Navy Recruiter Brings Success in Numbers and Community Outreach

Courtesy Photo | Logistics Specialist 1st Class Deke Slaton is highlighted as this weeks Recruiter in the Spotlight. (Courtesy Photo)  

UNITED STATES

12.22.2021

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Elijah Newton 

Commander, Navy Recruiting Command

RICHMOND, Va. (NNS) - Being a Navy recruiter is a challenging duty that requires an incredible work ethic and great care for the people recruited. Each recruiter is responsible for bringing in the best possible candidates and meet recruiting goals around 40,000 each year. For many career recruiters, that challenge is part of what they love about the job.
Logistics Specialist 1st Class Deke Slaton instantly knew he wanted to make a career out of recruiting from the moment he successfully put his first future Sailor through the process. His devotion to his community helps him standout as a Sailor.
Slaton became a recruiter to help people around him the same way his recruiter helped him: by showing them the ways the Navy has improved his life and mindset. Slaton became the first in his family to graduate high school and college, join the military and travel outside of the state of Georgia. Recruiting is important to him because he wants to help young minds achieve similar goals and more.
Helping people who don’t know about benefits and resources the Navy offers, informing and setting them up for success, and then watching who they become afterward is very rewarding for Slaton.
“Some people have no knowledge of how to overcome their circumstances,” Slaton said. “Some people never learn about how the Navy can help them succeed in life.”
Slaton has earned the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) for his devotion to helping his community. He volunteered for Autism Speaks, Union Mission and many other organizations, which didn’t go unrecognized by his command and the people in his life.
Slaton has been able to accomplish volunteer work in addition to being the leading petty officer (LPO) of Navy Recruiting Station Portsmouth. As the LPO, he and his Sailors never missed their recruiting goal. He led the district in contracts and set a high precedent during the start of the coronavirus pandemic. His hard work was recognized when he was awarded Division Recruiter of the Year, but that wasn’t the only accomplishment he brought to recruiting. Slaton also helped his recruiting team to win Station of the Year for two consecutive years.
Throughout his 11 years in the Navy, his dedication to the mission has not let up. He hopes to make a bigger impact on the Sailors and people around him by converting to a career recruiter and being selected for Officer Commissioning School.
“I hope to instill a sense of compassion and understanding in everyone I come in contact with,” Slaton said. “I hope this fosters a new generation of Sailors.”
Slaton intends on making a career in the Navy. He said, his experience with Sailors and future Sailors helped him realize his passion for leadership and helping any person he can.
Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, three Navy Recruiting Regions and 26 Navy Talent Acquisition Groups that serve more than 1,000 recruiting stations across the world. Their combined goal is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.
For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, go to http://www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MyNAVYHR), Twitter (@USNRecruiter) and Instagram (@USNRecruiter).

• Date Taken: 12.22.2021
• Date Posted: 12.22.2021 14:15
• Story ID: 411796
• Location: US