Guard Recruda

Catching up

2009-07-29T05:42:00.001-07:00

I really have alot to catch up on.

Out of the woodwork

2009-01-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

That describes the way recruits are forming lately. One thing for sure, the bad economy makes it great for recruiting...that is until the big guys realize it.

The National Guard is now harder ot get into than any branch. We now require a 50 or higher on the ASVAB to join. The equals femal requirements for the Navy and Marine corps. The problem is getting poeple who do this well a job they want. I have alot of cook and fueler jobs, usually taken by people with lower scores, though those are not bad jobs once you find out what they really do, especially cooks.

But I have so many people joining right now, I barely have time for my girlfriend, she even came with me to work on saturday while I swore someone in my office. Just so she could hang with me.

I hope they make the ASVAB score go back down soon, Then I will have more.

DSo my plan is roll ten enlistments or more in the next 45 days, then take the month of March off, what do ya think? Sounds good to me.

By the way, check out the blog links if you don't already. I really enjoy them, especially Mouser girl and the Female Marine page (love her pics, she has a good eye.)

Christmas Cheers

2008-12-25T19:52:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a grand Christmas.

Mine was pretty good. Went to a friend's house the night before and helped build a trainset for his little girl who loves Thomas the Tank Engine. Doing that while drinking beer and not making too much noise was kinda fun.

Then watching her open gifts the next morning was fantastic. Needless to say, mu Christmas spirit was found. My soon to be ex wife came over and we hung out, ate dinner then went to the Hockey game together, where she shot my tshirt gun while I drove the Hummer on the ice in between periods ( I do that every game, too much fun).

So all in all a good day. I will have to do a year in review for a next post which covers Recruiting and personal, since they often overlap.

2008 was a good year overall, had a couple bumps, but who's doesn't right.

I enjoyed this Christmas, and I look forward to many more.

Where's my Christmas spirit?

2008-12-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

I wish I could tell you, though I forced a little upon myself today. Recruiting has been a little tough for me this month, only got in one and working a few more that require more work than I though (waivers).

My wife moved out a couple months ago, which of course has me preoccupied. Though we still communicate regularly even though we are getting divorced, something I really don't want to do, but she refuses to go to counseling. I think she needs it as she has unresolved issues from her family. 14 years down the drain (not really, we had a lot of great times).

I was sick all last week, which of course doesn't help. I just can't find that Christmas spirit this year. I guess because I know I will spend it alone with my kitty. I have been invited to several places for Christmas, I have really thoughtful friends, but I do not wish to intrude on their family time. I would go to my sister's in NC, but I am working a marketing event for recruiting Christmas night. Lets be clear, that is my choice, Recruiting is not making me do it. Since I had no plans, I decided I would do it. It is our local minor league hockey team we sponsor that I help set up. I love it and have gotten to know allot of the regulars there. Especially the special events coordinator that I have the hots for. Since it looks like my wife and I will not get back together, I may ask her out, though she is 15 years younger, maybe she'll say yes. She pays allot of attention to me when I am around her. (that makes her 24 by the way)

Back to Christmas, I did put up a small tree, hung a few garland around the fireplace, put up my and my kitty's stockings, and put a couple things out on the dining room table. I am not a humbug, but since I do not have any kids, I guess it is harder for me to get excited. Does anyone else have the same issue?

I am not stressing on the job yet, though it does keep me busier lately. I had 3 interviews set up in which my first two no showed, such is life in recruiting. I have a few people in my "funnel" so it will all work out in the end. I may have had the most enlistments in my area last FY, but off to a slower start this FY. Lets see if I can catch up.

I want to be in the Christmas spirit! I want to feel all giddy inside like I used to about the Holidays. maybe something will kick me in the head.

I can rant on, but there is no use.

I do hope that all who read this do have a happy holiday season, weather you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or whatever. Spend time with those you love, and be joyful. But remember the troops serving overseas. I have only spent two Christmases overseas when I was younger, boy did it make one homesick.

Doing more with less

2008-12-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

That's what we usually do in the military, more with less. But now we have reached an all time BS level in recruiting. Last year, our state was #1 in Guard recruiting in 5 of 6 categories. We rocked!! But when you succeed, you pay the price. They expect even more this FY.

Our mission has increased 26% over last year, that about 350 more recruits. But our budget has gotten cut by 47%. Now I am not saying it cannot be done, but dammit, when they take away half of our assistants (drivers, runners) and reduce marketing budget (less events, print ads etc), they expect us to increase numbers. If I have to spend more time prospecting instead of processing recruits, I am wasting valuable time. Processing recruits nowadays takes a long time. Getting background checks, gathering documents they lost, getting transcripts etc. Its can be time consuming, especially if they need waivers. All four of my current recruits need some type of waiver. Two for traffic tickets and 2 for minor law violations.

We already have issues for finding jobs, they are all taken. I have plenty of fuelers, cooks and truck drivers, but if they want almost anything else, It is hard to find a position. When we recruit, we fill positions within the state, not just any old job you want, like in the Active Army. They can get any job they want, they just keep saying they wont join until they get it. If qualified, they usually get it.

Now I was the top recruiter in my area last year, by one enlistment, so the pressure is on for me to perform again. While I did over produce, I would like to take more leave this FY. I took 12 days leave last year. I have 65 on the books right now. I need to burn some and take more vacation. It's time I did my job and took care of me.

Do more with less....yes sir, yes sir...three bags full.

Great Tri care news

2008-12-02T19:19:00.000-08:00

I found out some great info on Tri Care Reserve Select. In case you don't know, reservists and National Guardsmen can get basically the same coverage as Tricare standard and extra at a fee. When the program was introduced in 2005, the fees were $81 for an individual and $251 for family coverage.

