Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Theron Godbold | 221109-N-FP878-006 COLUMBUS, Ohio (NOV. 9, 2022) - Rear Adm. Alexis Walker,...... read more read more
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Rear Adm. Alexis Walker, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, is working his way through the 26 different recruiting districts for America’s Navy, meeting with Sailors and giving guidance for the path forward in fiscal year 2023.
“Recruiting is a face to face business, said Walker. “That concept doesn’t just apply to recruiters and applicants, but internally as well. It is important to meet people where they are, and to look them in the eyes and hear their stories. I do not want to be just a photo on the leadership wall or a name in an email or a signature block. I want my team to see me on their turf and know that I always have their interests at heart.”
For the past month Adm. Walker has visited 11 commands and delivered, personally, his objectives for the year ahead. Wednesday he was at Navy Talent Acquisition Group Ohio River Valley where he spoke to Sailors, recruiters and the chain of command answering questions and peeling back the curtain of his command.
“I know the next couple of years are going to be even more challenging than the last,” said Walker. “The Navy is counting on recruiting to bring in quality applicants and I need to be as transparent as possible with what is being expected of my recruiters and with how proud I am of their efforts to get us there. This is something I want to do in person.”
During his “Barnstorming” tour of recruiting Admiral Walker has presented many awards but has also discussed what he called the “bear” that is recruiting in a historically challenging environment.
In 2020 35% of the nation’s youth had spoken with a recruiter, down from 54% in 1990. Additionally, the propensity to enlist for Americas’ youth is nearly half of what it was in the 1980’s, currently around nine to ten percent, according to the office of people analytics and the Admiral’s briefing to the NTAGs.
After talking about the current recruiting challenges, the Admiral also brought in some good news. His office is working on expanded waivers to help with eligibility for applicants, more financial incentives like enlistment bonuses and college loan repayments, as well as a national marketing campaign to increase awareness, drive interest, and capture leads.
Other improvements he is working toward are more community outreach, IT improvements, and more training for recruiters.
These visits have been short, on average talking less than a day per district, but very advantageous for the commands.
“It was great to receive a high-level overview of our organization, showcase the great work our team does, and have a forum to discuss issues we face at a local level,” Cmdr. Erik Moss, Commanding Officer of NTAG ORV said after the Admirals visit. “NTAG Ohio River Valley was honored to host Admiral Walker.”
| Date Taken: | 11.09.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2022 10:15 |
| Story ID: | 433198 |
| Location: | COLUMBUS, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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