Thoughts regarding recruiting duty and being competitive in your MOS...

2014-03-03T18:46:06-05:00

Below are some questions I asked a NCO who completed his 3 year tour as a detailed recruiter last year. He provided me with his answers, which I have posted here as well. The intent is to get an objective point of view from someone we'd all view as a successful NCO regardless of their MOS on their perspective of some aspects of recruiting.   1.    Were
you DA selected or did you volunteer for recruiting assignment? If you were a volunteer,
what played a key role in your decision process?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> 

Answer: “I
am a proud volunteer recruiter. The factors that played a key role in my
decision process were two combat deployments within five years and my family when I submitted my recruiter
packet. I knew that recruiting duty would give me the opportunity of staying
stateside for at least three years allowing me to spend quality time with my
family, while also providing me the opportunity of continuing my college
education. Additionally, I knew that a special assignment such as recruiting
would improve my chances for promotion to SFC and allow me to have a positive
impact on individuals who wanted to improve themselves by joining and serving
their country.”<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

2.    How
was the transition for your family and you into your new recruiting assignment
(PCS efforts and reception/integration)? Any advice for new recruiters
regarding this?<o:p></o:p> 

Answer: “The
transition for my family and me into my new recruiting assignment in terms of
PCS, reception and integration was great. I was contacted by my sponsor well in
advance and was given the chance of speaking with my sponsor over the phone
before reporting. I was also given ten days permissive TDY to settle into my
new home. As far as integration, from the start; I felt welcomed by the command
and the Recruiting Center members that I became a part of. My
advice to new recruiters would be to recognize that the command will make it
easy for you to have a positive transition and that waiting until you are fully
processed into the command to purchase or rent housing would be a wise choice. This
is wise so you are not traveling over an hour to get to your place of duty on a
daily basis. I lived within five miles of my assigned Recruiting Center and
enjoyed my short ride to and from work for three years.”<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

3.    What
were some of your major concerns regarding recruiting from a personal and
professional standpoint prior to attending the ARC and assignment within
USAREC? Were those concerns addressed by the time you ended your recruiting
assignment?<o:p></o:p> 

Answer: “Some
of my major concerns regarding recruiting from a personal and professional
standpoint prior to attending the Army Recruiter Course and assignment within
USAREC were how hard the work schedule would be and the amount of family time I
would have? From a professional standpoint, the question of if I had the skills
to be a successful recruiter crossed my mind? My concerns were addressed by the
time I ended my recruiting assignment because recruiting has the Commanding General’s
0900 to 1700 Work Hour Guidance including occasional weekend duty. I spent
quality time with my family and was given ample time off. Professionally, the
ARC, USAREC and my Center Commander provided me with all the tools and training
I needed to be a very successful recruiter. Furthermore, we conducted a Center
AAR every week, which allowed me to become a greater recruiter. Monthly company
training also allowed me to hone my skills as a recruiter and to see which
tactics, techniques, and procedures were being used by other prosperous recruiters.”<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

4.   
Were
you able to pursue better opportunities for both your personal life and
professional career (college, NCOESs, other online or traditional military
schools/tests, boards, retreats, etc.)? If so, please list and explain how
recruiting may have helped or hindered you.<o:p></o:p> 

Answer: “I was definitely able to pursue
better opportunities for both my personal life and professional career while on
recruiting duty. On a personal level, my wife and I attended four marriage
retreats which reinforced our marriage and we were also given time to be active
church members which helped our spirituality tremendously. I also had time to
coach and watch my son play T-Ball. I was also able to volunteer my time at a
local YMCA to instruct an Army Circuit Training Class for three years. On a
professional level, I was able to complete my Bachelors degree in Business
Administration within 27 months, I attended multiple boards; being inducted
into the 2012 USAREC Sergeant Audie Murphy Club, and I attended Senior Leaders
Course (SLC) during my recruiting duty assignment. I left recruiting command
with a Driver’s Badge, Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Military
Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal (PCS Award), a
college graduate and as a Sergeant Audie Murphy inductee. Recruiting has helped
my career as an Infantryman by allowing me to complete my degree, attend SLC,
and improve my leadership skills overall. I am one of the very few SSGs in my
new unit who have completed SLC and I feel confident in my competitive
comparison for promotion to SFC amongst my peers because of my successes both in
and out of my primary MOS.”<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

