By Staff Sgt. Phil Fountain and Master Sgt. Vince Madrid
CAMP MABRY, Texas – Last month, Tech. Sgt. Jennifer A. Joubert of Lake Church, La., a production recruiter with the 149th Fighter Wing at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was recognized by the Air National Guard as one of the nation’s top recruiters during the 2012 Air National Guard Recruiting and Retention Workshop in New Orleans, in her native state.
The Air National Guard annually recognizes its best performers nationally for recruiting and retention efforts. Joubert’s performance at the San Antonio-based F-16 combat fighter training unit during Fiscal Year 2011 earned her the distinction of being the nation’s top Air Guard recruiter in both “Prior Service Qualified Accessions” and “Critical Accessions.”
Earning two of the distinctions in one year is considered to be a unique accomplishment, as there are only four categories of annual awards for production recruiters in the Air National Guard. The other categories are for top non-prior service and overall accessions, or recruiting.
“An accession happens when a person actually enlists and is successfully gained into the unit,” Joubert said. “Prior service recruits can be from any branch [of the armed forces], and includes transfers from one [National] Guard unit to another.”
Joubert further explained that critical accessioning involves placing airmen into difficult to fill positions, which “are designated annually by NGB (National Guard Bureau) for the fiscal year.”
The ANG award categories highlight a production recruiter’s dynamic recruiting ability, exceptional technical expertise, and steadfast focus on mission accomplishment. Additionally, this particular recognition builds upon Joubert’s record as having been previously named the Texas Air National Guard’s Rookie Production Recruiter of the Year for 2011.
Although relatively new to the Lone Star State and the recruiting field, Joubert has extensive military experience she can share with potential recruits, including service in Masirah, Oman, while she was in the active-duty Air Force as a member of the Security Forces. Additionally, she has served in administrative positions within other units of the Air National Guard.
“None of the awesome capabilities provided by the Texas Air National Guard could exist without airmen,” said Senior Master Sgt. Michael E. Fruge, superintendent of recruiting and retention for the Texas Air National Guard. “We could not have airmen without outstanding recruiters like Tech. Sgt. Joubert.”
During FY11, Joubert was directly responsible for bringing in 62 new Lone Star Gunfighters, which members of the 149th Fighter Wing are known as, and “90 percent of her accessions were in critical vacancies,” according to the award nomination package.
Joubert credits her success with finding the best possible fit for each new airman. She said she’s most rewarded “when recruits go off to training and come back transformed and proud. I try to make sure I’m giving them what they’re looking for while fulfilling the mission of the unit.”