News

Local recruiters set new standard in sweeping quarterly award honors

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody
  • 446th Airlift Wing, Public Affairs
MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. --  According to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term "standard" is defined as, "something set up as a rule for measuring or as a model to be followed."

Recruiters from the Western Recruiting Squadron, headquartered out of March Air Reserve Base, Calif., but assigned to recruit for the 446th Airlift Wing here, set a new standard by sweeping the squadron's fiscal year second-quarter production awards.

Challenged with the task of recruiting and enlisting highly-qualified Reservists in the diverse career fields throughout the 446th AW, senior recruiter, Chief Master Sgt. Scott Terpening and his team raised the bar by claiming the Top Large Operating Location Award with 98 accessions (enlistments) for the quarter.

"Focusing our time and energy into providing a high-quality level of customer service has not only increased our success rate, it has also boosted the amount of quality referrals provided by our new enlistees," said Terpening.

Recruiting Airmen for health profession positions is vitally important to the wing mission, according to Master Sgt. Michael Melendez, 446th AW recruiter, who stands at the top of health professions with nine new accessions for the quarter.

Terpening also oversees recruiting for the 477th Fighter Group, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.  Using force-shaping efforts to retain people in critical career fields, Master Sgt. Brian Paavo, 477th FG recruiter, set a benchmark with 10 top bonus Air Force Specialty Code accessions for the fiscal year 2012.

The In-Service Award went to Master Sgt. Edward Norris, 446th AW recruiter, out of Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., with 15 accessions into the 446th AW and other wings across the country.

Last, but not least, Master Sgt. Christopher Brown, 446th AW recruiter, captured several honors, including the award for top line recruiter with 30 accessions for the quarter. These included adding 19 non-prior service, six prior Air Force service and five accessions from other services branches. 

"This high-quality team of professionals certainly set the bar high for the rest of Western Recruiting Squadron," said Terpening.  "The positive energy they generate is highly infectious and it's certainly obvious that they dig their jobs!"