SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Army National Guard was recognized for their accomplishments over the past year at the Army National Guard Director’s Strength Maintenance Awards Conference for Fiscal Year 2025, which was held in Houston, Texas, from March 31 to April 2, 2026.
The Oregon Army National Guard earned first place in the ‘Top Retention – Medium’ category among mid-sized states. This ranking includes all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and three territories, making up “The 54” jurisdictions under both state and federal control.
The Director’s Strength Maintenance Awards Conference is held each year to honor the outstanding work of Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Non-Commissioned Officers, Marketing NCOs, Reserve Component Career Counselors, Training and Doctrine Command Liaison NCOs, Automations NCOs, and the Military Occupational Skills “79T” Instructors. These individuals play a key role in recruiting and retaining qualified soldiers in the Army National Guard, while adhering to all required regulations.
“The work and dedication by our Oregon Army National Guard recruiting and retention service members have been instrumental in not only bringing new members to our organization but keeping our best Soldiers in uniform,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Bomar, Director of Public Affairs for the Oregon National Guard. “Being recognized by the Army National Guard Director’s Strength Maintenance Awards Program illustrates the results our team has achieved over this past year.”
The Oregon Army National Guard reached its highest reenlistment rate since Fiscal Year 2009. This rate was 8.35% higher than the 10-year average and 6.38% above the 25-year average. As a result, the three-year extension rate rose by 15.72%, with more Soldiers choosing longer commitments instead of shorter 1- or 2-year extensions.
The Oregon State Retention Bonus (OSRB) has proven to be both effective and popular among Oregon Citizen-Soldiers. It offers a $5,000 lump sum for a three-year extension. In the fourth quarter alone of Fiscal Year 2025, OSRB extensions made up 25% of all extensions for the year, even though this period is usually the slowest for reenlistments. The average number of extensions per month in the fourth quarter was 69, up from 33 in Fiscal Year 2024, which is a 36% monthly increase thanks to the OSRB. The bonus also led to 14 extensions from Soldiers who were “Hard Nos, had previously decided not to reenlist, and likely would have separated from service without this incentive.
When reviewing the SWAG Survey Analysis of Oregon Army Guardsmen, Soldiers offered important insights into why they chose to remain in the formation. The top responses were from the Career Progression section, where 78 service members in this group see that being part of the Oregon Army National Guard has helped them advance their military careers. This includes seeking promotions, pursuing officer or warrant officer paths, and continuing full-time AGR (Active Guard Reserve) careers.
Responses like, “So I can continue with my career and better my civilian life,” to comments like… “the benefits that come with military service,” to… “I enjoy flying as a crewmember of the HH-60M Black Hawk,” and “so I can transfer my GI bill to my son.”
Other categories that ranked near the top among responses were financial bonuses, job satisfaction, and the desire to continue serving in the military. One of the more attention-grabbing comments was offered by a junior NCO in the Oregon Medical Command, answering the question, “Why did you choose to extend?”
“Because 8 years is almost 10 years… and 10 years is almost 20 years… so basically I am almost done! No, in all honesty, I enjoy my time in the Guard. It works well for my family, I enjoy my section, and I hope to commission in the next three years.”
The annual Directors Strength Maintenance Awards Conference brings recruiting and retention professionals together to share best practices, address current challenges, and celebrate the achievements of the Army National Guard’s top recruiters and retention noncommissioned officers in charge. Networking and sharing best practices enable top recruiters to respond to rapid changes in the Army and meet the demand for new missions and critical military occupations.
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