Staff Sgt. Jeremy Flood with Future Soldier Rebecca Sinner, who enlisted after winning a high school art competition organized by the McMinnville Center. Students painted the ceiling tiles in the recruiting center with an image that represented their school. Courtesy photo.
Social Media Helps Recruiters Lock Contract
By Staff Sgt. Jeremy Flood, USAREC, Portland Battalion
May 18, 2015
Portland Battalion recruiters used the competitive rivalry of local schools and social media to better engage their target market and find a Future Soldier.
The McMinnville Center staged an art contest for high school students, inviting them to paint the ceiling tiles in the center with an image representing their school.
Almost every school participated. Some teachers made it a class assignment.
The winner was Rebecca Sinner, a highly-motivated senior from NewBerg High School who contacted the center after learning about the contest. She had a more lofty goal than just winning the Army flag for her school.
“I want to join the Army,” Sinner said. “I want to make my high school senior project on the enlistment process.”
After a good prequalification, the an initial appointment found her fully qualified.
Parental consent became the toughest obstacle. Her father’s work schedule was complicated and her mother lived out of state. Telephone wasn’t a reliable way to keep in contact with him, but using Facebook secured a time to meet with him.
After some phone tag and more Facebook messages, a recruiter was able to link up with her father to get his signature. A recruiter in another battalion got Sinner’s mother’s consent.
After Sinner enlisted as a 35F, the center congratulated her through Facebook. A combination of an art outreach event and social media created that new Soldier.
The recruiters found social media to be an effective way to keep contact despite challenges and locking in a contract.
By Staff Sgt. Jeremy Flood, USAREC, Portland Battalion
May 18, 2015
Portland Battalion recruiters used the competitive rivalry of local schools and social media to better engage their target market and find a Future Soldier.
The McMinnville Center staged an art contest for high school students, inviting them to paint the ceiling tiles in the center with an image representing their school.
Almost every school participated. Some teachers made it a class assignment.
The winner was Rebecca Sinner, a highly-motivated senior from NewBerg High School who contacted the center after learning about the contest. She had a more lofty goal than just winning the Army flag for her school.
“I want to join the Army,” Sinner said. “I want to make my high school senior project on the enlistment process.”
After a good prequalification, the an initial appointment found her fully qualified.
Parental consent became the toughest obstacle. Her father’s work schedule was complicated and her mother lived out of state. Telephone wasn’t a reliable way to keep in contact with him, but using Facebook secured a time to meet with him.
After some phone tag and more Facebook messages, a recruiter was able to link up with her father to get his signature. A recruiter in another battalion got Sinner’s mother’s consent.
After Sinner enlisted as a 35F, the center congratulated her through Facebook. A combination of an art outreach event and social media created that new Soldier.
The recruiters found social media to be an effective way to keep contact despite challenges and locking in a contract.
