The Year From Hell or...
The end of my first recruiting year. Well, I fell short of my goal to put 48 people in the National Guard this year. I figured there had to be at LEAST 50 people who wanted to join the Guard out of my county this year. There were, but I only put 32 of them in my box (computer).
I did not make Chief's Rural 54 (best recruiter in a rural area of the 54 states and territories). I missed it by a few recruits. Yes, I was bummed for a minute. It would have been a nice "Attaboy" not to mention you get a cool ring and I really love jewelry. ;-)
On the bright side, I put 32 people into the National Guard this year!! I helped two people make their mission. I helped people change their lives. I got to ride in a Black Hawk. I helped a poor kid get an $80K full ride scholarship. I put 4 people in the National Guard on September 11th (very nice feeling) and put 6 people in the Guard in 8 days. I made Staff Sergeant.
All in all it has been a very good year. Goal for next year? Put 50 people into the National Guard.
I did not make Chief's Rural 54 (best recruiter in a rural area of the 54 states and territories). I missed it by a few recruits. Yes, I was bummed for a minute. It would have been a nice "Attaboy" not to mention you get a cool ring and I really love jewelry. ;-)
On the bright side, I put 32 people into the National Guard this year!! I helped two people make their mission. I helped people change their lives. I got to ride in a Black Hawk. I helped a poor kid get an $80K full ride scholarship. I put 4 people in the National Guard on September 11th (very nice feeling) and put 6 people in the Guard in 8 days. I made Staff Sergeant.
All in all it has been a very good year. Goal for next year? Put 50 people into the National Guard.
posted by SGT Lori at 18:14
12 Comments:
Um?? still got 2 months left in FY.
Great job by the way, been Guard recruiter for 3 yrs and never broke 30. And you did it your first year, says alot about your skills!! Hooah. Good luck this next year, but make sure to pay attention to your family as well, they are just as important as putting soldiers in Boots.
We go by a Aug-Jul recruiting Year.
My husband had a discussion just this morning about whether or not I should be as competitive this year.
Your State must be on another plane in the universe. LOL.
Do your best, but you get paid the same whether you put in 30 or 50, except RIP of course.
Ya gotta love that RIP.
You have a Mission Impossible there, pretty much. The news is all about how the Guard gets deployed forever, then comes back and finds their jobs gone, law or no law. With the Dems and some Republicans talking about bailing out of Iraq, it must be hard to motivate young people to go risk their lives and limbs there. I admire the troops immensely, but if my son tried to join up I'd kick his a** til his teeth rattled. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Marine Corps veteran, from a family that goes back to before the War of Northern Aggression in military service. It's just that if you go over there and get maimed or killed, then the cowards in congress wave the white flag, was the sacrifice worth it? I honestly don't know.
Hermit,
I can totally understand how you feel. I think you are confusing the Army Reserves and the NAtional Guard when it comes to deployments. I could be wrong, but I know that Georgia's rotation is 12 months "in country" or in Iraq and 3-4 years home. Of course some units deply more often than others. My unit deplyed to Iraq last year. They are not scheduled to go anywhere until 2010.
Then there is the new NGB reg saying a Guardsman cannot be MADE to deploy for 18 months after a deployment. Period.
The Army deploys for 15 mos, home for 12 mos then back at it again.
Our community is VERY patriotic and I haven't heard the first story of a soldier coming back to no job. Now I must say the law states you had to have held your job for at least a year to qualify. The Department of Labor was at our guys homecoming. They set up a table at the very next drill and helped locate jobs for everyone. On top of that anytime anyone is in need of a job the guys all jump in to help. I personally have witnessed this three times.
As far as risk. Yes I must admit there is risk. However there is risk in anything. Prom night 2006 saw 6000 of our young people die due to drinking, drink and driving, drugs, accidents, etc. Every year 3000 college students (or 8 a day) die for the same reasons. Yet responsible parents will break their necks trying to get their kids in school (and rightly so). My point is there *is* risk. There are no guarantees.
With that said, I look at the numbers of War. 40 a day died during WWII!! 30 a day during Korea and 15 a day during Viet Nam. During the War on Terrorism we have lost close to 3500 soldiers or 2 a day. And of those only half are combat related.
We have so many young people who are patriots and service minded. It is my extreme pleasure to help them serve their country regardless of politics and opinions.
Well,I wish you luck. What you are doing is an important job and I am in your corner. It's just that in my job, I drive a lot around Georgia. And just about every little town I drive through, there is a memorial for someone killed in Iraq.Or you go into the Ingles grocery store and there is a picture of a soldier on a big piece of tagboard and it says "honoring our fallen hero". Then Harry Reid comes on TV and talks about running out right now.
Well, good luck to you, and to the young folks you sign up.
Sgt Lori:
Do you have any old buzzards over 35 come in to join? With NO prior service?
Do they wash up in Basic?
I'd probably join but I am the janitor/part time nurse/handyman/cook for my semi invalid Mom. But I'm curious anyway. I might run into another old fool same age as I who might enjoy serving.
KT
KT,
yep I know a 36 year old male that enlisted and graduated as the distinguished honor grad at Basic and AIT. He was determined to do his best. Anyone with that attitude out-performs those a lot younger whodon't have a winning attitude.
Sgt Lori,
I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions via e-mail and I can't seem to find your e-mail address! If you don't mind, shoot me an e-mail at politicsofapatriot at gmail dot com. Thanks :)
You are awesome!! I've been following you from before you were a recruiter. I think what you are doing is wonderful. Good luck again this coming year :)
Ccongratulations. Don't get bummed out if you don't get the accolades you really deserve. I had a friend who recruited for the VaARNG and put in about a battalion over his career. You should have heard the crap when he left and moved to in-service recruiting.
FWIW I was in the AGR system and worked company to brigade level. I think you're doing ok...
Thank you! I appreciate it. I have thought about volunteering for a tour in Iraq. I want to earn my SFC in my MOS. We shall see what the future holds.
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