Photo By Leanna Maschino | Oklahoma Army National Guardsman and recruiter, Staff Sgt. Heather Britt-Davis, of...... read more read more
Subscribe
OKLAHOMA CITY – “Numbers aren’t important to me at all—people are.”
This is what Staff Sgt. Heather Britt-Davis, of Stroud, Oklahoma, believes is the most important thing about being a recruiter for the Oklahoma Army National Guard.
In a world significantly driven by quantitative data and competition, the heart of Britt-Davis is ultimately what earned her the title of the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s Recruiter of the Year for 2019, not to mention her overall military knowledge, signing 25 new recruits and completing 156 percent of her mission.
A fourth generation Guardsman and first female in her family to serve in the military, Britt-Davis joined the Oklahoma Guard in 2008 as an aviation refueler. She also worked as a production controller for nearly five years before transitioning to the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion.
Britt-Davis’ driving force is her unwavering desire to help people.
“We get people who come in our office from all walks of life,” she said. “Knowing that they look to me for guidance and mentorship is very fulfilling.”
Britt-Davis was recognized at a national training and awards conference for her recruiting achievements alongside each state’s top recruiters across the nation.
“This year we didn’t just select the most productive recruiter, we selected the best non-commissioned officer in our battalion who happens to be on recruiting duty,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Roland, commander of the Recruiting and Retention Battalion, Oklahoma Army National Guard. “Heather does not quit. She goes out every day and works hard.”
Britt-Davis deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2012 to 2013. She has also served on State Active Duty during the 2009 snow storm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she assisted a transportation company with vehicle recovery and moving civilians to safety.
Though military recruiting has a reputation of being a high-stress job, Britt-Davis handles it by taking care of herself and her family first and foremost.
“She loves people and loves the job,” Roland said. “The key to dealing with the stress starts at home. Her spouse is supportive and involved, and she lives a healthy lifestyle that includes physical, mental and spiritual focus.”
But learning how to deal with the stress did not come easy. After the recent passing of her best friend, who she talked into joining the Guard more than ten years ago, Britt-Davis considered getting out of the military. It was not until Command Sgt. Maj. Shelly Haynes, command sergeant major of the RRB, Oklahoma Army National Guard, sat down with her to discuss staying in.
“[Haynes] asked me a few questions I didn’t have the answers to,” Britt-Davis said. “I knew I had to find those answers, so I went out and talked to people about the Guard and told them why I joined, and it brought back a light in my life that I thought I had lost. Receiving this award wasn’t just for me--it was for my best friend, too.”
| Date Taken: | 02.25.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 02.25.2020 13:18 |
| Story ID: | 363834 |
| Location: | OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 376 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Oklahoma Army National Guard names Recruiter of the Year, by Leanna Maschino, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
