Headquartered at the Defense Depot Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, the Harrisburg Recruiting Battalion is responsible for U.S. Army recruiting efforts connected with 43 active duty Army stations and a small number of Army Reserve commands.
Those serving in the battalion are part of a recruiting effort covering 51 (out of 67) counties in Pennsylvania consisting of more than thirty-five thousand miles.
Find information about the Harrisburg Recruiting Battalion including the main commercial and DSN numbers for the base, information on basic services, base transportation, lodging for TDY and PCSing personnel, and inprocessing.
Mission & Units
Harrisburg Recruiting Battalion, which is often referred to as Cold Steel Battalion, is basically focused on recruiting efforts–locating new prospects and “sustaining future soldiers.”
The Harrisburg Recruiting Battalion supervises recruiting efforts and is divided into seven companies with headquarters in:
- Greensburg, PA
- Carlisle, PA
- Harrisburg, PA
- Clarion, PA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- State College,PA
- Lehigh Valley, PA
History
Military recruiting efforts had to adapt and change when the all-volunteer force concept debuted in the Department of Defense. In 1969, there was a Presidential commission studying the feasibility of an all-volunteer force, four years later that concept became a reality.
Between the time of the commission and the official announcement that there would be no more military draft in 1973, the Harrisburg District Recruiting Command was established and in 1972, the new district was charged with managing 29 recruiting stations from the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia District Recruiting Commands.
The district’s responsibilities grew over time, becoming the lead for Army recruiting efforts in central Pennsylvania. Come 1977, more regions were added to the list of responsibilities including Altoona and Bedford stations. Not long after, the USAREC Harrisburg Battalion was also handling recruiting duties for the Army Reserve.
In 2008 there was a “transformation” of U.S. Army Recruiting Command and the Harrisburg operation was handed responsibility for “much of Pittsburgh Battalion” after that agency was deactivated. The recruiting efforts continue to this day with USAREC Harrisburg responsible for some 35 thousand miles of recruiting territory.
Contacts
Main Address And Phone Numbers
54 M Avenue Suite 11
Harrisburg, PA 17070
- 717-614-2203
- 800-790-0963
Important On-Base Contact Numbers
- DLA Installation Support at Susquehanna–717-770-5614
- Customer Support–717-770-4754
- Visitor Center–717-770-5653
- Pass & ID– 717-770-2865
- Branch Health Clinic Mechanicsburg–(717) 605-2636
- Defense Distribution Center New Cumberland–(717) 770-7281
- Dunham Army Health Clinic Carlisle–(717) 245-3400
- Security Dispatch–717-770-6270
- Safety Office–717-770-7233
Surrounding Area
USAREC Harrisburg Battalion is located at the Defense Logistics Agency Susquehanna. The post is between thirty minutes and three hours from other military installations including Carlisle Barracks, Raven Rock Complex, and Tobyhanna Army Depot.
There is much to explore in the area since the greater Philadelphia area, Baltimore, and New York are all within driving distance. However, traffic density can be a problem when driving during rush hours, peak tourist season, and other high-traffic times. You’ll need to consider those factors when planning off-duty travel and commutes to and from the DLA.
Travel to Philadelphia is popular–the city’s major league sports, tourist attractions including the world-famous Mutter Museum with its fascinating collection of medical oddities and curiosities. Some will be interested in visiting this city, which was the hometown for the fictional characters from the television show It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and others will come for The Shops At Liberty Place, or the Market Street Shopping District.
The installation is not far from Lancaster, PA which is well-known in the area for the Amish community there. If you want to explore the great outdoors, plan a trip to the Poconos (roughly two hours away by car) where there is plenty of hiking, nature trails, and sightseeing.
Inprocessing and Check-In
If you are PCSing to USAREC Harrisburg Battalion, DLA Susquehanna is your base and host agency. You should make arrangements with your sponsor and be sure to ask about USAREC-specific check-in procedures.