But now the coverage has been reduced...by alot. While the old costs were affordable compared to most others in the market, the prices are now MUCH more affordable. New costs are $47.51 for an individual and $180.17 for a family.

WOW!!!

Apparently the general accounting office noticed the premiums were too high compared to actual costs and recommended the changed. So int he 2009 Defense authorization act, the premiums were lowered and go into effect Jan 1. There are no provision for refund of past premiums. Which is fine. So now more soldiers and their families will be able to afford the coverage, and still have money in their one weekend check.

With the economy the way it is, more people will see the military as a source of income and livelihood, and some of these benefits sure make the pot sweeter.

Recruiting will be tad easier if these trends continue.

BTW, I plan on blogging more regularly. I hope I can continue like I want.

Another Solider Loss

2008-12-01T19:18:00.000-08:00

A short but sad story.

We have a unit that has been getting ready for a mission in Afghanistan for the past 45 days at Ft Pickett. They were given a week off of leave before shipping to Camp Shelby yesterday for train up. Leave started last Sunday.

SPC Petty, an Iraq war veteran, was riding his motorcycle running here and there, probably saying his final goodbyes, or just running errands, when he ran into the back of a tractor trailer. He was married two weeks prior.

My point of this is that you never know when your time is up. I am sure his family was worried about his upcoming mission in the mountains of Afghanistan rooting out the Taliban on the Pakistani border. They never thought he would be killed on a week's leave just a few miles from home.

His funeral was yesterday, the day the unit had a Farewell ceremony. He will not make the mission, maybe because God has another mission for him.

God speed, SPC Petty.

Obama Wins!!!

2008-11-05T04:23:00.000-08:00

God help us all.

Hide your guns and your wallets, he's coming for them.

Untimely Death

2008-10-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

Last night, a good friend's daughter was involved in a tragic accident near her college campus. She was 18 years old and a freshman at the college. The driver was drunk. She is on live support with no chance of coming back. She was ejected from the vehicle at 10:20 last night. The driver and passenger are ok. Her spinal cord was seperated from her brain.

They are keeping her alive long enough (hopefully) so her dad, who is serving in Afghanastan, can come home to say goodbye to his little girl.

This makes me angry because someone else's disregard for life has killed a beuatiful young lady who was just beginning her life. I hope the guy they killed her, doesn't think of coming to the funeral. I don't think I can keep her Army dad from killing him. Sarah will be missed I am sure, I don't know how her mom will make it. her only saving grace is her other daughter, who is like 4.

Please, talk to your kids often about drunk driving and getting in the car when someone is drunk. Talk to them until you are blue in the face and are a pain in the ass.

Be with the Angels, Sarah, be with the Angels.

Support our troops??

2008-10-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

Maybe I am reading way too much into this. Let me first say, I am disappointed in our selction for president this time around. I do not think either major candidate will lead our country in the direction I think it needs.

Now to my point. I spent the last ten days manning a booth at times at out state fair. As usual, lots of people come by, shake my hand and thank me for what I do and what I stand for. Then, one of my office partners told me to pay attention to who shakes our hands. As the night wore on, I did notice something. People wearing Mccain stickers, or carrying McCain signs stopped, said Hi and shook my hand. Lots of people wearing no political stickers shook my hands.

You know where this is going, right?

Not ONE, I say again, not ONE person carrying an Obama sign, wearing ans Obama sticker, came by and shook my hand,or my office partners hand over a ten day period.

WTF??

I guess the Obama supporters don't support troops. yes, they stopped by the table and helped themselves to my goodies, and then carried on. Some said hi, but most did not.

Now I am not saying that every Obama supporter does not support troops, I know many if not most do ( I would hope). But this does, however, give me reservations about Obama supporters. Is part of the "change" is not to support the troops anymore?

I am just asking. Of course this was not a scientific research, based solely upon the observations by me and and office mate over a ten day period.

Where does the year go?

2008-09-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know I suck for not writing more, not that I have anyone that reads this. So here we are with two weeks left in the FY for recruiting and I finally take vacation. I was done with mission in July, but still put in one a month so I wont roll a donut, I just hate not looking like I earned my paycheck. Second year in a row where we are doing so well recruiting, they are begging us to slow down to we don’t go over a 103% strength, that’s the limit congress has set on the Guard. So they get waivers and do nothing with them, they make it so only those with 50 or above on the ASVAB can enlist, and encourage us to take leave, which I have. So today I started 10 days of vacation, what will I do with myself? Spend some time with my new girlfriend? Play lots and lots of Call of Duty 4? Lots of Golfing? The answer is …yes, yes and yes. And while at it, look for my next recruit.

Take for instance, this Friday I am going with my JROTC class to an air show practice in Virginia Beach. Then next Friday, taking a Howitzer to their HS football game and fire it when the home team scores. It’s a country school, only the cows will be startled.

I will work a little on my next big marketing thing, I just got the word that we got the contract signed to sponsor, I mean advertise at the local minor league hockey team. Which is a great way to get us known out there, since we get overshadowed by the Army base.

Race weekend was fun, lots of Dale Jr stuff was given out, and I got to watch the race from a corporate suite, thanks to a recruit’s father who wanted someway to say thanks for taking care of his son. Much nicer than in the stands.

I will end up top recruiter in my area, and probably #7 or 8 in the state. Not bad for a slug like me. My secret? Have fun, do fun stuff and be myself. I show what the Guard is by living the Army values and being PART OF THE COMMUNITY. It works for me. I am now even working on being a substitute in my main school about once every other week. How is that to build credibility? The principal was all for it.

