NRD San Antonio earns Gold with Retention Excellence Award for FY 2013

By Burrell Parmer, Navy Recruiting District San Antonio Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON (NNS) -- Anchors of black were replaced with anchors of gold in front of Navy Recruiting District San Antonio's headquarters after the command was recognized as one of the winners of the Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education (MPT&E) Retention Excellence Award for Fiscal Year 2013, April 25.

Sailor and civilians took pride in the repainting of two large anchors situated in front of the headquarters, which is collated with the Military Enlisted Processing Station-San Antonio.

According to NRD Command Career Counselor, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Jessica Hall, the award means taking care of Sailors and ensuring that their needs, such as reenlistments, officer packages, career development boards, retirements, and detailing issues, are met.

"This allows our Sailors to not have to worry about their careers and allows them to focus more on their mission," said Hall, a native of DeRidder, La. "And with 182 Sailors this is no easy task, but it was completed above Navy standards earning the retention award."

NRD Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Corry Juedeman was ecstatic when she heard the news.

"It is truly an honor for the entire command to win the Retention Excellence Award. And, it is validation of the successful command career counselor program and the positive command climate we have that Sailors are choosing to stay Navy," said Juedeman, who will be relinquishing command and commencing retirement in July. "We are very proud to have the now golden anchors outside our headquarters building for all to see!"

The Retention Excellence Award, formerly known as the Golden Anchor Award, established by the United States Fleet Forces Command through the Fleet Retention Excellence Program, is annually awarded to U.S. Navy commands that sustain superior levels of military retention during the previous fiscal year.

Award-winning commands must pass the annual Career Information Program Review with a score of 85 points or higher while meeting set benchmarks for reenlistment and attrition rates during the fiscal year. Earning the FY-13 award authorizes NRD San Antonio display gold-painted anchors near its headquarters. .

NRD San Antonio includes 46 Navy Recruiting Stations and Navy Officer Recruiting Stations spread throughout 140,000 square miles of Texas territory, spanning from Waco, west to Midland/Odessa, southwest towards El Paso, southeast along the Rio Grande Valley, and west of College Station.