Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Sarah Mattison | U.S. Army Gen. Frank J. Grass, Chief, National Guard Bureau recognizes Spc. Joshua...... read more read more
CAMP JOHNSON, Vt. - Spc. Josh Kuit, horizontal construction engineer, 131st Engineer Company (Horizontal Construction), was pulled out of formation in front of his peers, to receive the Vermont National Guard Recruiting ribbon by Gen. Frank Grass, Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
Kuit said, “It was very exciting, it shows that without being a recruiter that it is still possible to generate leads.” Five of the six Soldiers that Kuit enlisted into his unit were friends that he had grown up with.
“Kuit, is the first enlisted Soldier to receive the Vermont Army National Guard Recruiting ribbon,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Douglas Cross, Vermont Recruiting and Retention Battalion.
The Vermont Army National Guard Recruiting Ribbon is awarded to Soldiers that submit four leads that result in enlistment into the Vermont National Guard.
“Kuit recruited six Soldiers in nine months,” said Cross. “Most soldiers are lucky to get one lead that leads to an accession in this time period.”
Kuit submitted his sixth lead for his unit May 1, he is filling the ranks of the unit with Soldiers from his community that work together “like a well oiled machine” regardless of the mission.
Kuit used his knowledge of the Guard and its benefits to encourage individuals to join. When he spoke to his friend, now Pvt. Joshua Robbins, horizontal construction engineer, Kuit explained how the National Guard’s college benefits were available help Robbins while he attended college.
“If I were to refer a Soldier to the Guard, I would use Kuit as a coach and bring the interested individual to drill.” said Robbins.
Robbins had worked previously in landscaping, so when Kuit ‘brought a buddy to drill’ and showed him the military’s heavy equipment that he would be able to use, it was the gateway to working with the heavy equipment that he had always wanted.
“Just last weekend we were able to level a field, I enjoyed the experience and I was able to expand my knowledge,” said Robbins.
Kuit is setting a high standard for fellow Soldiers, working to increase the strength of the 131st, as well as the Vermont National Guard.
“The responsibility lays with each of us to work with our recruiting and retention staff to ensure that our ranks are replenished with educated, motivated, and morally sound Soldiers,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Heston, assistant adjutant general-Army, Vermont National Guard.
Kuit has taken that recruiting responsibility and excelled in every aspect, as he is already halfway to his second Vermont National Guard Recruiting Ribbon.
| Date Taken: | 05.03.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2015 15:49 |
| Story ID: | 162310 |
| Location: | CAMP JOHNSON, VERMONT, US |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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