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Editors’ note: The 21st TSC Public Affairs Office recently interviewed Col. Don
Howell, director of the 21st Human Resources Sustainment Center. The center officially stands up Thursday and is the third of its kind in the entire Army.
What is an HRSC and what does this organization offer the Soldiers and families here?
The Army’s Human Resources Sustainment Center ensures Theater Commands have a full spectrum of HR capabilities including plans and policies; postal operations; and reception, replacement, return to duty, rest and recuperation, and redeployment (known as R5). This requires dedicated and sustained operational control of the theater gateway arrival points to ensure sponsorship, transportation to duty locations and rapid integration of Soldiers into unit operations. The HRSC is linked to U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army G1 for HR interface in a myriad of Soldier support areas such as equal opportunity, recognition and awards
programs, and casualty operations.
HRSC’s modular design is a result of Army transformation. The 21st HRSC.europe is the third center of its kind and supports the modular Army structure by incorporating a new mission set with a less static structure that can manage and
control daily readiness and maintain a contingency capability including theater opening and postal operations with deployable HR teams.
What is your role as the director of the 21st HRSC.europe?
My role is to serve as a senior staff officer in the 21st Theater Sustainment Command and to serve as one of the senior HR leaders in Europe to ensure that our Soldiers and families are well taken care of with a full range of HR support.
I also have the responsibility for ensuring the HR community is well trained and professionally developed during their tour of duty in Europe, and I must ensure our HR Warriors are adequately resourced to meet all mission requirements. I also know that we must focus on training and developing our competencies to always be prepared and ready to deploy for any contingency mission with our war-fighting units.
I take these responsibilities very seriously and try to always lead with energy, enthusiasm and a high level of motivation. I always try to be proactive in thinking and in vision – to serve as a leader in modularity initiatives that ultimately affect quality of life.
I direct a staff of experts in postal, reception and HR readiness, and we serve the best Army in the world with the best workforce and resources, which of course comes with high expectations from the American people. I am honored to lead such a great team.
What are the benefits of 21st HRSC.europe?
Soldiers are best performers if family members are taken care of and know they are genuinely cared for by their leaders. The readiness mission – being able to fill our units with the right personnel in time to enable those units to build unit cohesiveness – is paramount to the HR business. HRSC offers the commanders direct access to a senior HR leader to get results.
What are your top three priorities as you stand up this new organization?
I have several, but foremost is to provide “world class” welcome and reception at the Frankfurt International Airport and other arrival points in Europe.
Secondly, a top priority is to provide the highest level of postal service to Europe with the most efficient and modern postal delivery processes and management.
Thirdly, to assemble a team of professional HR staff members that embraces a “Duty to Care” for Soldiers and family members – who are always searching to improve the quality of service. I am very impressed with our newest
generation of HR personnel who are “hitting the ground running” as enablers to commanders to help them in their missions.
The 21st HRSC.europe will officially activate Thursday in a ceremony at the Panzer Kaserne Parade Field at 9 a.m. For details on 21st HRSC.europe, visit www.21tsc.army.mil/ and click on the “HRSC” symbol under “Units & Directorates.” The official e-mail address is hrsc.europe@eur.army.mil and telephone numbers are 484-8489/8497 or 0631-413-8489/8497.
