Photo By Staff Sgt. Mira Roman | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Absher, production recruiter assigned to the 140th...... read more read more
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U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Absher, production recruiter, Colorado Air National Guard, Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, earned this recognition in 2022 at the Air Force
Recruiting Service’s 43rd Annual Operation Blue Suit Celebration, for her recruiting efforts from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021.
Operation Blue Suit is an annual award ceremony held in San Antonio, TX, and has a tradition of honoring the best of the best in Air Force recruiting around the world. For 43 years the Air Force has recognized their top recruiters, and for the past two years, the Air Force Reserves and the Air National Guard have also been invited to participate as part of the Total Force Initiative.
“The reason that we are here is to take care of people, and the Colorado Air National Guard, so that we can accomplish our mission,” said Absher. “My motto is ‘love what you do, and do what you love,’ and if you follow this then the passion will be there for everyone to see, and it’s contagious.”
Absher has won several awards in the past year leading up to this that include Recruiter of the Year at the national level, and Non-Commissioned Officer of the year, in region seven. She was also recognized by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce as the “Military Service Person of the Year.”
“Sgt. Absher volunteers tirelessly in the community, she is also heavily involved in organizations in the COANG,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Johnny O’Hagan, recruiting supervisor, Colorado Air National Guard. “This is what makes up the ‘Whole Airman’ concept that we try to exemplify in the COANG.”
Recognition is a cornerstone of military life, and it takes the support of the service member’s family to make them
successful. “We value skill and execution and dedication. We don’t just value the service member, we value that family and the special loved ones that come along and support us,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, Air Force Recruiting Service commander, during his welcoming remarks at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, TX.
Absher explains that in addition to her motto, she also has other adages that she lives by. “I believe that everyone should have passion, fire, and desire for what they do. Be passionate about whatever it is that you do. Have the
desire to be the best, and the fire should be the reason that drives you to get going each day.”
“We believe in the mission we’re doing here at the COANG,”
said O’Hagan. “Our 24/7 alert mission, and space mission are
integral in protecting lives in Colorado and around the country. When you tie that to the community support that we provide
during fires, floods, and the recent COVID-19 outbreak, it’s something that you can really get behind and believe in.”
Absher has been integral to the creation of the student flight
program in the COANG even before she became a recruiter, and has since worked with fellow COANG fitness guru, Staff Sgt. John “JP” Brazil, 140th Security Forces, to develop a workout regimen for the new recruits. Together they teach new recruits proper physical fitness techniques to help ensure their success while in basic training and have not had a single failure due to fitness
reasons.
“I’ve always been a caretaker, a cheerleader, and a protector,” said Absher. “I want to make sure people have the tools they need to succeed, and I will have their back along the way. I’m also going to make sure they reach their goals because I’m 100 percent in their corner.”
According to O’Hagan, Absher doesn’t just end the relationship when an applicant raises their hand. They often return from basic training and technical school to share stories of their experiences. “The motivation and caring that Absher exudes spills over to the rest of the section, and the entire team is successful,” said O’Hagan. “She paves the way and shows us what right looks like, and we’re all better for it.”
By taking the extra time to find out why recruits truly want to join, she has successfully gotten people into the job that suits them best. This, in turn, sets the unit up for success in the long run.
Additionally, in 2021, she saved the unit approximately $1.8M in training costs and increased the Wing’s readiness by roughly two percent based on hiring and retraining costs, which is a benefit to the Colorado Air National Guard, and our country, so we can be there when called upon.
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.08.2022 15:16 |
| Story ID: | 432698 |
| Location: | AURORA, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 296 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Air Force Recruiting Service
