Secretary of the Navy presents award to MCRC

22 Oct 2010 | Sgt. Bryan McDonnell Marine Corps Recruiting Command

On behalf of the Secretary of the Navy, the Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruiting Command, Maj. Gen. Robert E. Milstead Jr., presented the members of his command with a Navy Unit Commendation Oct. 22 for exceptional meritorious service during fiscal years 2007 through 2009.

Maj. Gen. Milstead announced the award to the leaders of the command at the 2010 Commander’s Conference in San Diego, Calif.

“All of our Marines assigned to recruiting duty are richly deserving of this award.” said Col. Michael Bowersox, assistant chief of staff, G3, Marine Corps Recruiting Command.  “From a quality perspective, what our Marines are accomplishing is unprecedented and has resulted in historic lows in MCRD and non-EAS attrition.  This bodes extremely well for the future of the Corps.”

The command received its sixth NUC for total force recruiting and officer procurement efforts from October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2009. The command took a lead role in growing the active duty force by 27,000 Marines, achieving the end strength objective of 202,000 more than two years ahead of schedule. In the process of meeting this goal, MCRC also surpassed the Department of Defense high school graduate quality standards by more than seven percent.

While proud of the accomplishments the Marines have attained over the last three years, Bowersox had some advice as they look to the future of recruiting.

“Like Marines of the past, Marines assigned to recruiting duty will accomplish the mission.  The challenge is to prevent complacency from setting in....we need to continue to beat the bushes for the highest quality applicants and not accept lesser qualified applicants who seek us; and we will have to do it in an environment of shrinking resources,” said Bowersox. “The transformation from civilian to Marine begins with the recruiter; we need to continue to embody our core values and do what is best for the institution.”

All Department of the Navy military and civilian personnel who were assigned to the following units any time between October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2009 qualify for this award: Headquarters, Marine Corps Recruiting Command; Commanding Generals and Chiefs of Staff, Eastern and Western Recruiting Regions; all members of the Eastern and Western Recruiting Regions staffs to include the recruit liaison sections; permanent personnel of Recruiters School, San Diego, Calif.; members of every Marine Corps Recruiting District; members of every Marine Corps Recruiting Station or Officer Selection Team; and all sailors and civilians attached to Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Department 25 (BUMED-25).


Marine Corps Recruiting Command