CANTON, Ohio -- Staff Sgt. Christopher A. Perdue, a recruiter from Recruiting Sub-station Canton, recently became the first recipient of the new .50 Caliber club award at Recruiting Station Cleveland.
The .50 Cal Club award replaces the older “Half-Cock” award given for the same accomplishment.
The award recognizes recruiters for 50 net contracts in the first 18 months of recruiting duty.
Perdue is one of the top recruiters at RS Cleveland with a tour-to-date net annual percentage rate of 3.38. Perdue has enlisted 60 recruits with only 4 discharges.
Master Sgt. Mark Baker was Perdue’s non-commissioned officer in charge for Perdue’s first year on recruiting duty.
Baker said Perdue’s attitude and sincerity sets him apart from other recruiters. “Staff sergeant Perdue has a genuine concern for his applicants,” said Baker. “He believes in what he does and has a great attitude for recruiting duty.”
Purdue says the secret to his success is a positive mental attitude mixed with systematic recruiting.
“Systematic recruiting works,” said Perdue. “If you take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself and use what you are taught, you will be successful.”
Perdue also has a question for those recruiters that struggle while on recruiting duty.
“I always wonder why some Marines accept failure on recruiting duty. If you look at what I have done, I have only made the mission assigned to me every month,” said Perdue. “In anything else that you do as a Marine, when you are given a mission, you complete it. Why would you accept failure as a recruiter when you wouldn’t accept failure in the fleet?”
Perdue enjoys recruiting and wants to remain.
“I hope I can become an NCOIC,” Perdue said. “I volunteered to come out on recruiting duty and I want to stay here. Eventually I would like to train other recruiters how to be successful.”