New Army recruits are the future warfighters U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground’s (YPG) developmental test mission will serve.
Most newly enlisted recruits’ knowledge of Army service is secondhand. If they’re part of the lucky few, perhaps a parent or other close relative served. Others know of it entirely from television and movies.
A group of about 25 young people made up of both Army recruits under contract and high school students considering enlisting in the Army paid a visit to YPG on July 29 to get up close and personal with things like a UH-60 Blackhawk and ask questions about Army life with Soldiers assigned to YPG’s elite Airborne Test Force (ATF).
“We bring the recruits so they can see what the Army looks like firsthand,” said Staff Sgt. Rigoberto Montoya, recruiter. “Yuma Proving Ground gives everybody a good perspective of what the Army is—they see aircraft, they interact with Soldiers, and that keeps them motivated.”
Over the years, YPG has supported such visits to the workplaces of virtually every active-duty military occupational specialty (MOS) assigned here.
“I think it is good for recruits to get a chance to talk with green suiters before they actually enter the organization,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Melvin Bullard, ATF Chief. “They get a better understanding of what the Army is like.”
Attendee Christian Escobedo was among the new recruits. Enlisted as a field artillery recruit, he will head to basic training after graduating from high school next year.
“I think YPG is an amazing place,” Escobedo said after the visit. “It literally advances the U.S. military.”
The Soldiers who interacted with the recruits enjoyed the visit.
“I like it when the recruits come by,” said Master Sgt. Donald Bullock, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the ATF. “I think it’s fun to show them what could be in their future and introduce them a bit more to the Army. A lot of times, the recruiter is the first interaction they’ve ever had with the Army, and this gives them more perspective.”