Ok, I will try to do more, but no promises. Next year will hopefully be a lot more fun. I know it will. My mission is less, because we did so well last two years, we are kinda full. Wish the Army had that issue. We can make our standards higher and get better quality than quantity. Go figure.

Alaska... words can't describe.

2008-07-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

All I have to say is ..WOW. Alaska was so beautiful and awesome. The cruise was great, the hike to the glacier was fun. Nothing negative to say about this trip. Yes, it cost me a month's salary, but it was awesome.

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Click the pic for more pictures. Some are taken in Seattle, since thats where our cruise started. I HIGHLY recommend going to Alaska if you ever have a chance. Plan well and know what you want to do.

Have fun, I did.

Off...to a far away land

2008-06-13T04:43:00.000-07:00

Don't mean to brag, but I will. Off to a cruise to Alaska today. I promise to tell you if it was worth it plunking down a months salary on this vacation. I am also taking my mother for her 60th Bday, and its my wife's and I 14th wedding anniversery.

Take care, I promise to post pics of that darn global warming. Goal.. Me sunbathing on a glacier. LOL

A very Ignorant Major

2008-06-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

I got told a little story from one of my JROTC instructors today. Apperently I am not in the US Army. Lets see, it says US Army on my uniform, Army on my ID card, I have a US Army motor vehicle operator card, I just recieved another US Army good conduct medal last August and I have abide by US Army regulations.

The conversation started because a Active Army recruiter was going to bring a rock wall to a school event, and since he didn't have anyone to help him ( really, they just aren't supporting him) I offered myself and my aid to help him out, since it was going to benefit the studnets we support. He was told that was a no go and that we could not operate their vehicles. So my JROTC instructor called the major and asked him to explain why USAREC (the recruiting command) could not support this event. After giving a alot of excuses, the instructor said that we could help out with transport etc. His response was something along the line of, "Well, they aren't Army" When the instructor assured him we were, he said something along the line of " Well, you know, the real Army".

WTF!!!

I dare him to go overseas and tell that to one of the thousands of Guard troops who are out there fighting and dying in Iraq that they are not the real Army. Anyone who wears ACU's are in the Army. Yes, I am active Guard, but I am a US Army Soldier who is proud to serve.

God forbid I ever meet this Major, I might have to give him a copy of the Army values: Loyalty, Duty, RESPECT ( hmm he missed that one) selfless service, honesty, integrity and personal courage (he might need that last one, hehe).

Proud Moment as a recruiter

2008-06-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

Today was on of those proud days I have as a recruiter. My prime high school had its Spring awards today and I was asked to recognize those that joined that Guard and are off to college. The principal wanted me showcase the college money during the presentation. He is a big supporter of myself and what the Guard has to offer. Anyways, one by one I called down my seven Seniors who are Guard soldiers, talked about their job, their money for college ( GI bills and tuition assistance), and bonuses. The least college money was $57,000 and the most was $70,000. The student body cheered them like they were superstars on the sports teams.

It made me proud that these students joined our team and are all bound for college. In 5 years a few will be Second Lieutenants and I will be saluting them. After the ceremony, many other students were coming up to them and myself asking how can they get the same thing. Hopefully that means I will be busy this summer enlisting more soldiers. God knows I need the help, I rolled my first donut in along time last month, but already rolled 2 this month, so I need two more still. I will be on leave for 10 days this month (going to Alaska) so that decreases my operating days. But I will prevail, I usually do as long as I retain a positive attitude.

Boy, I can be such an ass.

2008-06-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

I bet you don't hear that from too many senior NCO's, but I am here to tell you, I can and lately have been one. While I may often see this a little, it takes a real friend to point it out to you.
My problem is, I call it like I see it in nmy office. While I am not the supervisor, I am senior to most in there and the other E-7 doesn't exactly ooze leadership. He's a great guy and I love him like a brother, but like I said I call it like it is. I put my nose where I shouldn't. Most of the time, my concern is legit, but I need to let my office mates do their own thing and if they struggle, they canhandle it.

I hate time wasters at work, and ineffeciency, which are main reasons why I get on the other NCO's in my office, but it is not my place to correct them with the exception that I am a senior NCO, a leader in the office, and I just have certain expectations. the problem is, in the National Guard recruiting, we are too lax, and get away with too much. However, we also out recruit the US Army and our state leads the nation. However, I know my office can do better than we do.

It is a delema on my part. I want to help, but will no longer unless I am asked. Even then, I will probably send them to the other E7 for assistance, let him lead for a bit. There is alot more to this story, but I don't want to bore you.

Point is, even though one is technically profeciant, and is often the problem solver, don't offer to solve issues unless directly asked or it is directly your responsibility. God I miss leading and taking care of soldiers, maybe thats my issue.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I need to get back into it. It will help me thru my days. Recruiting overall is going well, and I have stories to share, so I shall start sharing them.

Thanks for reading, expect more often.

RIP Ruth, You'll be missed

2008-03-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am writing about Ruth. Ruth was a member of my American Legion Post. She was wheelchair bound and she was a hero to many. She was an Army Nurse during WW2. here is her story.

