News

Recruiters overrun enlistment goal for the year

  • Published
  • Air Force Reserve News Service
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Air Force Reserve Command recruiters recorded their 8,800th enlistment of the year Aug. 3, breaking the record for reaching their annual recruiting goal the fastest - two months before deadline.

As of Aug. 28 local Reserve recruiters at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., are at 358 accessions out of their set goal of 259 accessions - almost 20 percent more than their slated goal for the year, said Chief Master Sgt. Greg Pliler, senior recruiter for the 604th Reserve Recruiting Flight at McChord..

The 400 men and women who recruit nationwide for the Air Force Reserve had until Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year, to make the goal. Their achievement marks the ninth straight year the command recruiters have reached their annual target number for enlistments.

Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., AFRC commander, praised the recruiters and spoke with glowing enthusiasm about their accomplishment.

"Our Air Force Reserve recruiters are fantastic," he said. "They have no peer, and they continue to impress me time and time again.

The quality of recruiters is what helped the command make the record-breaking achievement, said Staff Sgt. Scott Cruse, an Air Force Reserve recruiter with the 604th RRF. Sergeant Cruse works out of the recruitment office in Tukwila, Wash. He also said the stellar training recruiters receive helps make Reserve recruiting a less daunting task.
"Not only have they reached their target two months ahead of schedule, but this is the earliest they've ever reached their goal," said General Stenner. "They're number one of all of the Department of Defense's recruiting services for the ninth year in a row. My heartiest congratulations to all of them on a job, once again, extremely well done."

"The team we have is excellent," said Chief Master Sgt. Greg Pliler, senior recruiter, 604th RRF. "They not only focus on their own job and goals, but the team's goal as well. They help each other out - it's a pleasure to work with them."

Enlistee number 8,800 was Trahelle Miro of Abilene, Texas, who was put in by Master Sgt. Michael Nienhaus at Dyess AFB, Texas.

"I'm extremely proud of the efforts put forth by the recruiting team," said Col. Joe Wilburn, commander of the Air Force Reserve's recruiting force. "This achievement is a direct reflection of the hard work and talent they put toward the task at hand.

"This year our goal was 10 percent higher than the previous fiscal year, but our recruiters were able to deliver well ahead of schedule," he said.

In addition to smashing this year's goal earlier, the recruiters outpaced where they were last year at this time. In early August 2008, their total enlistments - also called accessions - were at 7,498, more than 1,300 behind this year's result.

Senior Master Sgt. David Pierson at the recruiting headquarters in Georgia said training and technology helped the recruiters put people in boots.

Technology has helped with recruiting as well. The Air Force Reserve recruitment Web site is a powerful tool for Air Force Reserve recruiters, said Sergeant Cruse.
"A lot of kids go online, find our Web site, then call (a recruiter) up and we answer any questions they have," said Sergeant Cruse. "The site is updated constantly," he added.

The younger, more modernized crowd gathers much of their information from the internet, said Chief Pliler.

"The automated lead system, good training, putting offices in the right places, putting people in the right zones - it all helps," said Sergeant Pierson. (Senior Airman Patrick Cabellon, 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, McChord Air Force Base, Wash., contributed to this story)