The Reservist
October 1997

CGR Recruiting Update

How are we doing in the CGR Recruiting department? Well, things are getting better, but we still have a long way to go. The chart here shows that Selected Reserve (SELRES) strength was about 7,500 at the end of FY1997 (Sept. 30). Hopefully, the downward trend has bottomed out and we are back on our way to our goal of 8,000.

During FY1997, recruiters brought 304 new reservists into the Coast Guard Reserve, or 68 percent of our goal (Note: RELADs from active duty are counted separately). That's a good start considering we went three years without recruiting. However, it is still far short of what we need to reach 8,000. Because of recruiting shortfalls in the last two years, and the need to continuously replace reservists as they retire or leave the service, we need about 1,300 new enlisted reservists in FY1998 to reach an end strength of 8,000. We've been very successful at meeting officer and warrant officer numbers.

Our biggest challenge is attracting new enlisted people. Coast Guard recruiting offices are facing a huge challenge - there is no longer a line of people waiting outside their doors to come into the Coast Guard. The economy is doing well, today's youth are less inclined to serve in the military, and the other armed services have huge advertising budgets and thousands of recruiters. So, what sets us apart from the other armed services and most jobs in the private sector? With a limited budget, only about 200 recruiters on the street, and larger requirements for both active duty and reserve personnel, we need to focus on the jobs we do. We have Jobs that Matter, which incidentally is the theme of our recruiting campaign. Think about it for a minute. Our jobs really do matter...not just for the pay or training we receive, but for the satisfaction we get by saving lives, protecting the environment and serving our nation. If you feel that your Coast Guard work is a Job that Matters, why not share those thoughts with a co-worker, relative or friend. Establish a partnership with your local recruiter (you can call 1-800-GET-USCG to find out who they are). Find out how you can make local recruiting efforts more effective in your area.

- LCDR Neil Hurley, G-WTR-1

E-mail: nhurley@comdt.uscg.mil

 

Recruiting Tools

Here are a few tools that will make the job of recruiting easier. One is the What is a Drill? booklet (COMDTPUB 1573.1C). This publication answers frequently asked questions from reservists and their supervisors. More than 20,000 copies will be mailed to units and recruiting offices later this fall. The revised edition is printed in color and is full of pictures of Coast Guard people at work. It is currently available on the Internet at the address below. The lead recruiting brochure handed out by recruiting offices on the Coast Guard Reserve is also under revision. An update to the old brochure, Spend your weekends in the Coast Guard Reserve was long overdue. Its replacement, entitled Part-time Jobs that Matter, better reflects the CG Reserve's participation in Team Coast Guard. Reservists now do much more than work on weekends, and our missions' scope has expanded to include Port Security Units and Harbor Defense Commands. These new brochures are due out by December 1997.

http://www.dot.gov/dotinfo/uscg/hq/reserve/drill/windex.htm