Ruth Motter Puryear volunteered for military service in 1943.
Three days into the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II, Army Lt. Ruth Motter Puryear went running down the ramp of a transport pointed at Omaha Beach and sank into water over her head.
Two soldiers came to the aid of the petite Army nurse. With one on either side holding her out of the water, she made it safely to shore, where she scooped up a handful of sand that became a cherished memento, said her daughter, Robin G. Puryear of Atlanta.
Mrs. Puryear, who also would serve in the Battle of the Bulge and be among the first Army nurses to enter the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany, died Friday in a veterans hospice facility.
She will be honored Sunday at a funeral at 2 p.m. at the Huguenot Chapel of Woody Funeral Homes, 1020 Huguenot Road. Burial will be at Dale Memorial Park.
The 96-year-old native of Hanover, Pa., graduated from the Garfield Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Washington after an aunt advised her to learn to do something in which she could take care of herself.
On the return leg of a cross-country trip, she saw Robert Mason Puryear plowing behind a mule near his Boydton home. They married in 1937 and moved to Richmond.
They volunteered on the same day for military service in 1943. He left for the Pacific with the Navy. She sailed for England with the Army Nurse Corps.
After coming ashore in France on June 9, 1944, Mrs. Puryear served with the 107th Evacuation Hospital, which followed the Allied advance toward Germany.
By Dec. 10, her unit had set up their tents at Clervaux, Belgium. On the night of Dec. 16, she and a tentmate were readying themselves for the camp's holiday party. As they chatted across the blanket-walls dividing the unit's toilet facilities on the edge of the camp, Mrs. Puryear suddenly shushed her companion. She could hear voices -- voices speaking in German, her daughter said.
"We've got to get out of here!" she told her tentmate. They ran back into camp to find that the party had evolved into an emergency evacuation. The Battle of the Bulge had begun.
"We left everything," Mrs. Puryear recalled in a 1994 Richmond Times-Dispatch interview. "All our clothes, our supplies. We just had on what we had on and left. We left everything except our patients."
In subzero weather, they loaded 400 wounded onto trucks -- 12 to 14 to a truck -- and to the tops of Jeeps, her daughter said.
At one point, they set up their hospital in a French ch?teau.
"They set up the morgue on the lawn. They put planks on the steps and drove their Jeeps into the grand hall. The ballroom was the operating room," her daughter said. "My mother said she was hanging IVs and plasma bottles on the horns of the animal heads mounted on the wall."
During another stop, a 7-year-old boy wounded by shrapnel in his shoulder was brought to their unit. The surgeon said they'd have to amputate his arm, "but my mother got in the surgeon's face with her bandage scissors and said, 'Don't you dare cut off his arm. He'll need it to rebuild his country,'" her daughter said. The grown-up boy and Mrs. Puryear had a joyful reunion in 1986.
Horror was in store on April 22, 1945, as she was among the first Army nurses to enter Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany.
"I shall always remember the heaps of dead bodies lying near the crematorium, the bodies were skin and bones, many had black and blue marks and broken bones where they had been beaten," she wrote in a unit history. She was mortified to see children's bodies stacked like firewood, her daughter said.
"Even more horrible . . . was the sight of the 'living skeletons' that we saw in rat-infested buildings. They [the prisoners] were all too weak to walk . . . some were children 5 to 15 years old," she wrote.
After the war, she worked as a civilian nurse until she retired in 1973. Spurred by the memory of unwanted children stacked high at Buchenwald, she and her husband decided to adopt "a child that nobody wanted" -- her daughter, Robin.
Her husband died in 1967.
For about 10 years, beginning in the 1980s, Mrs. Puryear accepted invitations to speak about her experiences. As time went on, her focus shifted from talks about life as a World War II nurse to bearing testimony to the reality of the Holocaust.

I didn't realize how much of a hero she was until about a year ago. I knew she was an Army Nurse but never knew of her exploits until she told me to sit and she told me about the concentration camp.

Ruthie.... you will be missed. I am sorry I missed your funeral.

Family Treasure

2008-01-06T20:08:00.000-08:00

I recently got handed down to me various family artifacts. Among them was my great grandfather's Great War stuff. He enlisted with the 38th INF Div in Indiana in December 1916. He was a medic and arrived in France one week before the war ended. So while he saw no action, he did endure struggles of the times and the occupation after. I know as soldier how we complain while traveling during a deployment, but back then, they would go 2-3 days without food rations. They would live off what they carried which was often not much. My great grandfather Vance, kept a diary during his time. I also got all the letters and postcards he traded with his fiance/wife. They married while he was training at Camp Shelby, Miss during a time she visited. The letters were never hot and steamy, they were very formal and talked about everyday stuff. They wrote at least three times a week.

The documents of Vance's I got were awesome. It included a letter from Gen Pershing, who was Commander of the American forces, a letter from King George, and original morning reports. The letters were copies of the day, but are still awesome, as I have never seen them before. I also got his complete uniform except for the "drill sgt" style hat they wore of the day. I did get his helmet, jacket , real leather leggings, and his dog tags. I put alot of the stuff in a shadow box for display in my home. I have a military wall of all in my family who has served in the military of past. I am the only one of my generation of family (both sides) in the military. How sad is that?

Anyways, here is a linktr>SGT Vance Lewis WW1"> to a bunch of photos of what I got and the shadow box.I know most of us currently in the military keep our stuff, but what happens to it over the years? I am lucky I have a great aunt who took care of family treasures and kept them safe for future generations. Now I will keep them in good shape so future generations of my family will know of him. With two WW1 Vets left alive in the USA, it is important we keep their memory alive of what they did foe us.

Green card Soldiers

2007-12-05T04:12:00.000-08:00

Couple of nice tidbits I realized recently. I interviewed a gentleman a couple years ago who immigrated here to the US when he was 11 yrs old. I did not understand his status because he was working but did not have a green card as of yet. He was 31 and wanted to serve in the military since he had been here for 20 years and wanted to "give something back". I was not able to work with him because he lacked a green card, plus I was also thinking he thought he could get his green card if he joined. He was working legally due to his status somehow, I don't understand all the alien statuses, maybe I should work on that.

