Texas Army National Guard Recruiters Give Media Unprecedented Access May 19 and 20

Instead of standing down on 20 May, 2005, as is scheduled for the Army Recruiting Command, Texas Army National Guard recruiters will allow the media to follow them on 19 and 20 May, 2005, to demonstrate how National Guard recruiters approach and work with potential recruits. Lt. Col. Tracy Norris said: Our recruiters are professionals and are proud of their work."

(PRWEB) May 20, 2005 -- Texas Army National Guard recruiters will provide an unprecedented insight into their day-to-day activities to the media this week.

Instead of standing down on 20 May, 2005, as is scheduled for the Army Recruiting Command, Texas Army National Guard recruiters will allow the media to follow them on 19 and 20 May, 2005, to demonstrate how National Guard recruiters approach and work with potential recruits. Lt. Col. Tracy Norris said: Our recruiters are professionals and are proud of their work."

A recruiters daily activities include school visits, interviews with prospective Guardsmen and their families, and scheduled enlistments at local Military Entrance Processing Stations.

Currently the Texas Army National Guard employs approximately 180 recruiters, who are held to the highest ethical standards as mandated by Army values, which include honor and integrity. Recruiters receive specialized training similar to that of business professionals in the civilian world.

Assignments into the recruiting command in the Texas Army National Guard are handled differently than for active duty. Lt. Col. Norris said: The active duty services consider recruiting a career assignment. Our recruiters take time to consider and choose recruiting as their career field."

However, before a Soldier can become a recruiter, he or she has to submit a resume, complete a job application, go through an interview process and prepare a formal presentation before final acceptance into the program. It is a rigorous process producing strongly motivated and enthusiastic professionals," said Lt. Col. Norris.

She explained that the Texas Army National Guard has a dual responsibility to Texas and the United States. To demonstrate that in real terms she said: The Texas Army National Guard was the first to respond to the space shuttle Columbia disaster on 1 Feb, 2003 in Texas, providing statewide ongoing flood and hurricane support and is currently preparing more than 500 Texas Army National Guard Soldiers for October deployments to Kosovo and the Balkans." She added that more than 4500 Texas Army National Guard soldiers are currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and that homeland defense training is an on-going operation.

To do all that, she said: The days that a Texas Army National Guard Soldier would perform weekend drill and 15 days of annual training are passed. The Army National Guard is an equal partner in the war on terrorism and there is a possibility that a Soldier will be deployed."

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