Air Force Recruiting Service and USAF Heartland of America Band Minneapolis Blitzes

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alexis Suarez
  • DETATCHMENT 1
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  

Air Force Recruiting Service (AFRS) Detachment 1 partnered with local Enlisted Accession Recruiters and the USAF Heartland of America Band for a series of recruiting events in the Minneapolis area this past week. The Total Force effort focused on visiting high schools and coordinated events geared towards students to promote different Air Force career opportunities April 17-21, 2023.

During the events, the band performed top hits for students and at several other recruiting engagements. The blitz teams consisted of Rated Officers and Enlisted Accession Recruiters. Detachment 1 members were also there to answer questions about flight scholarships and various Air Force careers and benefits.

“Doing events like this allows us to build relationships and get out into the community,” said Capt. Jonathan Rothe, Aim High Flight Academy Program Manager. “It’s building a partnership to see where we can help each other in colleges and high schools so students are informed of all the opportunities they have available.”

The Air Force Band performs globally to spread morale and influence civilians and military members and engages with high school students that may not have considered the Air Force to pursue a career.

“We come out and perform for the desired crowd, in this case high schoolers,” said Master Sgt. Rebecca Wischmann, Heartland of America Band Vocalist. “These kids already have an interest in music or play instruments but would have never guessed it could be a career option for them in a military aspect. These performances allow us to inspire, motivate, and give students a different outlook on the possibilities the Air Force can provide,” said Wischmann.  

After each performance, students were able to speak with recruiters, have questions answered, and gain a better insight to what an Air Force career could look like.

“Partnering with different resources like the Air Force Bands allows us to engage with people in a different way than in traditional recruiting settings” said Master Sgt. Clifford Roy, Program Manager, Inspire Operations. “This is especially important with our RDI efforts because we’re trying to inspire the next generation of aviators.”

Detachment 1’s RDI (Rated Diversity Improvement) efforts are centered around exposing under-represented groups across the nation to aviation opportunities, with the goal of increasing the diversity of Rated Officers across the following career fields: Pilot, Combat Systems Officer, Air Battle Manager, and Remotely Piloted Aircraft.   

The goal is to inspire the next generation, increase diversity, and attract the best talent for our Air and Space Forces. With that mission in mind, local recruiters and blitz teams across the nation will be hosting events and coordinating with their respective local schools.