Anyways, two years had passed since I met with him and I get a phone call from him. He told me that he now has his green card and he would now like to join. Awesome! So I started processing him to be a mechanic. H e has had a medical stopper that needs to be cleared, but soon he will be a soldier.

What I learned from this is never assume some one's motivations. While I am a staunch supporter of immigration reform to include securing our borders, there are many people that come here in some sort of legal status and most will contribute positively to our society.

Which brings me to my next recruit, Charles. Charles immigrated legally to the US 5 yrs ago from Kenya. he learned English there and graduated high school there. He went through a 5 year process to immigrate here legally with his wife. When he got here he got a GED so he was able to show employers his understanding of the English language. He is 40 yrs old, has 2 young children and now wants to join the military. When I met with him, he said he came across our web site from a search engine as he was researching military information, he did not know the difference between Guard and active, so I told him about both. He has always had an interest in the military and his wife supports him fully. One thing he told me was the isolation he and his African friends felt. They feel they don't get the same information, but granted, its out there, you just need to know how to look. So, like any good recruiter, I asked him if any of his friends would like to look into this, he said off hand he knew of four to five that would probably like this. Immigrant communities are tight knit and usually do not let outsiders in to their peer group, but once you get in and gain their trust, you can reap the benefits (marketing 101) So Charles is testing today and if all goes well, he will be in boots by end of the month, being 40 yrs old, he has extra medical stuff to go through, so it will not be a quick one. MEPS is really slow in that area.

So remember, we do have a number of green card holders in the military that serve honorably to protect our freedoms we are spoiled on and protect their new found freedoms, even though by joining the military, you give up alot of freedoms sort to speak. I even knew a Iranian who actually served in the Iranian military before immigrating to the US legally, I served with him on a mission for a year. Great guy.

So, whenever one deals with an immigrant alien, I stress look past stereotypes and put them in boots. If you them right, they may help you make mission the next couple months without working hard to find them.

Please share any thoughts!!

Recruit the recruiter

2007-12-02T19:49:00.000-08:00

That's exactly what I ended up doing. We had one of the recruiters in my office quit in October, yes you can do that in the Guard. Anyways, I met this teacher at one of my high schools who is a substitute for the JROTC. Nice guy, did 9 years in the Corps, is 40 and still in good shape. His senior instructor was joking one day while I was there that he should get a gig like mine. The comment was made that those opportunities do not arise often. Well, I stepped in, talked to him a bit, pulled his scores and he was qualified. So I made my move. Two weeks later, I had him his physical and enlisted. He starts tomorrow. He is so pumped that he is not waiting for his uniforms to come in, he came with me to the PX and spent $200 to get a complete set of ACU's. Motivation, I love it.

I look forward to working with him, his personality will blend in nicely with the four of us already here, he has no apparent baggage that will wear him down like the last guy who left. The last guy has marriage issues, ex wife, baby's momma he was still in love with etc etc.

This also brings to light a trend that I see in the recruiting world, at least in my world, "older" citizens, particularly men, want to serve. I get alot of prior service people as old as 50 want to serve again. Some of the older guys don't cut it medically, but our office has succeeded in putting a couple nearly 50 guys. Granted, they are not combat troops, but the desire to serve, even part time is there.

I am also speaking to alot more 30 somethings about military service. they call me and some end of joining. The oldest person I have enlisted who never served was 38 and went to be a medic. I am excited about this trend, I do tell them about having much younger guys as their NCO's and they are not phased. They come from all walks of life, family guys, single, divorced, laborers and professionals. Their reason for joining usually is service to country or they want a change of career field and look to the military for the training.

The area I see the most lacking is the 23-29 age frame. Most of these young men think they are above military service and I have met some pompous asses for sure. I do find good one in the mix though.

Be assured readers, that as long as I am recruiting, there will be qualified good people who will enlist to protect our freedoms for years to come. They know what they are getting into and no one has ever accused me of lying or hiding something from them.

Till I blog again( I promise it wont be so long)

Loss of a Hero

2007-10-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

Received some bad news on Friday. One of our Guard soldiers was killed in Baghdad on Oct 25, from a "penetrating IED". Four others in the hummer where critically injured. I did not know him, but he was about my age and assigned to a the Engineering Battalion that I recruit for. This is the third Virginia Guardsman killed this year. The two others were killed when their Blackhawk was shot down, killing all aboard. I knew one of them by acquaintance. Our state went two years without a deployment death in 2005 and 2006. Seven Virginia Guardsman have died since 2002, two in Afghanistan and five in Iraq. Two were killed in that Christmas time mess tent explosion 2005.

The shaped charge screams Iran made all over it. I believe we will have to deal with that in the near future as well.

I bring these up because it brings back to light the issue every recruiter deals with. Fear of deployment and the thought of getting killed or injured. While I do not downplay the fear, I try not to making it a focus of joining the military. I do address directly. That is the chance we take choosing to serve. We do not have a safe job by any means. yes its great to join the Guard and get all these great benefits, but I never let them forget why we are around. I don't want to scare a young to be warrior, but it is something they will have to deal with and think about if they choose to join our team. Many continue to join, there are no short supply of recruits. Most of my recruits find me before I find them. That's the way it should be, men and women wanting to serve, not me chasing them down asking if they want to join.

October is on track to be the lowest death rate in Iraq yet this year. That would be continued decline since summer over all. Hopefully the surge is working, which it seems to be, and we are taking their will to fight out of them. I do long for the day our troops will all come home, but I hope we do when the job is done and not a day before.

Pray for our troops, pray for the families of the ones we lost so that they may have the strength to continue on.

FY07... the forgotten.

