NHRA attracts youth to Army

ARNEWS ^ | Spc. Zachary Unsell

[SandRat]

COMMERCE, Ga. (Army News Service, May 8, 2006) – The Army-sponsored Youth and Education Services Program left its mark on busloads of young adults at the National Hot Rod Association Drag Racing Championship in Commerce, Ga., May 5.

Created in 1989, YES uses drag racing to focus youth on education, the importance of setting goals and the realization of career opportunities.

Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Henderson, noncommissioned officer in charge of the U.S. Army Drag Racing Program, Accession Support Brigade, Mission Support Battalion, said he feels that programs like YES are very important to the Army and to growing youth.

“We talk about education and teamwork and what the Army can offer them,” he said.

The Army uses YES to connect with the public through the NHRA and the Army-sponsored drag racing team, which is composed of one top-fuel dragster and two pro-stock motorcycle racers.

“We help them foresee their future goals in life and help them achieve whatever it is that they want to achieve,” said Antron Brown, Army pro-stock motorcycle racer.

“It’s pretty cool because we’re not going there to sell them an oil filter that doesn’t work or a gimmick sparkplug. We tell them about life, and what the Army has to offer and how it can make their lives better,” Brown said.

Henderson added that using such venues as the NHRA enables the Army to connect with Americans in a relaxed manner.

“For us to be able to come out and reach the public first-hand is very important,” he said. “They get to ask all the questions they want.”

The NHRA visits 21 locations around the country each season, reaching out to surrounding schools and communities to attract anywhere from 5,000 to 15,000 kids at a time.

“We get to come out and talk to all the kids at the schools and tell them what it’s all about,” he said.

Henderson, though only being connected to the YES Program for two years, said that, from all the places he has traveled with the team and NHRA, most people have similar feeling when it comes to thoughts on the Army and thoughts about joining it.

“It opened my eyes to how people are the same wherever we are,” said Henderson. “They are interested in the Army and curious, but just unsure.”

The YES Program, in addition to promoting education and mature, adult cognition, also relates how the Army-sponsored NHRA drag-racing team shares and lives by the Army’s seven core values – loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage.

(Editor's note: Spc. Zachary Unsell writes for the 10th Public Affairs Operations Center.)

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