The U.S. Department of Defense has had its difficulties over the last decade with recruiting and retention. The high operations tempo of the last 20 years, long separations, the danger of combat, and an ever-shrinking pool of eligible recruits are just some of the factors that have made the sustainment of the force more difficult than in many years past. The all-volunteer force depends on attracting, recruiting, and retaining the right people and managing that talent properly. A BETTER PEACE welcomes Robert Gerlach and Silas Martinez to discuss a project that hopes to address the attracting and recruiting aspect and hopefully indirectly improve the retention piece. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri in the virtual studio to explain Rob’s unique Strategy Research Project (SRP). Creating the first ever video SRP, Rob worked with his advisor, Silas, to try and solve a real problem for the U.S. Army by answering a unique question; “What if the Army Museum Enterprise could be utilized to attract or identify the right people to the Army and make sure they find their way into the ranks?”
The majority of displays in museums are combat arms, but the majority of jobs in the Army are actually support. So there’s an opportunity to say “Would you like to learn about all the different jobs that made this particular weapon system possible?”
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LTC Robert Gerlach is an Army reservist who received a direct commission as a medical service officer in 2001. Prior to his arrival at Carlisle he was assigned to the newly formed Army Enterprise Marketing Office in Chicago, IL where he developed strategic marketing programs. Employed by Sears since 1986 he is a divisional vice president in charge of various marketing programs. He is a graduate of the AY21 Resident Class at the U.S. Army War College.
Colonel Silas Martinez has served as Director of Leader Development at the U.S. Army War College since 2017. He holds a PhD in industrial organizational psychology from Wright State University and is a 2015 Army War College graduate.
Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.
Photo Description: The Global War exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Army.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the National Museum of the United States Army.