Fort Knox, KY. – On August 1, 2024, the U.S. Army Reserve welcomed its newest Non-
Commissioned Officer to the corps when Spc. Sarah Choi, 84th Training Command,
promoted to the rank of Sergeant, continuing the Army Reserve mission of being over
its authorized strength in sergeants by 3,000.
The initiative started in the spring of 2022, as a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) by
former Chief of the Army Reserve and commanding general, Lt. Gen Jody Daniels. The
initiative is aimed to increase personnel strength in specific grades by ensuring Soldiers
demonstrating potential meet all training requirements,
“As a result of hard work, and tons of potential within our specialist ranks, our average
time-in-service is steadily reducing from 6.7 years to 5.8 years,” said Lt. Gen. Jody
Daniels, in her farewell letter to Army Reserve troops, thanking them for the support she
received during her tenure.
In efforts to continue moving the bar in the right direction, Sgt. Choi, a native of Walton-
Verona, KY, went above and beyond and was promoted in 38 months.
“This means more responsibility, supposedly they say more money, Choi said jokingly,
also more opportunity for deployments.”
Choi’s family is accustomed to military service because her family moved to the U.S.
from South Korea, where it is required for men, ages 18 to 28 to serve in the South
Korean military. Duration of service varies by military branch and ranges from 21 to 36
months and exempts females from mandatory service.
“In South Korea the males are all required to join, but my family is mostly female. So, it’s
me, my sisters, my mom and aunts. They were a little surprised I joined because, I guess
traditionally, it’s a gender biased function in South Korea.” Choi said.
As for her individual journey, being the first female in her family to serve is starting to
change the perspective of her female family members.
“They see me doing it, and they are proud, but they also question why would you do
something so hard on myself.”
Choi has no plans of stopping and looks to the future and growing within the Army
Reserve. She encourages anyone thinking of joining to do so and to give it your all.
“In the upcoming years, my goal is to become a warrant officer, and I know the
opportunity is there. If you consider joining, don’t go into it with the thought that you only
have to do this once a month, I say go into it with the intention to gain as much as you can
from it, because it has so much to offer.”