Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Samuel Osborn | Logistics Specialist (Submarine) 1st Class Craig Weare from Dayton, Ohio, assigned to...... read more read more
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A father, mentor, Sailor, and recruiter, Logistics Specialist (Submarine)1st Class Craig Weare brings his personal and professional experience to the recruiting field to guide the next generation of Sailors to success.
“The greatest accomplishment I’ve had in recruiting is changing people’s lives,” Weare said. “That’s the reason I got into this field. I struggled as a young adult, and seeing new Sailors flourish in the Navy and bypass those hardships is what motivates me. Life can be tough, in or out of the Navy, but the Navy provides guidance through that toughness.”
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Weare now recruits in Chattanooga, Tennessee — the same office where he was once recruited.
“Being able to work in the same schools my children attended and in the community I’ve been a part of for the last 18 years is deeply rewarding,” he said. “My children grew up in this community and I started and lost my business in this town. I’ve volunteered, donated and have been a part of this community well before my Naval career. Getting to recruit here connects me to a community that helped shape the man I’ve become, and it gives me the chance to give back.”
Weare regards recruiting as more than a job; it's a calling.
“The most rewarding part about recruiting is the families that are eager for their future Sailor and just want you to be involved with their kids, they’re so thankful and grateful for your guidance,” he said. “That was something I didn’t have when I came in, but I was lucky enough to get to be the recruiter for my son and help him from start to finish. I got him into the Navy and guided him along the way. My goal is to provide every recruit the same quality of mentorship I was able to give him.”
Weare believes that recruiting and mentoring should go beyond the applicant’s ship date.
“My role doesn’t stop at the ship date,” he said. “In the submarine community, I was taught that mentoring lasts a lifetime. I still hear from Sailors I’ve recruited, even years later, asking about opportunities or career advice. If I don’t have the answer, I’ll find it.”
Weare feels the job security and learning opportunities are unlike anywhere else.
“I’ve worked in construction, logistics and restaurants, and nothing compares to the Navy for job security,” Weare said. “No matter what’s going on in the world, you know your job is safe. Promotion opportunities, retirement benefits, and the chance to constantly learn new skills — those are things I haven’t seen anywhere else at the level the Navy provides.”
Weare believes he would go back and encourage himself to join earlier if he could.
“If I could talk to my younger self in high school, I’d say join right away,” he said. “The structure I needed was there the whole time. I was a business owner before the Navy, and I truly believe that if I hadn’t enlisted when I did, COVID would have taken everything. The Navy saved me — I’m deeply grateful for what it’s given me and what I’ve accomplished in return.”
NTAG Nashville spans 138,000 square miles and includes 36 Navy recruiting stations across Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Georgia. The command consists of more than 200 recruiters, support staff, and civilians working together to find the next generation of Sailors for America’s Navy.
For more information contact your local recruiter by calling 1-800-284-NAVY, visit www.navy.com, https://www.cnrc.navy.mil/Nashville/ or follow us at http://www.facebook.com/navyjobsnashvillemusiccity, www.instagram.com/ntagnashvilleusn, https://x.com/@NTAGNashville & https:// www.linkedin.com/in/ntag-nashville
| Date Taken: | 08.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2025 15:43 |
| Story ID: | 546681 |
| Location: | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Hometown: | DAYTON, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Recruiter In The Spotlight, by PO2 Samuel Osborn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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