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Navy Recruiting Successful in Manning the Fleet
Story Number: NNS041013-04
Release Date: 10/13/2004 4:26:00 PM
By Journalist 1st Class Sonja Chambers, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command Public Affairs
MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- Navy Recruiting Command (CNRC) closed out another successful year of recruiting active-duty and Reserve Sailors Sept. 30, marking the 38th month of meeting active-duty enlisted accession and new contract objective goals.
CNRC met enlisted accession requirements for the fiscal year, accessing 39,677 active-duty recruits, with an annual target of between 39,600 and 39,725. Additionally, the command brought in 11,245 enlisted Reserve recruits in fiscal year 2004, exceeding an annual goal of 11,000.
"Navy Recruiting's unprecedented success is due to the superlative efforts of this total force recruiting team," said Rear Adm. Jeffrey L. Fowler, commander, Navy Recruiting Command. "I am proud of the hard-working active and Reserve recruiters who have met and surpassed the challenges that faced them this year. Navy Recruiting has become more effective and efficient, while continuing to meet the needs of the fleet. Once complete, consolidation of our active-duty and Reserve recruiting forces will also allow Navy Recruiting to return nearly 1,000 experienced Sailors to the fleet."
"This is quite an accomplishment, understanding that we're a nation at war and the competition out there is tougher and tougher," said William A. Navas Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Navas visited CNRC and participated in a bell-ringing ceremony that marked CNRC’s achieving both monthly and annual new contract objective and accession goals. "This means a lot of hard work by you here providing the resources and the guidance, but please pass [my congratulations] on to all those great recruiters that we have out there who are hitting the pavement every day."
Recruiters from all over the country have contributed to CNRC's success.
"It's been a neat experience for me, since it's been my first year out here," said Chief Cryptologic Technician (Communications) (SW) Brady Duff, a recruiter from Navy Recruiting Station Frankfort, Ky. "It's also been a challenge, but I'm glad that I got to be a part of it, especially since this is one of the toughest jobs in the Navy."
Among the programs CNRC implemented this year was the National Call to Service Program (NCS). The program, which allows recruits to enlist for a 15-month active-duty obligation after recruit training and "A" school, was so well received that it's being expanded for fiscal year (FY) '05. CNRC shipped nearly 1,000 NCS recruits this year, and has doubled the goal of NCS recruits to 2,000 for FY05.
In addition to fulfilling specific program needs, Navy Recruiting is continuing to sign up highly qualified men and women. Recruiters increased the number of applicants with college experience this year. More than 12.4 percent of recruits had at least 12 semester hours of college, compared with 7.8 percent in FY03. They also exceeded the goal for high school diploma graduate (HSDG) recruits. The goal was 95 percent, and CNRC brought in 95.6 percent HSDG recruits.
The Delayed Entry Program (DEP) pool is at an all-time high at 67.7 percent. That achievement means that recruiters will spend more time mentoring DEPpers during their average six-month time in DEP to prepare them for recruit training command and success in the Navy.
During the year, recruiters faced a challenge with a mandatory test being updated. July 1, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) was re-normed to better reflect education trends in America's youth. The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) portion of the ASVAB determines eligibility to enlist. The ASVAB re-norm lowered applicants' scores. But even when faced with that challenge, recruiters accessed 69.9 percent with an AFQT score above 50, above the goal of 67 percent.
Cyberspace recruiting at Navy Recruiting headquarters contributed to the successful year by generating more than 3,000 qualified leads and 422 contracts. Cyberspace recruiting accepts resumes from applicants via the Internet and follows up with them to determine which ones are fully qualified to join the Navy. Those leads are then referred to their local recruiter.
"It's always good to know I've helped someone change their life," said Operations Specialist 2nd Class Sybil Hawkins. Hawkins is the top Cyberspace recruiter for FY'04, with more than 486 leads and 35 contracts during the year.
The FY'04 active-duty enlisted recruiting goal initially was 41,200, but various factors, including strong retention and reduced attrition, enabled Navy leadership to decrease the goal during the year by 1,500 recruits.
“Navy Recruiting is continuing to seek quality recruits to join our high-tech Navy," said Fowler. "Over the next year, we will be seeking more minority officer candidates to lead our diverse workforce and will continue to recruit highly qualified enlisted Sailors to operate the Navy’s complex platforms of the future."
For FY'05, the national active-duty enlisted goal is 38,500. Reserve enlisted goal is 15,400, up from 11,000 in FY'04.
For related news, visit the Commander, Navy Recruiting Command Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cnrc.
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