5.    Being
reasonable, what two things would you like to see changed or improved in USAREC
the most for detailed recruiters and/or their families?<o:p></o:p> 

Answer: “I
would have to say that USAREC is doing an outstanding job when it comes to
providing detailed recruiters and their families with a great experience. While
recruiting duty was challenging for me, I stayed positive, made the best of it
and I knew that I would be going home to my wife and son every night. I looked
forward to family weekend time. USAREC is a family friendly organization and is
improving on a daily basis.”<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

6.    If
you had the choice again, would you choose recruiting assignment? <o:p></o:p> 

Answer: “If I had the choice, I would definitely choose recruiting
assignment again because of the positive experience I had while on recruiting
duty. Recruiting duty can also make my transition out of the Army a lot easier
because of the networking training and connections I made as a recruiter.
Lastly, recruiting duty allowed me to positively impact the lives of the
individuals I enlisted into the United States Army. This was the finest part of
my recruiting experience.”<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

7.    How
has your time spent on recruiting assignment helped you now that you are back
at a conventional assignment?<o:p></o:p> 

Answer: “Now
that I am back at a conventional assignment, I can see how my time spent on
recruiting duty has helped me to develop my leadership and communication
skills. I am ahead of my peers when it comes to professional development such
as NCOES and civilian education. My counseling skills have also improved and I
am able to appreciate Soldiers that are products of a hard working Recruiter in
USAREC. Lastly, I just competed in two boards and won NCO of the month and NCO
of the quarter. I will represent my unit for NCO of the brigade very soon.”<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

8.    What
advice would you give to those NCOs who are DA selected or considering
volunteering for recruiting assignment?     <span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Answer:<span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'> “My advice to those NCOs who are DA selected or
considering volunteering for recruiting assignment would be not to worry about
the negative comments they have heard about recruiting duty. Recruiting duty is
something that can help your career and if you want to make the transition, it
is something you can possibly do for the rest of your time in the Army. Stay
positive, motivated and you will prosper as a Recruiter. Army Strong!!!<a name="_GoBack"></a>”

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2014 7:07 PM

2014-03-03T19:07:25-05:00

Everybody in uniform is a recruiter in way or another. But the true recruiters work those crazy hours, with those crazy people trying to get in that need every waiver available to man kind. I have much respect for recruiters.

Response by SFC Aaron Calmes made Mar 4 at 2014 1:57 AM

2014-03-04T01:57:12-05:00

Wow. I can say that is one of the typical stories I heard about recruiting that it is what you make of it before my tour but not the reality of my recruiting experience or those I worked with. I volunteered because at the time that was the only was to get into the AGR program. Unfortunately it was also during the surge. We worked from 0700 till usually 2000. Sundays we only worked when we had someone on the floor. We were a large station. We almost always had someone on the floor (but we usually got off by 1300). When I arrived there was no training or assistance. The old recruiters wanted the new ones to fail so they would both stay out of trouble and to steal contracts. My last year there my Battalion alone put in 5300 soldiers. Here in southern California the top two battalions together don't put in half that. They burned people out, threatened their careers on a regular basis, and the stress was so high a guy in my office had a heart attack. The last six months or so weren't so bad because that's when the switch to the new family friendly hours started. The reason for that for all army recruiting was my brigade had 5 suicides in 3 months.

Did it make me a better leader? Absolutely. Unfortunately it was by showing me everything you could possible do wrong as a leader and what toxic leadership can do.

That's not to say I had no positive experiences. The impact I was able to have on kids being the best. Not just to put them in the Army but to give them guidance if they chose not to join, or more commonly were ineligible. The second was after the initial batch of turd recruiters left that were there when I arrived, the group that replaced them were some of the best NCOs I have had the honor to work with.

Sorry, rant over.

EDIT: And to answer the second part of the question about being competitive in my MOS, apparently not by the last few board results.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2014 11:40 AM

2014-03-04T11:40:22-05:00

I was DA selected but I wasn't angry about it either. I had just returned from my fourth combat deployment and that's when I had received orders for recruiting. I had thought about volunteering but wanted to wait another 6-12 months, but that was obviously not going to be the case. Even as a detail recruiter I came into my new responsibility with a positive attitude and planned to do the best I could. I have only been out here for 6 months but I have been successful even as a new recruiter due to the attitude I brought with me.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Mar 4 at 2014 12:14 PM

2014-03-04T12:14:18-05:00

I'd love to try my hand at recruiting, but I'm leaving an Instructor/writer slot, and I know two consecutive special duty assignments are a no no...