2007-10-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well, FY07 is behind me. I finished the year above mission and looked like a hero. But now that the new recruiting year has started, I am back to zero. What I did last year does not matter.

As I look back at my enlistments, some were hard, some were easy, but one thing is for sure, I am very proud to enlist all of them but one. The one I am not proud of is a dirt bag, he was joining for the wrong reasons, but whom am I to deny him, if I didn't enlist him someone else would have. He wasn't a criminal or anything, just a dirt bag in general, he had served before, I knew him when he was in before so I judged him appropriately. But he was a number and that's how I treated him.

Alot of my enlistments were to help pay for their college. Some joined to serve their country. And some joined to get some good training, usually mechanics. All of them understood the risks of possible deployments overseas, and they accepted the risks. I hope they are still willing when the call comes for their turn in a combat zone. None yet have come to me asking me how to get out of going to boot camp or anything, they have stayed pretty motivated and the ones that have come back from training have all had positive things to say about their experience. One thing they tell me is that it is exactly as I told them it would be, from the good, bad and ugly.

Not only did I exceed mission, two of my office mates exceeded as well and one just made mission on the last day of the year. Our fifth is new and fell short a couple, but he should do fine. So it was a great year for our team.

I look forward to another year in recruiting, I am already about to roll my first for the year, and should hit three enlistments this month.

We have our awards banquet in a couple weeks, we shall see how I fare. I don't expect much, just a overproduction award for the quarter and year. I do not wish to win the big stuff, then they come to expect it all the time, and I do have a family to hang out with, so recruiting does not consume all my time. This is not USAREC!! Thank-god.

Dale Jr is our boy!

2007-09-20T22:03:00.000-07:00

Great news came out yesterday, Dale Jr, will drive the number 88 car sponsored by the National Guard and Amped energy drink. The most recignized name will be associated with our great organization! I don't know what this will do to recruiting, but it will sure bring the Guard to the lime light with him on our team!!

Can't wait until next year when the race comes thru town and I get to take around the Jr car. I like the last two cars design better, more patriotic, but the publicity and excitement he generates is is more than I can do by myself. Marketing just got a bit easier for me.

New view of California.

2007-09-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

Last week I took some well deserved vacation. I already achieved mission for recruiting, so my wife and I ventured out to Northern California where my mother now lives. She lives in a suburb of San Francisco, the armpit of liberalism, which I despise. I saw things like medical marijuana clinic ads, lots of advertisements for houses of sin, etc, etc. However, the country side is beautiful! I went to redwood forests, wine country, the northern coastline, isolated lighthouses and even went to Santa Cruz to check out the coveted Mystery Spot. So I decided I would stop campaigning for California to form their own country and secede from the Union. L.A. can do so.

Now one thing I did see was a lot of protests to stop the war, wasn’t surprised there, but I did see a protest hat shocked the hell out of me. I saw protesters with signs to secure our borders!! In California!! There is hope for that state yet. There are people who understand what’s going on and they live there. Yeah for conservatives in California!!

With that said, if you have never visited California, do so, but make it northern California though. Go see the coast, the Golden Gate Bridge and other out of the way places like Point Arena. You will not be sorry.

PS: the above picture won me 2nd place in the state Fair photo contest for "scenec". I got some skillz, woo hoo

Boy, Is USAREC gonna hate me...

2007-08-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

So I am sure of all those in the recruiting world have heard that the Guard is going to start recruiting for the active duty as well under a "Active First" program. From the looks of it, a recruit can join the Guard, go active from 30-48 months then go back to the Guard or stay active. I think this is great. We know we will have another Guard member in the future and we fill a need in the active side. The Guard is better at recruiting than active, no fault of their own, most Active army recruiters are forced to recruiting, while Guard is ALL volunteer. In my office we have five recruiters, while the active has 12 to cover the same area. And we out perform them most months. The Army is really good at retaining folks though, we have issues sometimes because of limits in Senior NCO's, it makes keeping people in an issue sometimes.

Anyways... So now I will directly compete with USAREC, and I will win. Why?? Not because I am a better recruiter, because I can guarantee an MOS unlike active, they can sorta but not like we can. Now granted, I wont do that until they pass the ASVAB test, but I can do better than an active recruiter.

I do foresee a reduction in Army recruiters if this works as well for the Guard as I see it, and we will see better Army recruiters in the end, more that want to be there than don't.

Don't hate me USAREC, I didn't make the deal, your bosses did.

PS: is this taunting, don't want it to be.

Just slipped thru my fingers

2007-08-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

What a nice start to the month. Not really. I spent the last two weeks prepping this yuong lady to go to MEPS. her husband is in the Guard and she wanted to join also, she liked the idea and really liked the student loan payoff and the tuition assistance. She went to test on Friday night and cut a 59. Good deal, she gets the incentives she wanted with that score. Woke up at 445 am on a SATURDAY, so unlike me, and took her to physical. saturdays are good processing days because they are usually done by noon. So at 1045 I get a call, she is disqualified pending a opto (eye) consult. Darn, but I can live with that. She has a stigmatism, no big deal. So I call her husband who is on his way to watch her swear in from drill and he said he will take her home, his commander gave him the rest of the off since she was joining. So I call back to MEPS to let them know. Then the bomb dropped on me. She will not be doing the opto consult because she is pregnant!! She had no idea. being pregnant makes you ineligible to join. Now I can't be mad at a girl not joining because she's pregnant. So I called her later afetr she told her husbabnd and congratulated them both. I am not discouraged, I got one pending a medical waiver and a high school kid looks as he may join up this next week as well. wanted 3 this month though, but as always in recruiting, I will survive.

