Shortly after Floyd County Sheriff Dave Roberson was elected last year, he met with local military recruiters to look into a program that would help soldiers exiting service find jobs in law enforcement.
On Tuesday, Aug. 10, Roberson and U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Hensel signed a Partnership for Youth Success agreement to facilitate the transition of members of the military into the ranks of the sheriff’s office.
During the ceremony, Roberson pointed to the Army banners lining the City Auditorium stage that promoted values such as loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, trust and courage.
“That’s what we look for in officers in our community,” Roberson said.
He said that, over his 26-year career with the sheriff’s office, some of the best employees had come out of the military.
“We’re looking for future leaders and we want to make this a great partnership between us and the U.S. Army,” Roberson said.
Hensel, commander of the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion in Marietta, said the PAYS program is a positive way to cement the relationship between the Army and local communities across the nation.
When young soldiers enlist through the PAYS program, they are guaranteed at least five job interviews and possible employment after completing their term in the military.
“Communities give us their best young men and women. They go off and do their term of enlistment where they serve their country,” Hensel said. “They gain leadership experience, they learn valuable job skills, they have inculcated in them values of public service. Then we give them back to you better than they were before.”
Click here to read the full Aug. 10 article in the Rome News-Tribune.