The Texas State Guard boasts the largest and strongest State Defense Force (SDF) force of 1,500 soldiers, maintained and reinforced by a team of active duty recruiters who are deeply committed to their mission. These recruiters work relentlessly, Monday through Friday, to reach out to Texans, explaining the purpose, benefits, and honor of serving in the Texas State Guard. They use a personalized approach, helping potential recruits understand how they can contribute to their community and the state by enlisting or earning a commission in the Texas State Guard.
In stark contrast, the norm among State Defense Forces across the nation is to employ part-time recruiters who perform their duties only one weekend per month. This intermittent approach to recruitment imposes significant constraints on the efficacy of their mission, with periods of inactivity where emails and phone calls from potential applicants may go unanswered.
The limited time that these part-time recruiters can dedicate to interaction with new applicants develop a series of adverse effects on their respective State Defense Force. It results in a bottleneck in processing prospective troops into the organization, ultimately affecting the overall strength of the State Defense Force. This, in turn, negatively impacts the force’s ability to provide adequate support to the National Guard for critical missions. Presently, the majority of State Defense Forces operate significantly below their authorized strength, with some only maintaining a fraction of the personnel. This contrast underlines the strategic advantage of employing full-time recruiters, as demonstrated by the Texas State Guard.
Having active duty military recruiters working five days a week offers several advantages over part-time recruiters who only work two days a month. Firstly, it allows for sustained engagement with the community, which results in a higher probability of enlisting or commissioning more individuals into the State Guard. Secondly, it provides prospective recruits with immediate and accessible points of contact to address their queries or concerns. These recruiters also have more time to create strong relationships, tailor their recruitment strategies, and engage with the community, schools, and local events.
So in this weeks poll we want your feedback regarding recruitiment. Do you believe State Defense Forces should have at least one full time active duty recruiter?
– Yes, State Defense Forces should request more funding in their annual budgets so they can have at least one full time active duty recruiter
– No, the current system is adequate
– No, State Defense Forces just need more part time troops allocated to the Recruitment division
