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New commander for Army recruiting company

February 10, 2015 Anthony Izaguirre

Photo courtesy of U.S. Army

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At its sprawling Fort Hamilton home, the U.S. Army Recruiting Company of North Brooklyn held ceremonies to welcome both a new company commander and a new first sergeant on February 6.

“Let’s get to work,” Capt. Raymond Klutse told soldiers after the change of command ceremony.

As the new company commander in charge of recruitment, Klutse will be tasked to find young people in parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island interested in serving in the armed forces.

“My focus will be on high schools,” the Ghana native said. “I will try to coach and guide them. This is a whole new pace for me. It’s dynamic but it’s good. I’m looking forward to learning a lot.”

“I believe the company is getting an extraordinary leader,” said Lieutenant Colonel Michael Stinnett, the commanding officer of the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion of New York City.

Separately, an assumption of responsibility ceremony ushered in First Sergeant Auston Charles as the incoming senior noncommissioned officer of the recruiting company.

“There’s a new sheriff in town,” Charles said with a laugh.

Charles’ main duties will be to support the commander and oversee the well-being of the company.

But mainly, he’s just happy to be back home in Brooklyn.

“The overall task will be the overlooking of the personnel. But I’m motivated to be back,” Charles said, after serving in North Carolina’s Fort Jackson. “Being excited to be home is an understatement.”

Both Charles and Klutse took over their positions from Sergeant First Class Jeremy Gaudet, who said performing the duties of both a company commander and a first sergeant was difficult but rewarding.

“It was a lot of responsibility at one time,” he said. “But I took it as more of an opportunity than a burden. That’s the only way to do it.

“They’re both motivated and ready to get after their mission,” Gaudet said of his successors. “The company is poised to do great things.”