Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Jason J Behnke | Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Justin Guarisco, a recruiter assigned to Navy Talent...... read more read more
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DETROIT - When a future Sailor joins the Navy, they understand that leaving home is part of the deal. The other part of the deal is the opportunity to work and train while being exposed to different places and cultures.
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Justin Guarisco took the deal. His journey started nearly 15 years ago when he left his home state of Michigan for an adventure that would take him around the world. Now as a medical officer recruiter in Lansing, Michigan, he’s focused on helping others make the deal.
Since his arrival, he has been consistently recognized by Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Heartland leadership as a top recruiter and an essential member of the team.
While recruiting can be a challenging assignment for anyone, Guarisco said that there are no big secrets to succeeding in the job.
“You have to have integrity, and you have to be out there doing the right things,” Guarisco said. “You just need to be open and honest with everyone that you encounter.”
Along with those qualities, he said you must care about the mission and about the potential future Sailors you work with.
“I truly care about everybody that I encounter, you know, I want what's best for them,” Guarisco said. “I never tell them to settle for one thing, because none of my applicants are 100 percent going to get their scholarships or are going to get selected to serve.”
For Guarisco, completing the mission is obviously a priority, but he also understands that he is able to help young men and women decide what’s best for their futures. He said he takes that role seriously.
“I recognize that, yeah, it's good for me if they get in, but what's really important is that they're set up in their path to their future,” Guarisco said. “So, I mean, it's having the ability to care, regardless of what is demanded of me.”
He said he gets to know all the potential officer candidates that come into the office because they work together for several months.
A notable example of the satisfaction he gets from recruiting came when he was working with an officer candidate named Maria. After months of working with her, he found out that she was awarded a Health Professions Scholarship Program scholarship.
“I was so excited to make that phone call, because I knew that her reaction would be incredible,” Guarisco said. “That's what it's all about. Having the opportunity to tell somebody that they got this scholarship of a lifetime, and that all their dreams are coming true, is incredible.”
While acknowledging the challenges of being a Navy recruiter, Guarisco also said it’s important to recognize that in the end, it’s a team effort.
“There are a lot of people behind the scenes that are trying to make stuff happen. I don't think that they get enough recognition.”
Guarisco hasn’t decided if he will attempt to continue in the recruiting field after this tour, or if he will go back to the fleet. What he does know is that for now, he’s enjoying the opportunity to spend time with family, and he’s grateful to play a role in the lives of the future officers of the Navy.
“I tell every applicant that it’s an honor to be a small part of their big adventure,” Guarisco said.
Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, two Navy Recruiting Regions and 26 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.
| Date Taken: | 03.17.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.17.2023 14:09 |
| Story ID: | 440663 |
| Location: | DETROIT, MI, US |
| Web Views: | 255 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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