Photo By Staff Sgt. Kellyann Elish | Staff Sgt. Lorenzo Walker, center, 192nd Wing Recruiting and Retention Flight...... read more read more
JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. -- The 192nd Wing Recruiting and Retention Flight, Virginia Air National Guard, wrapped up fiscal 2025 with historic success, advancing the wing’s manpower and enhancing mission capability across the commonwealth. The team exceeded its annual enlistment goal by recruiting 177 new Airmen and surpassing both its internal target of 151 and the National Guard Bureau's goal of 80. Retention efforts also helped keep experienced Airmen in service, raising the wing’s retention rate from 86% last year to 90.14%.
“What our Recruiting and Retention Flight has accomplished this year is nothing short of amazing,” said Col. Matthew R. Hummel, 192nd Wing deputy commander. “This team not only crushed our NGB goal by 195%, we beat our much higher VaANG ‘stretch’ goal. This incredible effort had an immediate positive impact. For example, one of our largest squadrons, the 203rd RED HORSE in Virginia Beach, increased its manning by 17%.”
The achievement highlights the R&R team’s ability to adapt during a year of significant organizational change, as reflected by Master Sgt. Andrew S. Bugg, 192nd Wing R&R senior enlisted leader. Air National Guard recruiting and retention efforts were restructured in fiscal 2025, establishing dedicated flights or squadrons with appointed commanders and streamlining duties to focus on people-first engagement and operational needs.
The 192nd Wing, based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, is the state’s only Air National Guard wing. Its Airmen serve both state and federal missions, working alongside the active-duty Air Force to operate F-22 Raptor aircraft and conduct global intelligence and cyberspace operations. When activated by the governor, the wing supports Virginia by safeguarding lives and property and delivering vital emergency relief, responding to natural disasters, and providing specialized engineering and medical assistance during recovery efforts.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Recruiting and Retention team at this juncture,” said Maj. Sybella M. Reardon, 192nd Wing R&R flight commander. “The fiscal 2025 restructuring brought valuable new perspectives, fueling innovative initiatives, modernized processes, and a data-driven approach that has resulted in exceptional success. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead this talented team and build on this momentum as we grow the VaANG to its newly authorized strength of 1,326.”
While new processes contributed to success, Bugg credits the culture the team built together for driving results.
“Despite a year of constant change and restructuring, our flight achieved exceptional results by embracing a shared vision through innovation and trusting each other’s expertise,” Bugg said. “The team’s selflessness and drive directly impacted our achievement of the largest manpower growth since fiscal 2019. Although production numbers surged, I'm most proud of the strong values, mentorship, and positive culture we cultivated.”
Bugg’s leadership earned him recognition as the Region III R&R Flight Chief of the Year, an honor spanning multiple states. He will compete at the NGB level, representing all three of the nation’s regions.
“The Virginia Air National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention team operates as a unified force of Airmen dedicated to strengthening the organization through people-focused engagement,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher A. McKnight, 192nd Wing R&R production recruiter.
That focus also meant close collaboration with unit leaders to fill high-priority roles. Sixty percent of recruits joined one of the wing’s top 10 critical Air Force specialty codes, driven by precise manpower analysis, targeted outreach, and effective use of social media and community engagement.
“The way the recruiting team determines which units have the highest need starts with our internal E90 tracker,” said Tech. Sgt. Tatiana Forster, 192nd Wing R&R production recruiter. “The E90 shows the percentage each unit has filled for every individual AFSC. From there, our recruiting team markets and hires specifically for those positions. This process ensures our outreach and applicant pipelines are aligned with the most critical vacancies.”
To support targeted recruiting, the 192nd Wing Public Affairs team partnered with the R&R team to raise awareness of the critical career fields across the VaANG. PA produced a series of high-impact videos featuring Airmen in their day-to-day mission environments, providing potential recruits a behind-the-scenes look at the skills, training and opportunities available. The team also developed digital ads displayed on TVs in local gyms and other high-visibility community spaces to reach a wider audience.
By enhancing the wing’s social media presence and revamping its YouTube page, PA increased the reach of recruiting content while providing compelling stories and visuals that resonated with viewers. These strategic communication efforts helped drive interest in the VaANG’s mission-critical AFSCs and supported recruiters in connecting qualified civilians with these vacancies.
Local recruiters worked every angle, from classrooms to community events, to raise awareness about VaANG opportunities.
“I worked in the most populous city in the state: Virginia Beach (population 460,000),” said Master Sgt. Aditya Venkatapur, 192nd Wing R&R geographically separated unit advanced recruiter and 203rd RED HORSE retention office manager. “I found success in zone canvassing at local food and beverage establishments. Attending the many tourist events held on the water throughout the year also helped manage optics for me in my mission. Advertising and living the VaANG, both on and off duty, helped me meet objectives.”
The team’s top production recruiter, Staff Sgt. Lorenzo Walker said a people-centered approach helped build trust.
“Becoming the top recruiter was the result of a combination of strong mentorship, a supportive team, and a genuine passion for connecting with people,” Walker said. “I was fortunate to receive detailed, hands-on training from experienced recruiters within the office and my flight chief, Master Sgt. Bugg.”
He said with a background in sales, engaging with potential applicants came naturally, but what truly made the difference was approaching each interaction with honesty, transparency, and integrity.
“I embraced new marketing tactics such as QR codes and social media to better connect with today’s generation. That practical approach, paired with a positive attitude, created a smooth and trustworthy experience for applicants. The fact that many referred others, one even bringing in three more, shows that people not only joined but believed in the process.”
Retention efforts ensured those who joined were supported throughout their service.
“To meet the goals for bonuses, I review the fiscal year operational guidance and brief the recruiting team on the AFSCs that are bonus-eligible and the amounts,” said Master Sgt. Cara Gracia, 192nd Wing R&R retention office manager. “Recruiters share this information with potential applicants, and I also provide it to Unit Career Advisors for distribution. I ensure UCAs are trained, have AFRISS [Air Force Recruiting Information Support System] access, and manage the program to give them the tools needed to support retention at the unit level.”
“Our retention efforts were equally vital by maintaining strong relationships with current members and addressing their needs, we ensured the Guard remains not only a place to serve but a community to belong to,” McKnight said. “Ultimately, our success reflects the dedication of every member of the R&R team and the support of the entire Virginia Air National Guard. We don’t just recruit numbers — we build Airmen, families, and a mission-ready force for our state and nation.”
As the new fiscal year advances, the team continues to promote growth, readiness and Airmen development across the VaANG and the commonwealth.
“For fiscal 2026, I hope and expect the VaANG R&R team to play a strategic role in shaping our organization’s growth and culture,” said Tech. Sgt. Raychelle Means, 192nd Wing R&R flight chief.
With strong momentum and a clear mission, the 192nd Wing Recruiting and Retention Flight continues strengthening Virginia’s air power — one Airman at a time.
| Date Taken: | 11.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2025 13:53 |
| Story ID: | 551397 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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