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Recruiters shatter enlistment goal ahead of schedule

  • Published
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.

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.

"Not only have they reached their target two months ahead of schedule, but this is the earliest they've ever reached their goal," the general said. "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."

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 towards 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 said training and technology helped the recruiters put people in boots.

"The automated lead system, good training, putting offices in the right places, putting people in the right zones - it all helps," said Sergeant Pierson, NCO in charge of recruiting's production analysis. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)