Side note, I just extended for six years!! that will take to me 22 yrs for pay and 15 yrs for full time retirement. If I didnt love it I wouldn't have done it. I dont plan on spending it all in recruiting, at least not on the street.

Homestretch

2007-08-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

July was a good month for me, like I said before, I am no superstar recruiter, but I do like to overproduce every once in a while. I was able to enlist three new recruits last month and I already got two lined up for next week.

I got one young lady in the GED plus program, I put her in a medical unit as a NBC specialist right in her hometown, and I got a high school senior in the job with her. Then I enlisted a young man who goes to college in the Infantry. I love putting soldiers in combat jobs. Especially when thetas what they want to do and I don't have to push it myself onto them. I never push a job on anyone unless they want to do something they are not qualified to do. I usually re direct their attention to a job most similar to the other and that usually works. the problem we are running into in my state is actually finding vacant jobs that need to be filled. We as a state have already made our end strength for the year and working on next years. Because we are doing so well, they cut bonuses to certain jobs and tightened the restrictions on who can get a bonus. Only 30 jobs get a bonus and whats available to women is slim unless they don't mind being in the mechanic field.

Now granted, there are many other benefits to joining besides bonus money, buts its nice to get it. I just extended my contract for 6 years and I get not one penny of bonus, in fact been in for 13 years and have received $1250 in bonus. But I didn't join for bonus either. Alot of applicants don't ask about a bonus, and when I tell them they are getting 15k or 20k, they are happy about it and think that I hooked them up. I assure them that they qualified for it and that's why they got it, not because I liked them.

I only need 2 enlistments to close out the fiscal year. Two in two months is easy. I will put in three just so I can say I exceeded mission this year. Gives me bonus that a boy points which I may need to cash in later.

Back to beat the street, work this month, relax next, take some leave to Cali to see my mom and go the see some redwoods.

One Foot...

2007-07-06T08:06:00.000-07:00

...equals 12 inches, right? I thought this was basic 2nd grade measurements. However, I guess in our great city schools, they must have taken this out of the curriculum. One of my office partners was helping out an applicant who had scored a 30 on the ASVAB, being one point shy, he wanted to see where he was weak at. During the course of going through the four main sections, it was found that he was hurting in word problems. So the recruiter gave him a sample problem that dealt with measurements. He asked the applicant, "How many inches in a foot?" The applicant said he did not know, nor how many feet where in a yard, but knew how many yards were in a football field. Now, keep in mind, this is a high school GRADUATE, that does not know simple measurements. I don't think this kid would get one answer right on the show Are you smarter than a fifth grader? He clearly is not. I wish we did not have to enlist people who are idiots. It does not mean they will not make good soldiers, but they obviously wont make great soldiers.

One more quick story...

I have a kid crying at the airport because he is stressed about his girl while he goes away for 7 weeks to AIT. he already did Basic last summer and did fine. Now he is talking about going AWOL because he is stressed. Stressed??? Some kids are such pansies, I told him I didn't think he would make a good CAV Scout anyways, they want MEN, not boys whop cry about their 16 yr old girlfriend. Did I mention he was 19? God give me strength and find real Americans to help our country and community. He did great in basic and was real motivated. Problem is, if he quits, there is no real recourse. They just discharge him, of course he gives up 44k in college money and 15k bonus and lots of GI bill money 309+200 X 36=$$$$$$. Lots. But if hes weak, then I don't want him in the Guard. Is that bad of me?

Third quarter is a bust

2007-07-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

In recruiting its easy to go from hero to zero, and this time I am a zero. Second quarter I was 140% of mission for the quarter and over 100% for the year so far. As of yesterday I am 50% for third quarter (which just ended) and down one for the year. Go figure that one. I had such a bust rate at MEPS this quarter, people fessing up for stuff they didn't bother to tell me, even after scrutiny by office partners.

I am also still waiting on a waiver I submitted June 12, and for some reason still hasn't made it way to NGB. When I ask why, I get a bunch of excuses. But according to my NCOIC, its my fault for not making sure it got there. "Squeaky wheel gets the grease" he says. Well, I guess they must be out of grease, cuz I wasn't squeaking, it was more of a roar.

So anyways, my NCOIC are going to have a conversation about my production. Mind you, they took away 2 of my producing schools and my best zip code to recruit out of to give it to another NCOIC's area for a zip code that has a crappy school, 20% can pass the ASVAB, in a deal that we definitely got a short end of the stick, especially me. So I have 1/2 the area that I get auto leads from and only one school worth anything. I have 2 schools, one is a silver mine, not quite gold, and the other is an inner city school, where we tested 30 kids, and one passed, and she was 300 lbs with asthma and one leg. Now granted, I can achieve my mission, I plan on making 150% this quarter. I will have one this week, if this applicant would have enlisted last week I would not be in a hot seat. But she had drama at home. No drama this week, that makes one down, and 2 to go for July. One lined up as soon as he clears meps with his over 40 yr old stuff and a few more on on the fringe. I will once again be a hero soon enough. Hero means more time for golf in the morning and my NCOIC never visits me.

Wish me luck and good hunting.

The shame...

2007-06-12T05:38:00.001-07:00

I know I havent blogged in a while, I will catch up soon.

But this is just down right pathetic. More Guard soldiers screwing up.

Slow start..

2007-05-13T15:31:00.000-07:00

...to the month. Not one enlistment yet, but got one on the floor Tuesday, a high school junior who is going Infantry, hooah. he is going to do boot this summer and then AIT after he graduates. Great thing about the Guard and reserves is split option. Then he will help me identify his friends that will go in the guard during his senior year. Him being in JROTC is a big help. Got two more to go this month for sure, two JROTC cadets from the same school as the other. that will make five cadets this year from the same school. Trying to get one more so I can have a rockin month since I am takin time off for leave in June.

