Kure Beach, N.C. — Talent acquisition professionals from the North Carolina and South Carolina Air National Guards recruiting and retention teams gathered for a planning meeting at the Kure Beach Training Center, Kure Beach, N.C., July 13-17, 2026, to prepare for fiscal year 2027 through regional collaboration, planning and professional development.
Throughout the week, the R&R teams collaborated on operational zone planning, marketing strategies, social media guidelines and administrative processes that support talent acquisition across the Carolinas.
“We wanted to give both teams an opportunity to learn from each other and develop a collaborative plan on how we can be effective with our admissions and operations,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jason Jackson, Joint Force Headquarters North Carolina training and evaluations noncommissioned officer.
As neighboring states, the NCANG and SCANG often recruit from the same communities. The meeting allowed talent acquisition professionals to refine their recruiting strategies and exchange best practices.
U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Chandra Wostenberg, Joint Force Headquarters North Carolina recruiting and retention senior enlisted leader, noted that each state’s recruiting team faces the challenge of balancing a large applicant pool and qualifying prospective members for available positions. She added that collaboration helps the team develop innovative solutions to common recruiting challenges.
Although the NCANG and SCANG support different mission sets, production recruiters often coordinate with each other to help prospective members find careers that align with their interests.
“I believe different mission sets allow us to learn from North Carolina when it comes to recruiting,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Thomas Edmunds, Joint Force Headquarters South Carolina retention office manager. “We both may have blind spots, but understanding how North Carolina fills specific vacancies allows us to take those positives back to our state.”
As FY27 approaches, the partnerships established will help talent acquisition professionals execute operational plans and recruiting strategies that support prospective Airmen with opportunities that support both their career goals and the missions of the NCANG and SCANG.