Reserve recruiters rock the Tacoma Dome

by Airman 1st Class Madelyn McCullough
446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

1/7/2013 - TACOMA, Wash. -- Similar to a group of friends working in sync to assemble a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, recruiters from the Western Reserve Squadron have the critical mission of searching for the missing pieces of the 2,200-strong members of the 446th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, McChord Field, Wash.

Over the January Reserve weekend, the recruiters were given a monstrous opportunity to flex their muscles at the Air Force Reserve sponsored Monster Jam, Jan. 4-6 here at the Tacoma Dome.

Senior Master Sgt. Kristyn Ervin, the senior recruiter for the 446th AW Recruiting Office, says events like Monster Jam provide an enormous ability to inform the public of the Reserve mission.

"We are looking to create Air Force Reserve awareness and also to generate leads for the 446th (AW)," Ervin, of Dupont, said.

Currently, the recruiters' main target is searching for future Airmen to satisfy key positions in the wing's maintenance and civil engineer squadrons.

Reserve volunteers from both the 446th Civil Engineer Squadron and 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aided the recruiters in representing the Air Force Reserve and the 446th AW during Monster Jam.

Airmen like Senior Airmen Nika Kliebert and Staff Sgt. Dustin Ballard, both out of the 446th CES, partnered with fellow wing mates from the 446th AMXS, Senior Airman Justin Drayer and Senior Airman Marcianco Quinonez-Cheeks to represent the core value of service before self before nearly 20,000 spectators.

"They volunteered were specifically chosen by their fellow squadron members," Ervin said.

The recruiters mingled with potential Citizen Airmen about the Air Force Reserve and the wing, while the Reservists spoke about the intricacies of their career fields.

"I'm talking to people about what I do on the maintenance side, and trying to recruit people as well," Quinonez-Cheeks said. "I'm informing them of the opportunities and benefits of the Air Force Reserve."

Ervin says using active Reservists are one of the best ways to recruit.

"It takes wing members to help recruiting," Ervin said.

After 15 years of recruiting, she says that even with new technology, it still boils down to good old fashion, face-to-face interaction.

Monster Jam is an extension of recruiting and working together, she said.

For more information on the 446th AW or the opportunities offered by the Air Force Reserve, call the 446th Recruiting Office at (253)982-6689.