Photo By Chief Petty Officer Torrey Lee | BREMERTON, Wash. (June 25, 2026) —Rear Adm. James P. Waters III, Commander, Navy...... read more read more
Rear Adm. James P. Waters III, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, joined Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pacific Northwest during staff training on June 25, 2026, in Bremerton, Washington, where he engaged with a command operating across one of the Navy’s most demanding recruiting regions.
The training brought together recruiters and support personnel from NTAG Pacific Northwest’s four-state area of responsibility, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska, to strengthen mission alignment, reinforce warfighting readiness, and build cohesion across the command.
During the visit, Waters addressed the staff on the importance of their mission to find and prepare the next generation of Sailors from the Pacific Northwest.
“It's normal and natural in an all-volunteer force for Sailors to leave the Navy after the completion of their contract, at the time of retirement, or whenever that is right,” Waters admitted. “We have about 13% of the Navy leave every year. That's about 35,000 people. So, the normal recruiting mission just to replace that is 35,000.”
Waters said Sailors often leave the recruiting mission better than when they arrived because recruiting develops skills that few other shore duties can match. He said the tour teaches Sailors how to lead and manage people, communicate clearly, persuade effectively, and encourage others through life-changing decisions. Those abilities, he said, not only make recruiters more effective in the field, but also better prepare them for success when they return to the fleet or continue serving elsewhere in the Navy.
For NTAG Pacific Northwest, that mission is uniquely challenging. The command operates across a one-million-square-mile market that spans major metropolitan areas, rural communities, hazardous mountain corridors, and remote Alaska locations where weather, distance, and limited transportation complicate every stage of the recruiting process.
“This command has set the standard across Navy Recruiting Command,” said Cmdr. Richard Jarchow, NTAG PNW’s commanding officer. “That does not happen by accident. It happens because this team knows how to connect with people, prepare future Sailors for success, and earn trust across one of the toughest recruiting environments in the country.”
NTAG PNW recruiters consistently recruit strong applicants, keeping them committed and moving them through the process quickly. Many future Sailors were referring their friends for service, the Navy was outperforming the other branches in the region, and applicants were going from first meeting to signed contract in about a month.
The command’s performance is made more notable by the environment in which it recruits. In Alaska, recruiters operate in extremely cold and isolated communities, at times relying on bush travel by small aircraft and off-road vehicles to reach prospective applicants. Across Washington, Idaho, and Montana, recruiters navigate hazardous mountain passes and routinely execute overnight travel in austere conditions to ensure future Sailors complete processing and remain on track for accession.
“This training is about readiness, and Rear Adm. Waters’ presence here underscores the importance of this mission to the Navy,” said Master Chief Navy Career Counselor Joshua Johnson, NTAG PNW’s chief recruiter. “Every Sailor is a warfighter, and recruiters stand on the front line of finding them across every corner of our region. To stay ready in an evolving Navy, we have to build a culture of excellence and warrior toughness through great people, great leaders, and great teams.”
Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pacific Northwest manages more than 34 enlisted and officer recruiting stations throughout Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. Its mission is to recruit the next generation of Sailors from the Pacific Northwest, focusing on high-quality candidates who will enhance the readiness of America’s Navy and inspire future leadership.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2026 17:34 |
| Story ID: | 568618 |
| Location: | BREMERTON, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Rear Adm. Waters joins NTAG Pacific Northwest for annual training in Bremerton, by CPO Torrey Lee, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