In general, soldiers assigned to DLA Susquehanna are directed to report to BLDG 430, Suite 1106, Mifflin Avenue, New Cumberland–call 717-770-8817 ahead of your arrival for directions and other important information. It is likely that your command support staff will have specific guidance for check-in procedures current when you arrive–check in with them when you arrive.
Services
Call TRICARE to discuss your region and coverage options as limited outpatient healthcare services are available on post. Those requiring medical during normal duty hours may report to the Fillmore U.S Army Health Clinic, call 717-770-7281 for information on care options. All dependents will be required to use TRICARE options in the local area; sick call for active duty military members is by appointment only.
No walk-in care is available. Care options at the clinic include:
- Family Medicine
- Mental Health
- Occupational Health
- Pediatrics
- Physical Therapy
Child Care
If you are PCSing to USAREC Harrisburg, arrange for care via the MilitaryChildcare.com official site. Due to demand, childcare registration requirements may include a waiting list; go to the MilitaryChildCare.com official site as soon as you know you have orders to the area to learn what is required to sign up
Two forms of unexpired ID are required; your ID may be required to meet REAL ID Act specification and in cases where the sponsor is not or cannot be present for ID card services, a Power of Attorney may be required in order to initiate, renew, or replace dependent IDs.
Schools
There are no Department of Defense schools here. If you live near the installation, you will likely send school age children to schools in the West Shore School District. There are multiple elementary schools, middle schools and high schools in West Shore, complete with bus service and regular bus schedules. School choices in the area include:
- Cedar Cliff High School
- Red Land High School
- Allen Middle School
- Crossroads Middle School
- New Cumberland Middle School
- Fairview Elementary School
- Fishing Creek Elementary School
- Highland Elementary School
- Hillside Elementary School
- Lower Allen Elementary School
- Rossmoyne Elementary School
- Newberry Elementary School
- Red Mill Elementary School
- Washington Heights Elementary School
- Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School
Call 717-938-9577 (the school district’s number) to learn about current transfer requirements, transcript and immunization rules. You can also get information about school year start/end dates and other important details.
Housing
Ask your sponsor about housing in the local area–the base itself provides no housing services. Additionally, the Army official site advises those assigned to USAREC battalions, “USAREC personnel and their families, may be assigned to a location where the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) does not support the local housing cost, and military housing is not available within a reasonable commuting distance from their duty station.”
In such cases, a program called the Leased Government Housing Program (LGH) was created to “prevent the (service member) from incurring excessive out-of-pocket expenses.” More information about the USAREC Leased Government Housing Program is available at the Army Recruiting official site.
PCS and TDY Lodging
There is no temporary lodging facility available, those PCSing or TDY to the local area must arrange for commercial lodging. Contact your sponsor to discuss options, availability, and commuting issues related to your stay in off-post lodging.
Transportation
There are no on-base shuttle services offered but the usual ride-sharing options are available at the closest airports. The closest airports include Harrisburg International Airport (HIA), Middletown PA, which is roughly 20 minutes away depending on traffic, time of day, etc.
Other major airports nearby: Greater Binghamton Airport and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. Traffic issues from the airports may be a factor in commuting times from the airport–discuss travel plans with your sponsor to learn what the best and most affordable options may be at the time of your arrival.
Vehicle Registration And Driver’s License
New arrivals should plan on getting directions to Gate 3 which is where all military personnel access the base. Expect 100% ID checks; all vehicles entering and leaving are subject to search. DLA requires all visitors and new arrivals to provide proof of vehicle registration, car insurance, and a current driver’s license.
Pennsylvania state law currently permits qualifying service members to “maintain Pennsylvania registration” on a privately owned vehicle but new arrivals also have an option to register the vehicle in the jurisdiction where the service member is stationed–which may or may not be the same state the car is licensed in. Ask your sponsor about the current requirements for vehicle inspections and when they are needed.