LOS ANGELES - Marine Corps Recruiting Station Los Angeles out performed all 12th Marine Corps District recruiting stations during Operation War Hammer, earning them the War Hammer Award and a Certificate of Commendation. The spring recruiting offensive helped foster competition among the recruiting force to generate momentum during a historically challenging time for recruiting.
Recruiting offensives are command-approved incentive periods created to increase production while offering Marines an opportunity to earn recognition for their efforts. At the end of this offensive, Operation War Hammer, Recruiting Station Los Angeles was selected and recognized as a whole.
Major Christopher J. O’Melia, the Recruiting Station Los Angeles commanding officer, says that it was not a competition they deliberately sought out to win.
“We were in the midst of our own momentum generation plan and the two just happened to line up,” said O’Melia. “All of our efforts were focused on internal momentum attainment through an application of brilliance of the basics and ensuring every recruiter was applying the fundamentals of systematic recruiting.”
Operation War Hammer was a success throughout the whole district, livening production and maximizing prospecting volume. The operation spanned from February to May, but Los Angeles started reworking their strategy much earlier.
“The effort to do what we did during that period occurred when I first got on board,” O’Melia stated. “Really it was the cultural change. L.A. needs to be more than just the historic flagship; they needed to no kidding be the flagship. But, the only way to do that was to completely change the culture and turn it from an organization of individuals making individual missions to a true team.”
Master Sergeant Jinais DaCosta, the Recruiting Station Los Angeles assistant recruiter instructor, says that some Marines may have needed a little push to get them back in the fight with Los Angeles.
“Maybe what was different was the special attention we gave to those recruiters who might have been struggling and needed a little more one-on-one,” said DaCosta. “Someone from the R.I. shop visited those specific recruiters so that we can get them on board as well.”
Los Angeles’ superior performance during the offensive was achieved by increasing and maintaining high percentages of recruiting statics.
“It’s a great honor and it’s always nice to be recognized, but the recognition absolutely goes to the recruiters,” says O’Melia. The men and women of the command who day in and day out rose to the challenge and met the mission to the date we laid out for them.”