A Cyber-recruiter Experiences the Benefits of Coming Home

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Cody Anderson | 200108-N-MW275-1001 MILLINGTON, Tenn. (January 8, 2019) Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Brandy Clevenger is highlighted in this week’s “Recruiter Spotlight.” (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Cody Anderson/Released)  

UNITED STATES

01.10.2020

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Cody Anderson 

Commander, Navy Recruiting Command

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) Like many Sailors, Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Brandy Clevenger joined the Navy to travel the world and explore the world beyond her home town of Morristown, Tennessee. So when the Navy sent her to San Diego after boot camp and technical school, she was well on her way to the live of adventure she envisioned. Clevenger was assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), and began working in air department.
While being stationed on the Roosevelt, Clevenger deployed to the 5th Fleet area of responsibility, with port visits in Bahrain, Singapore, Dubai, the Philippines, Guam and experienced cultures from around the world.
“Through the Navy I have been able to see and experience parts of the world that I wouldn’t have possibly been able to on my own,” said Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Brandy Clevenger. “Seeing different parts of the world and experiencing these different cultures has changed me for the better.”
After several years of seeing new parts of the world, she began to feel the need to be close to home and family again. While negotiating for new transfer orders, she got the option to join Navy Recruiting Command to be a cyber-recruiter in Millington, Tennessee. She seized this opportunity to be closer to home.
Cyber recruiters are a group of Sailors assigned to work the chat feature on Navy.com. They answer online questions about jobs in the Navy and link people interested in joining to local recruiters. Interested people can do this from anywhere in the world and receive real-time advice on joining.
“I chose this billet and this job because I wanted to be closer to home so I could visit my family more often,” said Clevenger. “I have a younger brother and two younger sisters and being here, I am able to visit them more often and spend time with them.”
With Navy opportunities taking Sailors worldwide, Clevenger is well aware of the fact that she could be stationed overseas for her next duty assignment. Being conscious of this helps her make sure to visit her family at every opportunity and cherish the chance to be involved with them.
“I missed my family when I wasn’t here, and I wanted to be closer to home for them,” said Clevenger. “I know after this command I’ll go back to sea and from there I don’t know where I’ll go or how much time I’ll be able to spend with them.”
There are many benefits of being on shore duty, to include more time with family. For Clevenger, it has also been the chance to learn about different Navy programs. That’s knowledge that she said she’ll carry with her back into the fleet. Having the awareness of these opportunities is what Clevenger believes will help her assist junior Sailors when she advances into a supervisory position.
“A lot of people come into the Navy and want to get their degree so they can become an officer or pursue a different program and now I have a lot of information about these programs, which I can use to help others to accomplish that goal,” said Clevenger. “I know that I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here. I know it would have helped me earlier in my career, and I know that is information that I can use to help other people.”
Clevenger said she is thankful to have this knowledge. During her tenure at Navy Recruiting Command, she was able to receive personalized attention from the command career counselors and experienced a greater ease of being able to approach those in higher ranks for her career-based needs. Through their guidance, she now feels empowered to help others so they will be able to advance easier and won’t have to go through what she did.
This knowledge is also shaping the way Clevenger is thinking about her own career. Prior to becoming a cyber-recruiter, she had never through about becoming an officer or enrolling in the reserves. Now she feels that she is better able to take the proper steps forward and enroll in either program, if she chooses.
“Before coming here, I never really considered becoming an officer before, so it’s been beneficial in helping me think about different opportunities for myself as well,” said Clevenger.
Although Clevenger picked Navy Recruiting Command to be closer to home, she said she is truly happy to have learned more about Navy opportunities. She said she enjoys the benefit of being able to visit family more often, but helping others is a huge reward to being a part of Navy Recruiting Command (NRC).
Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, two Navy Recruiting Regions, 15 Navy Recruiting Districts and 11 Navy Talent Acquisition Groups that serve more than 815 recruiting stations across the world. Their combined goal is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.
For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, go to http://www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NavyRecruiting), Twitter (@USNRecruiter) and Instagram (@USNRecruiter).

• Date Taken: 01.10.2020
• Date Posted: 01.10.2020 14:21
• Story ID: 358743
• Location: US