On a recent visit to the U.S. Army Accessions Command, I learned about the great strides being undertaken by young corporals in the Corporal Recruiter Program. During the trip, I had the opportunity to meet several of these outstanding young Soldiers who have answered the challenge and have helped make our Army better.
The Corporal Recruiter Program began in 1999 on a trial basis, and has since allowed more than 300 privates first class and specialists to serve one-year recruiting tours.
The program goal is to bring young, spirited Soldiers into recruiting to tell the Army story to their civilian peers. The professional corporal recruiter has become an important combat multiplier to the recruiting force. Corporal recruiters stand toe to toe with other detailed recruiters in exceeding standards of excellence.
Serving as a recruiter is a real-world mission that gives the recruiters a sense of self satisfaction and achievement knowing they are part of the Army's success.
Many of the corporal recruiters have only recently left their hometowns and going back has provided many Soldiers opportunities they never imagined.
One of these Soldiers is 23-year-old Scott Thomas Davis from Houston, Texas. Cpl. Davis is a UH-60 mechanic and is taking this experience as a chance to give something back to his hometown. He is assigned to the Houston Gulfgate Station.
He said that he wanted the chance to come back to his hometown and make a difference in his community. He thought the Army had given him a chance to succeed and wanted to share that possibility with his friends.
He stated the most rewarding part of being a corporal recruiter are the expressions he gets from peers and parents. He is nearly the same age as a lot of the people joining today.
"The parents see how mature and successful I am, and would like to see their son or daughter be the same," Davis said.
Davis also appreciated being surrounded by professional noncommissioned officers and leaders from many different career fields.
"I had no idea how or what to expect [from recruiting]. But I didn't think it would set me up as well as it has for being successful in my military future. Even though I won't spend the rest of my military career recruiting, what I have learned here will carry me through the rest of my life," Davis added.
Another great example is Cpl. Joelle Alvarado, 21, currently assigned to Elizabeth, N.J., Recruiting Station is normally working in her primary military occupational specialty of 31U as a Signal Support Systems Specialist.
Alvarado said she wanted to be a recruiter because it has an instant impact in today's Army and in the defense of this Nation.
"One of the most rewarding things about recruiting is that you get to meet all kinds of people and share the Army story with them; the pay is not bad either. I've gained a lot from this experience, but the one that sticks out the most is the ability to represent the Army in my community," she said.
These sentiments and more were echoed by Cpl. Michael Smith, of the Baltimore Recruiting Battalion, Alexandria office.
"The recruiting course and my NCO's taught me everything I needed to be successful in helping the Army recruit Americans who want to serve their country and make themselves a career. Many people do not know how much the Army has to offer or the type of individual you have to be to serve as a Soldier. Just by telling the people in my home town about Army life lets them know what to expect and how life really is as a Soldier," he said.
The experiences these young NCOs are gaining go hand-in-hand with the impact they're making to fill the ranks of our great Army. They'll not only return to the inventory better and more experienced leaders, they'll have replenished the ranks with qualified, eager future warriors.
To participate or volunteer for the Corporal Recruiter Program, Soldiers must be in their first term of enlistment, meet the basic recruiter qualifications and be single with no dependents.