Recognized!!

2007-05-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, we had this big event going on in town over the last few days, and being the marketing guy for my station, I organized alot of stuff, many displays, manned them, school visits, helped with the national MET team (our mobile event team)and helped with VIP's and such. Big to do around these parts. With exception of the weather it went off without a hitch.

Anyways, one of the MSG's that works for the National marketing praised me to the NGB SGM of R&R (recruiting and retention). Well, he tracked me down and presented me with a very cool coin.

Anyways, I was very pumped about it, I actually earned this coin, wasn't given tome because I was at the right place right time, etc. I like this coin better than my CNGB 3 star coin or my other 3 star coin from a NGB big wig.

Just thought I would gloat for a bit. Now I need to put some soldiers in boots. haven't enlisted anyone since April 10, but I am still ahead of mission, (woohoo). But will probably have 4 in by months end, 3 non prior service and one prior service. That will keep me well ahead so I can enjoy some leave in June.

Hooah!!

Office partner #1

2007-05-02T05:23:00.000-07:00

I work with four other NCO's. Like any good office, we all have distinct personalities. This time I will let you all know about my fellow SFC. He is a former marine who converted to the Guard for recruiting. If you have ever seen "Bob" from the Enzyte male enhancement commercials, you have met my partner in crime, "The Gman". He is always smiling, and at first seems fake with his always positive attitude and such, but believe me it is real. He is also the only guy I know who wears the Army issue foliage green underwear. He will not wear any other color in uniform. He is OCD to the max, and it is too funny. When we first combined offices, (they closed his and moved him to mine) he would work every night until no earlier than 7 pm. Big deal right, Usarec usually works more. But if he had nothing to do, had made mission by the 15th, he would still be there. I did break him of that habit, and he is there past 1730 without and appointment coming in, I give him a hard time. I am sure his family appreciates it.

Gman is also the only recruiter I know who can never leave his desk, which he rarely does, never make a cold call, never have his coffee cup less than half full, and still make mission plus every month. Hows he do it? Referrals from inside and outside of the Guard. He used to be in sales before recruiting, and this guy knows everyone! Gotta love him. I can only hope to get that way with COI's and recruit referrals. So in our office Gamn is the "Lead generator from hell" Heck, he's only been to his High school twice this school year, granted has not enlisted a HS kid yet, but he does specialize in the over 40 crowd, usually prior service. It got so "bad" that one unit gave him a walking cane with an label "presented tot he geriatric recruiter of the year! Too funny!!

Look for more in the future of my office mates.

Out like a Lamb, in Like a Lion

2007-05-02T05:07:00.000-07:00

That is how I describe the change in recruiting from April to May. I only rolled one for the month of April when it ended Monday, but I am still ahead for the year. But I have 3 committed ready to roll next week. Do not foresee any issues, and I have been doing this long enough I, rarely lose anyone at MEPS anymore. My goal is for this month, which will have me set year to date up until July. Nice thing to be ahead in recruiting.
This week is race week in my town and that means busy busy busy. We do race week a little different than the Army, they have a multi million dollar interactive carnival at the track. They get a billion leads, or so they think. Now don't get me wrong, law of averages, they will get a few enlistments out of it, but the dollars spent per enlistment is huge, and they probably would have most of those anyways. We have our National show car, take it to high schools, show it off and get some leads that way. Like the Army, kids will fill out a lead card just to get free stuff, them Mom yells at us when we call, fun fun. Then we will be by the Army for a display at the race track on race days. Hmm, people will be confused, two Army displays? So I have to come up with a way to set us apart, since we wear the same uniform and all.

Race week overall is fun, lots of leads to filter through and hopefully get that 1% enlistment rate. Plus other benefits are good, pit passes, hopefully tickets to the Busch race, I give Nextel tickets to COI's, pays back big time. Lots of nice looking country girls who love Nascar and soldiers want to show their appreciation, who am I to Say no?

All this and a paycheck, who can complain! Hooah

God Bless America

2007-04-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Ted Nugent.

My first blog

2007-04-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is my first blog outside of myspace, I was inspired by other recruiters out there such as SGT Lori and Station Commando. I will post about my days in recruiting as I go thru the rollercoaster of emotions this job has.

Guard recruiting is a job I hate some weeks and love the next. It is by far the most challenging job I have ever had. Like most if not all Guard recruiters, I volunteered for this job, there was a need and I filled it. I did it after a 18 month "deployment" to FT Meade, MD for Noble eagle duty. Volunteering for recruiting is not for everyone, I do not recommend to everyone either, it can have long days, weeks, and nights. I have been down as much as four, and up as much as four. Right now this is my best year, I am up 3 right now for mssion year to date and soon to be up 4. Good thing about Guard recruiting is that we have a yearly mission and if we over produce, it carries on to next month. Now that doesnt mean I get to slack the next month (much). I am still expected to get 2 a month, but if I don't, there is no negative counseling statement.

This FY, most of my enlistments are prior service applicants, some have been out as much as 15 years and want back in. Last year, it was all High school kids for me, I even got a High school recruiter award for the year.

Let me make one thing clear, If I worked as hard as I think I do, I would be a great recruiter. I am a decent recruiter, in my office of 5 I am the regulation guru, I need work at closing, after almost 3 years, I still am working on it. I am probably better than I think, but I think I have been really lucky this year. I have been getting people who just WANT to join the Guard. Great for me. Maybe I can use up some of my leave that is getting close to use or lose.

Please comment on my posting and Look forward to some humuorous time in Guard recruiting.

I promise to be nice to my competetion in the field, well, I'll try anyways.