2023 - Year in Review

By: Antonio Johnson

The year 2023 was huge for PaYS - not only for the program, but for all of our partners and stakeholders who continue to support us. Thank you for being a part of this incredible community. Before we jump into 2024, let's look back at 2023's biggest accomplishments and see what we achieved together.

Program Expansion
Early in the year, PaYS introduced the initial phase of an expansion strategy that addressed low utilization rates and removed restrictions for partners. As a result, PaYS is now available to ALL uniformed Soldiers on Active Duty, Army Reserve and Army National Guard. Soldiers can now self-register for PaYS at https://www.armypays.com/PaYSReservations/auth/login and select up to five companies for a guaranteed interview. Since the relaunch in July 2023, over 2,000 Soldiers have registered for PaYS using the new/improved process.

New Partnerships
PaYS developed 105 new partnerships in 2023; making it the third consecutive year for 100+ partners. This is a significant achievement due to the expansion of the program. Some of the notable partnerships include Delta Airlines, Ford Motor Company and Micron Technology.

Signing Ceremonies
Signing ceremonies publicly recognize the partnership and create media attention to inform communities of the partner's support for Veterans. This happened 46 times in 2023 as companies proudly announced their partnership with the U.S. Army. A PaYS signing ceremony was conducted at Chicago's Soldier Field (United Airlines) and at the Pentagon (Ford Motor Company). The U.S. Secretary of the Army, Christine Wormuth served as an official for a PaYS ceremony and General Officers officiated 24 ceremonies in 2023.


"As we transition to 2024, stay tuned for more updates from the PaYS Program. With your support, we can continue to impact the Soldier/Veteran community in a lasting way. Finally, I would like to thank the marketing and IT professionals that make up the PaYS Team. It is your discipline and motivation that makes this possible." - Antonio Johnson, PaYS Program Manager

The PaYS team gathers for End of Year Training at Joint Base Langley-Eustis

By: Velvett Jenkins

The Army PaYS Program's marketing team convened for their annual end-of-year training, reflecting on the successes of 2023, and strategizing for 2024 initiatives. COL Roman Cantu, Director, TRADOC Accessions Directorate and Antonio Johnson, Program Manager, Army PaYS Program opened the session by expressing gratitude to the Marketers and the IT team at Fort Knox, KY for their hard work in aiding Soldiers' transitions and fostering innovative registration methods. COL Cantu said, "I cannot emphasize enough the thanks for the continued hard work that you all do day in and day out. The program is what it is today because of you all."

Left - Opening remarks to kick off the training session by COL Roman Cantu and Antonio Johnson

Each marketer presented detailed statistics from their areas of responsibility and received feedback from peers on best practices. Following the marketer briefs, key stakeholders such as COL Jarett Thomas, Director, Soldier for Life and Walter Herd, Director, TAP Program joined the training; providing valuable insights and collaborative efforts setting the tone for the year ahead.

Senior Marketing Analyst LaQuyin Brock contributed to the team's professional development by conducting a class on emotional intelligence. This equipped the marketers with essential skills to effectively present themselves and the PaYS brand in a communicative and impactful manner. Ms. Brock said, "The focus on emotional intelligence underscores the team's commitment to fostering meaningful connections in their outreach efforts."

Left - (l-r) Travis Carter shared an example of emotional intelligence during LaQuyin Brock’s block of instruction.

To celebrate the holiday spirit and strengthen team bonds, a friendly competition unfolded at the Fort Eustis Bowling Alley, pitting "Team Mama Bear" against "Team PM" (Program Manager), with Antonio Johnson and LaQuyin Brock leading as team captains. The week concluded on a festive note with a team breakfast at Another Broken Egg Café in Williamsburg, VA. Energized and unified, the team dispersed to their regional areas, ready to continue spreading awareness of the Army PaYS Program.

Right - "Team Mama Bear" against "Team PM"

Below - (l-r) (backrow) Antonio Johnson, LaQuyin Brock, Ja-Vell Bullard, Victor Fleming, Samuel Armstrong, Matthew Green (front row) Travis Carter, Crancena Ross, Thomas Parker, Raymond Snow, Velvett Jenkins, COL Roman Cantu

Right - Velvett Jenkins – Top Staff Member

Above - l-r: Victor Fleming – Rookie of the Year; Travis Carter – Top Marketer; Samuel Armstrong – MVP

Left - Developer Team - PM’s Game Changer Award