Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Kyle Hafer | INGLEWOOD, Calif. (18 July, 2018) Ship Serviceman 2nd class Kristopher Wilson, a...... read more read more
Subscribe
LOS ANGELES (NNS) – The Navy operates in a fast-paced and ever changing environment. Turning Sailors into contributing members of this world-wide team requires quality mentorship, from day one.
Stepping up to this challenge is Ship Serviceman 2nd Class Kristofer D. Wilson, a member of the Navy Recruiting District Los Angeles team. He greets those Future Sailors with a handshake and a smile to break the ice.
Wilson was born in Memphis, Tenn., and is the youngest of two sons. He attended Germantown High School where he played football and ran track. Following that, he was accepted into the University of Memphis.
He met his wife in college, and even as they began their family together, he still pursued his bachelor’s degree in health and sport science.
After graduation, he decided to enlist in the Navy in 2012.
He joined because the Navy would not only help him develop new skills and a better work ethic, but it would also provide for his family and give him the chance to give back, train and mentor the next generation of Sailors.
“What makes the Navy an outstanding branch is that we are top-notch on training and mentorship,” said Wilson.
Wilson’s first duty station was the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) in San Diego. Working in the supply department, he quickly advanced through the ranks, becoming a petty officer second class. During this time, he participated in two deployments to the Western Pacific and 5th Fleet area of operations.
“My strength is that I have tenacity,” he said. “What I mean is that when someone says I can’t do something or challenges me, I put forward my all to accomplish the task and will not stop until it is completed.”
The Navy offered Wilson to be commissioned as a surface warfare officer, to which he refused. He turned down the offer in hopes to re-apply and become an officer in the supply community, an area he felt he would benefit the Navy the most.
“After all my years in the Navy, I saw my mentorship develop in the supply community,” he said. “I felt it would be a bigger benefit for the Navy and its Sailors if I stayed in the community. If you’re not doing the right thing for your junior Sailors, then there’s no point in advancing.”
In 2017, he saw an opportunity to help his Navy outside of the supply community and decided to become a Navy recruiter.
“I feel that being a recruiter is about mentoring the community that you are currently recruiting in,” said Wilson. “I have a passion for helping others and mentoring them to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to them.”
Wilson has learned that recruiting is very challenging but rewarding duty. “The unique part of my job in recruiting is that I get to meet new people every day and learn about the different personalities that come into the office,” he said. “Recruiting gives me the opportunity to help others obtain their personal goals in life.”
Recently earning the “Six Shooter Award” and the “Heavy Hitter Award,” both of which are granted to Sailors who beat their recruitment goal.
Wilson is on track for yet another promotion, and he continues to invest time in his educational ventures by working on his master’s degree in business administration at Strayer University.
Despite all his accomplishments, he continues to have his eyes set on higher goals.
“Being an officer would be my ideal future,” he said. “I’ll resubmit my package and help shape the Navy for future sailors to come.”
Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, two Navy Recruiting Regions, 21 Navy Recruiting Districts and five Navy Talent Acquisition Groups. The Navy’s recruiting force totals more than 6,100 personnel in over 1,000 recruiting stations around the globe. Their combined goal is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.
The Navy’s recruiting force totals over 6,100 personnel in more than 1,000 recruiting stations around the globe. Their combined goal is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.
NRC consists of a command headquarters, two Navy Recruiting Regions, 21 Navy Recruiting Districts and 5 Navy Talent Acquisition Groups that serve more than 1,000 recruiting stations across the country.
For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, go to http:// www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NavyRecruiting) and on Twitter (@usnavyrecruiter).
| Date Taken: | 07.20.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 07.20.2018 18:40 |
| Story ID: | 285162 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 305 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, A Recruiter Forges his Path Forward, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT