By Pfc. Alyson Berzinski
112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Many people dream about being an officer in one of the greatest militaries in the world, but not many actually know what path to take on their journey to becoming a leader. Wisconsin Army National Guard officer recruiters recently answered this question for about 60 current and potential Soldiers at Fort McCoy during this year's Officer Career Challenge event Saturday.

Sponsored by Wisconsin Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention and hosted by the Wisconsin Military Academy, participants learned about commissioned and warrant officer opportunities and get a chance to participate in a variety of events and talk to people who know what it's like to lead.

Bill Schroeder, a former wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, kicked off the event with a few words of wisdom.

"If you want to become a leader, an officer, if that's something you want to shoot for, well, that's a lot of hard work," he said. "But this is a great way to start." Schroeder, a Sheboygan native, has played against some of the best defenses in the National Football League as well as in Super Bowl XXXI.

"This is a great opportunity to get information to those who are interested in becoming an officer so they can make an informed decision about what training is best for them," said Capt. Daniel Kahlhamer, the officer in charge of this year's OCC and a Wisconsin Army National Guard officer recruiter.

Considering more than 3,300 of the state's Guard Soldiers are currently deployed with the 32nd Brigade and other various units, this year's turnout was still excellent, he said.

"The spark behind this program really is providing an environment to make the connection between us, who have the information, and the people out there who have an interest," Kahlhamer explained. "Doing it in an environment that is fun and entertaining and exciting kind of takes off some edge."

The fun and entertainment came in the form of a little friendly competition among participants during a paintball competition, football tosses and a rock climbing wall. Eligible attendees also received orientation flights in the Guard's newest UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters so they could learn about opportunities in aviation.

"This event really brought it back to me," said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bates, a military police officer with the Milwaukee-based 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. Bates participated in three semesters of Reserve Optional Training Corps classes before he enlisted in the Army National Guard. Attending the OCC gave him the opportunity to explore career options.

"I'll maybe meet some of the other officers I can talk to for mentorship and make some connections so I know all of the different rules and regulations for what processes I can go through to become an officer," Bates said.

Bates attended to gather more information to help decide between a direct commission or attending officer candidate school. He hopes to become a nuclear biological chemical officer after he completes OCS and receives his degree in biology and chemistry in May.

"It's a good opportunity for people to get out and figure out which type of program will be best for them," said 1st Lt. James Schmitz, a Wisconsin Army National Guard Medical Command recruiter from Madison. "Whether it be through OCS, ROTC or going through a professional program, we've got a lot of different options and we really have something for everyone."

This event is designed to give Soldiers an idea of the different areas in the officer world, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Audra Bissen, a warrant officer recruiter from Madison. It gives them a chance to find their niche and take information back to their unit.

"We're just looking to reach out to the Soldiers that we already have and have them step up to that next level of leadership," Schmitz said.

For more information on opportunities as a commissioned or warrant officer in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, call Capt. Daniel Kahlhamer at 608-242-3176.