AFRS trainers order up creative ideas to boost recruiting skills Published March 2, 2007 By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs RANDOLPH AFB, Texas -- All across the country, hot, new ideas are springing up in Air Force recruiting. And that's just what the Airmen of the Headquarters Air Force Recruiting Service Standardization and Training Branch want to see. The team's focus is boosting recruiter confidence through easily accessible training materials and sharing those effective ideas among all recruiters, said Senior Master Sgt. Scott Brooke, branch chief. Although Air Force recruiters receive top-notch training at the Air Force Recruiting School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, skills gained there are honed in the recruiting offices with the help of recruiting squadron trainers. The goal is to enhance current training practices to better meet Air Force recruiting needs. "We're looking for innovations," Sergeant Brooke said. "The Air Force recruiting climate is changing as the war on terrorism continues. We need to look beyond our comfort zones to make training improvements happen, and we want the great ideas initiated in real time." Many of those ideas have come from quarterly conference calls, which now include trainers from all 28 squadrons in addition to those in the four recruiting groups. "Some of our best ideas come from the squadron trainers who work one-on-one with our recruiters," said Master Sgt. Tom Fenyoe, officer and healthcare professions accessions trainer. One squadron-level concept the branch is working hard to make a reality is an electronically-shared "Recruiter Toolbox" in which trainers can submit their ideas and fellow trainers can gain ideas to enhance their squadron programs. The toolbox will as a supplement to the training Web site already available. A second initiative the branch plans to make available later this year is a collection of specialized public-speaking training videos. The goal is to help recruiters overcome the fear of speaking to audiences. Trainers and recruiters with strong classroom presentation skills are being encouraged to contribute to the project by contacting Sergeant Brooke. "We seek people who are proud of their classroom presentations and offer a powerful and unique twist on delivering the Air Force message to high school or college students or medical residents," said the branch chief. Additionally, the branch is developing several new products in conjunction with Achieve Global to enhance the command's use of Professional Selling Skills as a primary platform for enlisted and officer accessions, as well as a senior leadership coaching tool. These include a library of open and closed methods of how to best ask people questions about themselves and lesson on how to make sharper sales closing statements. To share training improvement ideas, call the AFRS Standardization and Training Branch at commercial (210) 565-0389 or DSN 665-0389. To contact specific AFRS training branch specialties, call: · PSS, EA and OA Flight Chief Trainer, Master Sgt. Richard DeHonney, (210) 565-0390 or DSN 665-0390; · OA and HP Accessions Trainer, Master Sgt. Tom (Tihamer) Fenyoe, (210) 565-0393 or DSN 665-0393; · Training, EA and PSS, Master Sgt. Rodney McDaniel, (210) 565-0397 or DSN 665-0397; · · EA Flight Chief and Inspector General Trainer, Master Sgt. Kenneth Journey, (210) 565-0396 or DSN 665-0396; · Operations Flight and Military Entrance Processing Station Trainer, Master Sgt. Terrance Gonzalez, (210) 565-0391 or DSN 665-0391; and · Branch Chief, Senior Master Sgt. Scott Brooke, (210) 565-0389 or DSN 665-0389.