competition began at the Army level, Weers said it was a little intimidating because getting to the Army level was new to Weers but not some of his peers. He said a few of them were competing at the level for the second or third time.
“They had edge that was a little intimidating,” said Weers. “They have already been there and had more eagerness. They knew their shortcomings, and I didn’t know about my shortcomings. It was close and I won by a few points.
“It was a true honor being there. To win (the Army board) you have to know how to take care of Soldiers.”
Even though it was about competing, Weers said the competitors had a chance to get to know one another, which he said calmed things down a bit.
“I got a chance to talk to Sgt. Maj. (Dean) Drummond, the president of the (Army) board. It was a phenomenal experience,” Weers said.
Weers said his Family is extremely proud of his recent accomplishments. When he returned from Washington, D.C., there was a sign on his office door and garage as well as balloons.
“My ninth-grader Corey is always telling everyone, ‘my dad won this and he won that,’” Weers said. “(Studying) was a huge Family thing. I would come home from school and work on an English paper, and my daughter would ask, ‘when are you going to do the creed?’
“Drilling with my Family was a huge success. I got to study and get critiques from them. My daughter is in JROTC and she would critique my position of attention.”
Although Weers has been competing for the last year, he said it was worth it because it showed him he has a lot to give to the military. He would also recommend competing to other Soldiers.
He said he would tell Soldiers, “Going to the board gives you an inner sight of (yourself) and what (you) can achieve.”
Weers added that he always believed he was among his peers—not the best.
“Board members saw something in me I haven’t seen before,” he explained. “It’s nice to know when others are thinking great things.”
Weers can now take a step back and breathe since the competition is over.
“I’m going to take a little step back, not a jump back,” he said. “(I need) to breathe and focus on Soldiers. I feel relieved and I think my Family feels relieved.”

Courtesy photo

MASTER SGT. ALBERT ST. JOHN OF THE 3RD RECRUITING BRIGADE was Master Sgt. Robert Weers’ sponsor for the TRADOC board. The Knox noncommissioned officers are shown with Sgt. Maj. Craig Lott of TRADOC.