Photo By Staff Sgt. Tegan Kucera | Michigan Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Janea Cook, is a recruiter with the 127th Wing,...... read more read more
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LANSING, Mich.—Michigan Air National Guard (MIANG) recruiters supporting the 110th and 127th Wings have the monumental task of not only filling the ranks, but also ensuring critical career fields remain filled. For the MIANG, some duties can be seen on a daily basis, such as security forces, civil engineering, or finance. Others are performed behind the scenes, such as All Sources Intelligence.
“We have to find applicants from all over the state and nation,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott Badgero, production recruiter, 110th Wing, Battle Creek Air National Guard Base. “We have to find, process, and job counsel future Airmen to ensure they get the job they want to support the mission.”
“Our job is to bring qualified applicants into the Michigan Air National Guard to support the mission—not only the state mission but also the federal mission,” he said.
The National Guard, as a whole, has three overarching missions supported by the Air National Guard (ANG): the State Partnership Program, homeland defense, and fighting America’s wars. Those missions include the professionals who make up the intelligence community.
“The 110th Wing is unique in that we have four different squadrons of intelligence,” said Badgero. “We have an Air Operations Group, a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Unit, the Wing, and our Cyber Operations Squadron.”
Intelligence falls under the ANG structure as a highly critical field, meaning there is a large need for Airmen in to join this career path. This field also comes with a critical responsibility.
“As a mission intelligence coordinator, I am the intel asset between the pilot flying the MQ-9 Reaper and the sensor operator,” said Staff Sgt. Bret Rainke, mission intelligence coordinator, intelligence operations supervisor, and security representative specialist, 110th Operations Group, 110th Wing. “I ensure there is a clear line of communication between those two components to ensure pinpoint accuracy.”
Rainke enlisted after high school and has spent more than six years working in the intelligence career field.
“I looked into the Air National Guard and had an interest in intelligence,” he said. “I also had a couple friends in the Michigan National Guard who talked about how great their experience was, so I joined.”
Critical or hard to fill fields can come with incentives, or monetary bonuses, that are offered to qualified Airmen to fill certain roles.
“The incentives for mission-essential positions include the applicable cash bonus of either $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000 and the GI-Bill Kicker,” said Tech. Sgt. Janea Cook, production recruiter, 127th Wing, Selfridge Air National Guard Base. “Additionally, non-prior service members who fill mission-essential positions also receive an automatic promotion to the rank of E-3.”
The Air National Guard provides an opportunity for individuals to live in their communities while serving their country and state part-time. This enables Airmen to pursue full time education, employment and other personal interests or goals.
“Members earn a monthly pay check, travel opportunities, learn a skill or trade, receive money for school including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance, start a retirement, utilize Tricare health insurance and more,” said Cook.
The majority of all ANG career fields are compatible to civilian jobs and provide an excellent opportunity to prepare for civilian employment.
“Careers at the 127th Wing range from aircraft maintenance, administration, healthcare, civil engineering, and more,” said Cook. “There are endless networking opportunities as Air National Guard members are residents of the local community.”
Additionally, the Air National Guard offers benefits to further education.
“For all Air National Guard members, whichever career path they chose, they are offered $14,000 for in-state tuition assistance,” said Badgero.
“We also offer the G.I. Bill and the G.I. Bill Kicker, which is money paid directly to the Airman.”
The National Guard can also offer additional skills and training to meet the needs of the civilian job market.
“Service members may do a job for a while and then want a change or to match their military jobs with the civilian job market to gain that experience,” said Badgero.
Badgero himself has benefited from taking charge of his career and diversifying his career.
“I enlisted in the Army for four years, then joined the Army National Guard for five years, before joining the Army Reserves for two years,” he said. “I got out, had a six year break and rejoined after the 9/11 attacks and began my Air National Guard career at the 127th Wing, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, as a C-130 loadmaster.”
Individuals looking for more information about how serving in the Michigan Air or Army National Guard can offer great opportunities are encouraged to contact recruiters at: Michigan Army National Guard recruiting, www.miarmyguard.com, 888-906-1636, the Michigan Army National Guard app, or Michigan Air National Guard recruiting, 1-800-432-4296 or Facebook at https://facebook.com/MIANGRecruiting/.
| Date Taken: | 04.14.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.15.2021 12:46 |
| Story ID: | 393925 |
| Location: | LANSING, MI, US |
| Web Views: | 924 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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