DOWNEY — Last week, Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Ryan McCarthy visited Los Angles where he met with community leaders, educators, and our local Army Battalion.

He met with a select group of elected officials and educators from Downey, including then-Mayor Rick Rodriguez, Councilman Alex Saab, St. Pius Matthias Academy President Erick Rubalcava, Government Affairs Director for Financial Partners Credit Union David Kantar and Judge Dennis Saab.

The meeting was hosted by former Downey Mayor and current Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army Mario A. Guerra and CASA Janet Chin.

A civic leader and educational roundtable forum with Los Angeles County leaders followed and produced a discussion of ideas. His message was to ask for help from civic and educational leaders in helping to educate our youth about the tremendous opportunities available to them in serving the United States Army.

“You can reach your maximum potential in the Army," stated Secretary McCarthy. He wants people to think differently about the options provided to the nearly 1.4 million employees he oversees.

“Everyone assumes if you join the Army, you’re going to be a Ranger breaking down the door of a terrorist. But that’s less than one percent. You can be an airborne ranger, but you can also be a doctor, a cyber-expert, a scientist, a lawyer.” The Army is also the largest giver of scholarships in the country.

The U.S. Army features 150 operational specialties, most of which crossover to a civilian career after service. That career diversity is a focus of their new ad campaign, "What's Your Warrior?" It's working. Recruiting is up under McCarthy's leadership and the message of opportunity to our youth is spreading..

He's focused on 22 big cities, including Los Angeles, to draw different people into the Army.

McCarthy is a protege of former Defense Secretary Robert Gates. He's been appointed to the Pentagon by Presidents Bush, President Obama, and now President Trump. He avoids partisan politics but he's a fierce advocate of the defense budget.

"Whether it's Democrat or Republican, we're all Americans and nothing is more important to us than getting the best and brightest men and women in our formations and giving them the technical margin they need to win."

Secretary McCarthy is a former Army Ranger. Ryan D. McCarthy was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Sept. 26, 2019, and sworn in as the 24th secretary of the U.S. Army, Sept. 30, 2019. McCarthy was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate and appointed as the 33rd Under Secretary of the Army, Aug. 1, 2017.

As Army Secretary, he has statutory responsibilities for all matters relating to the U.S. Army, to include the recruitment, organization, training, equipping, and care of 1.4 million active duty, National Guard, Reserve Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians and their Families.