Maintenance Airman lends hand to recruiters

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nicole Leidholm
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Before leaving for basic military training, each member of the armed forces must sign up with their respective recruiter.

For one Airman at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., he did so well in his previous job of recruiting Airmen into the U.S. Air Force, that he was called back to help out in Washington State.

"The superintendent for the 361st Recruiting Squadron knew me when we worked at the 313th Recruiting Squadron in New York," said Tech. Sgt. Alejandro Medina, 60th Maintenance Squadron inspection section aircraft manager. "There are not a lot of kids interested in maintenance career field. I know how to talk to kids and have that maintenance background and thought I would be able to get the interested in those career fields."

Medina spent 12 days up in Washington participating in the recruiter assistance program. He talked with the delayed entry program recruits, attended school visits and did classroom presentations and college career fairs to encourage young individuals about joining the Air Force.

RAP is an active-duty leave program run by Air Force Recruiting Service where the Air Force grants up to 12 days of nonchargeable to help their assigned recruiter, usually an area they have recently live or have community ties to. The program is open to Airmen of all ranks interested in participating and having a positive impact on recruiting.

"Being in maintenance I know what we need and have a feel with who would fit in the career," Medina said. "I'm able to go out and say 'I want you in the Air Force and in this career field.' It's interesting how I could work with these individuals in the future and know that I had that impact."

Medina added that many Airmen, already in, may not know there is a more out there in the Air Force than just their career fields.

"I feel like the Airmen need to know about their career opportunities in the Air Force, how to request an assignment," Medina said. "They need to read about it, ask about it and as supervisors, as NCO's, we should be knowledgeable."

Airmen can participate in RAP as often as their supervisors approve their leave, their commanders approve their eligibility and recruiters need assistance. Airmen interested in participating in RAP should contact their supervisor and commander for approval.

For more information on how to apply for RAP, visit http://1.usa.gov/1P6uaxn.