Still No Word...Sort of...

Well, I still have no *official* word on whether or not I am hired. However, comma, I have orders to attend the Recruitment and Retention Non-Commissioned Officer (RRNCO) school in Arkansas starting May 29th, 2006. In addition to having orders for school I have been invited to attend the Annual Georgia Army National Guard (GaARNG) Recruitment Seminar. This seminar is in preparation of the new recruitment year commencing August first.

The seminar is in Northeast Georgia (GORGEOUS) and I will have to attend at my own expense, without pay, since I am not "official" yet. I plan on attending for the most two important days (most speakers, programs, etc.) and not the entire week. So although I am not officially a recruiter... I will be soon. So with much fan fare, I am announcing to the world (except my present unit) that I am now an unofficial Georgia Army National Guard Recruitment and Retention Non-Commissioned Officer (GaARNG RRNCO). By the way, don't you just love all the acronyms??


Confusing? Yes. The wheels of the GaARNG turn very slowly. VERY slowly. However the RRNCO unit is VERY efficient and on the ball. So I have a slot for school, they have my uniforms ordered and are grooming me for my slotted recruitment area. In a way this is very comforting. I know that once the HRC (Human Resources Command) calls me, I go and sign the next three years of my life away, I get orders in hand for RRNCO and things will progress nicely. From working with my recruiter on several issues over the last 8 months and seeing how his career has progressed; I realized that his unit is exceptionally squared away. Very comforting indeed.

I will be assigned out of an Armory in Rome, Georgia. That is about 25 minutes from here. I will be working closely with the Recruiters from Cedartown, Cartersville and Calhoun (maybe Canton), covering a large area and many schools. I promise that most towns in Georgia don't start with a "C". My current recruiter will be first in my chain of command. Which is nice because he is a GREAT guy. He is an extremely hard worker and one of the top 10% in recruitment for the entire State! I couldn't ask for a better leader.

My NCOIC (NCO In Charge) is a former Army Ranger. I'll call him SFC Ranger and talk about Gung-Ho…. He is very tall, ruggedly slim with a deep voice and likes to cuss. He already told me "SGT Fields, you are gonna cuss my name the first three months of your tour. By the way, you don't cry do you? Nah, you’re a Sergeant... Sergeants don't cry. I hate it when my Recruiters cry on me." Then between puffs on a cigarette he proceeded to describe how HE would recruit people... "Ima RANGER. I'd like to say 'ENLIST NOW, YOU WORTHLESS PEICE OF SHIT!' but I have to play nice-nice with the civilians." I died laughing.

He let me know it would be a tough job but with a lot of benefits. It is difficult to become a recruiter, then more difficult to actually be one. SFC Ranger began to let me know that he would push me PAST my limits but he would also make sure I was well rewarded if I "make mission". Within 2 years I will be a Sergeant First Class or an E-7. My goal is E-9 before I retire in 12 years so this will make a huge difference.

The area I am assigned to will not be an easy area. Rome is populated by "old money" and medical staff. Rome is a college town with four major colleges there.

Berry College is a private school started by Martha Berry. It was designed as a religious school to train poor women to be teachers. It has grown to be much more than that and is now a very expensive school to attend.

The second college is Shorter College. It also is a private school and is a Baptist religious school. They have all sorts of degree programs but primarily it is a religious school.

Coosa Valley Technical College is self explanatory. Then finally there is Georgia Highlands College or formerly known as Floyd College. Georgia Highlands was a community college but is now a part of the University of Georgia system of schools.

Why all this information?? Well, all these schools can be good and bad. Bad because most of the kids that are in college are not really interested in pursuing a career in the Military, however since the National Guard has the BEST educational benefits.... as in: money for school... it could work out to be a big bonus.

What is the down side of Rome? Since there are NO factories and the majority of the businesses are attorneys and doctors, there is a very small middle class and a small amount of kids needing money for school.

I am really looking forward to this. I think I will do a good job. I really like helping people and think the Military is a great way to go so this will be right up my alley.