MAINEiac Numbers Reach New High

Photo By Master Sgt. Andrew Sinclair | Recruiters Staff Sgt. Tiffanie Bridges and Technical Sgt. Scott Mercier stop for a photo against the Maine Autumn foliage, October 5, 2023. The dynamic duo are Production Recruiters at the 101st Air Refueling Wing and along with their team, celebrate a record high of 113 accessions for fiscal year 2023.  

BANGOR, ME, UNITED STATES

10.05.2023

Story by Master Sgt. Andrew Sinclair 

101st Air Refueling Wing

Soaring to new heights for the 101st Air Refueling Wing Recruiting and Retention Team. It’s no secret that R&R doesn’t come easy these days. With the COVID-19 pandemic health and safety precautions making it physically impossible for the team to visit schools; selling an organization as prestigious and highly decorated as the 101st ARW became shockingly difficult to do face-to-face.

However throughout the pandemic the numbers still marched on, though not at the beat the Recruiting and Retention Team were used to.

Every unit around the globe loses personnel to retirements, attrition, or even members who PCS to other units. In walks the R&R Team. One of their goals is to gain back, (preferably more) the right amount of Airmen to counteract those losses.

Medical benefits, salary, bonuses, tuition, etc. These are all factors that change on a regular basis, and the R&R Team has to stay ahead of it all. Their job is to inspire, engage and recruit the next generation of Airmen, so that we can help maintain air power dominance in this ever changing world.

Despite the physical barriers COVID-19 presented and the increasing competitive benefits that civilian organizations continue to improve upon, the cohesive R&R team in Maine set a new standard for fiscal year 2023. Breaking every record in the years past, the team recruited an astonishing number of new MAINEiacs; 113 to be exact. That’s 12 over their annual goal of 101.

Technical Sergeant Scott Mercier is a Production Recruiter at the 101st ARW, and played a big part in reaching 113 new MAINEiacs. “There are a lot of legacy Airmen out here, a lot of young adults whose parents served as did their parents before them. I think a lot of our success comes from that,” TSgt Mercier said when I asked what he thought was a contributing factor.

“When talking to schools and talking to potential applicants, I get the sense of pride and willingness to serve and give back to their communities. It’s great seeing that and it’s great to be a part of it all”, Mercier said.

Airmen willing to serve is only a part of what contributed to the 113, because just as it is in most work centers, the successes are only as good as the team itself, and the 101st Air Refueling Wing Recruiting and Retention team are about as dynamic and cohesive as a team can get. It’s what paved the way to reach those high numbers, bring in more talent, and secure our future mission.

“I am very proud of our Recruiting Team and the record number of accessions that we have had this year,” said Colonel Ian Gillis, 101st Air Refueling Wing Commander. Wing leadership knows the trials and tribulations the team have endured and have had the pleasure of witnessing this synergistic group come together to accomplish the mission.

“The Maine Air National Guard is one of the best kept secrets in the State; the wing has been working hard to share the MAINEiac story, our successes and the benefits of service, with our local community this past year,” Colonel Gillis added. “Hopefully we are becoming less of a mystery and more of a benefit to our citizens. I think this shows that the youth of MAINE still has a propensity for service to their community and that tells me that the MAINEiac legacy is in good hands.”

The Guard has long been known as a “volunteer force”, and with a team like Bangor’s, it takes ingenuity and spark to talk to future applicants and ultimately welcome them to the MAINEiac family and contribute to a quality volunteer force. The R&R team is comprised of highly skilled subject matter experts; all of which come from various backgrounds and skill sets. This adds to the team’s success, being able to point an applicant in the right direction, set up appropriate shop tours via networking and relationships, and speaking from real world experience. This coupled with volunteer willingness to serve, is what leaves applicants feeling good about taking the next big step, and joining the greatest tanker unit in the world.

• Date Taken: 10.05.2023
• Date Posted: 10.05.2023 13:37
• Story ID: 455280
• Location: BANGOR, ME, US