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2014 6:29 PM

2014-03-04T18:29:22-05:00

I believe recruiting is a great and honorable responsibility but some branch managers will not release the best NCOs for the job. Now and days it's about who you know.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2014 8:48 PM

2014-03-06T20:48:57-05:00

With just hitting 10 years in, instructor/writer done I have considered volunteering for Recruiting to only find out because I was a single mom I can't do recruiting. Which stun me because I was told because I was a single mom and the hours they put into recruiting (working late hours) is why Branch will not choose me. So again Im asking, you mean I am a single mom, work late hours in every duty station I have been in, completed many field operations that kept me in the field days-weeks at a time , three deployments, several TDYs and I can't be a recruiter? Hmmm! Just wondering what's the difference. Either way its a sacrifice away from home like the rest I have listed. So what's left for me to do to stand out as a SSG in this tough promotion career?

Response by SSG Oliver Mathews made Mar 6 at 2014 9:10 PM

2014-03-06T21:10:18-05:00

I dont believe that stepping out of your MOS for three years should be beneficial for your advancement in the military. That being said i dont think it should hurt you either.

In the three years that i have been at what is now known as a Cyber Center, I have lost alot of my "edge" as a 25S (Satellite Communications Operator Maintainer), due to the continued growth of technology and iterations of the WIN-T platforms. When i return to the line i will not be the NCO that knows how to fix the problem, and i will have to struggle to regain the level of comfort with the equipment that i when i was with the 173rd ABCT.

I do not believe in the slightest that i am Competitive in my MOS. Not anymore. Thats after being away from it for 3 years.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2014 4:36 PM

2014-03-17T16:36:02-04:00

I am currently a detailed recruiter, stationed in Marshall, MN (which don't bother looking up it is a non existant, existant FEC for Mankato. I have been out here for just over 2 years with almost a year of that completely on my own, the next closest recruiter is 2 hours away. I came onto recruiting with a good attitude as recruiting was not my first choice, but my attitude has changed since then. I went through several months last summer being told 1. my station was shutting down and I was going to get curtailed, followed by 2. I am staying open and they are going to get new guys coming out to the FEC. All told it went from April being shut down to ultimately around sept-oct being told I was staying open. This experience has really soured my attitude of recruiting.

I'm not trying to come on here and make it sound like I am complaining about anything. I understand things happen and this isn't the typical experience in recruiting. I just wanted to add to that I am currently trying to re-motivate myself (after the back and forth jerking around and 9-5, or sometimes later, staring at either 4 walls or a windshield for almost a year has really demotivated me) and get back on track to submit a warrant packet for aviation.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2014 9:44 PM

2014-06-05T21:44:22-04:00

I hate to be the negative nancy in this but, not all Battalions/Companies and Centers in USAREC are as supportive in helping NCOs further their career. I have 2/3s of my tour complete and have been black balled since stepping foot in this command.
As a senior NCO getting orders to USAREC and halting my career in a way I spoke up to everyone that would have time with me. I spoke my mind with intelligence and articulated myself without saying, “Recruiting is stupid and USAREC sucks”.
Now, I did have a bad attitude coming out here because I did not want to be here but, I knew that I needed to be good at it to possibly earn some accolades that could help in the future.
So, going back to the blackball since speaking my mind I have not had the opportunity to attend a NCO of the quarter board Audie Murphy or any other schools that could help my career as well as helping education of the company like SHARP or EOO. This is not because I am failing at recruiting being that next to the ACC I have enlisted the second most and more than 3/4 of them are in the Alpha Cat. This is even after speaking to the 1SG about wanting to attend these boards that no one else in the Company wants to.
I did go to SLC because I was already on orders prior to leaving my previous assignment. So, not all in USAREC are candy cane wishes and rainbow kisses.
A positive is that I do have the garrison time to finish my degree which will be done in December of this year.

Response by SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM made Aug 8 at 2019 4:14 PM

2019-08-08T16:14:06-04:00

Recruiting Duty will make you more Competitive.