ONALASKA, Wis. -- Nearly one-third of the people who joined the Army from Onalaska Recruiting Station during fiscal year 2011 were associated with Future Soldier referrals.
The figure stands in contrast not only to the station's previous achievements, but also to the Milwaukee Recruiting Battalion's percentage the same year. Overall the battalion enlisted roughly 7 percent of its Future Soldiers' referrals.
"If every station in the battalion could achieve at least half of Onalaska's figures, then the battalion would have brought 345 more people into the Army," said Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Bowers, Milwaukee Battalion.
Recognizing Onalaska's achievement is one thing, trying to single out the key variable is another.
"We need to look at the bigger picture. The red carpet treatment starts with prospects and continues through the duration of a Future Soldier's relationship with the recruiting team," Bowers said.
At the Onalaska Station, Future Soldiers are treated with the dignity and accountability that comes with being a Soldier.
"I tell them [Future Soldiers] what is expected of them. I get to know their families. If something comes up, they call me and I address their concerns," said Staff Sgt. Marcus Wolfe, Future Soldier leader.
On average 25 Future Soldiers meet at the station every Wednesday after school for a block of military instruction or training event. Future Soldiers typically bring a friend or family member to watch or participate in the training. If they don't bring a guest, Wolfe said he expects them to bring a referral as part of their military responsibility to grow the force.
"Some Future Soldiers are not very social or outgoing and can't bring referrals. I remind them they have siblings, relatives, friends, people they work with, or people they talk to. All they need to do is ask permission to refer them," Wolfe said.
He makes a point not to pressure Future Soldiers or to make them feel like they are doing the job of a recruiter. Instead he motivates them to earn a promotion through the referral program. Most Future Soldiers can increase their pay by $180 a month if a referal enlists.
Educating Future Soldiers on the benefits of referrals to their career is a major factor in that motivation, said Sgt. 1st Class Eric Tremblay, Onalaska station commander.
"Giving Future Soldiers recognition and incentives in front of their peers and holding those that don't accountable is part of becoming a Soldier," Tremblay said.
Future Soldiers with a bachelor's degree already enter the Army with the maximum pay grade of E-4, yet Wolfe said these Future Soldiers still bring solid referrals to him because they believe the Army can get people's lives back on track.
In fact, Wolfe said he believes most Future Soldiers provide good referrals because all of the recruiters involved have made a positive impression on them.
"It's a lot of teamwork. If the Future Soldiers don't get a good vibe with a recruiter, they won't give up names. The Future Soldiers have to get a good taste of the Army from day one to the day of shipping. They have to feel like they are being taken care of," Wolfe said.
Future Soldiers are introduced to Wolfe only after they have enlisted. The first impression a prospective young man or woman may get from an Army recruiter at that station will more than likely come from someone like Staff Sgt. Charles Rachunek.
His approach to recruiting is to deliver a sense of how the Army takes care of its Soldiers.
"We make them feel welcome and spend a lot of time with them or their influencers, always answering their questions," Rachunek said.
The past three years in recruiting have shown him the significant role parents play in the referral process.
"If the parents like you, they are going to talk with their friends and refer their kids to you. If the parents don't like you, they are going to tell their friends 'don't go talking with that guy,'" said Rachunek.
He once had a set of parents bring their son to him after they had a bad experience with a recruiter from another military service. That event convinced him how referrals can work for or against a recruiter, he said.
Onalaska Recruiting Station has more than just a sound Future Soldier program in place. The station has a team of recruiters who take ownership of the total experience conveyed to prospects, Future Soldiers and influencers.
"Referrals are important for any organization or business," said Bowers. "The recruiting team at Onalaska knows that word-of-mouth is the best form of advertisement. This is a success story that other teams need to emulate."
Related Links:
Onalaska Recruiting Station Facebook Page
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