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 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.”

Note: Article edited March 4, 2025, to comply with federal guidance dated Feb. 26, 2025, Memorandum, "Subject: Digital Content Refresh."