Navy recruiters in the PNW ramp up efforts: 'America relies on an all-volunteer service to defend it'

Navy recruiters in the PNW ramp up efforts

Navy recruiters said the propensity among current youth to serve in the military is low, and so are the number of Americans qualified to serve physically, academically and medically.

WASHINGTON - At the core of the military are the brave men and women who sign up to serve and protect our freedoms. Right now, recruiters are doing everything they can to keep attracting qualified candidates into their ranks, but it has been quite the challenge.

Commander John Hiltz is the Commanding Officer for Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pacific Northwest. He has been in his role for three years and said the pandemic has certainly played a role.

"Often times, we find like that moment in high school, you see somebody walking in a uniform and think, ‘wow, how do I get to do that or tell me more about that.’ That sort of moment of inception we find motivates people to want to serve," said Commander Hiltz. "If you can’t have those interactions in high school or in the community, it really makes it difficult to talk about those Navy opportunities."

Commander Hiltz said there are 36 stations around the Pacific Northwest and 110 recruiters in communities across Montana, Idaho, Alaska and Washington State ready to interact with individuals interested in learning more about Navy scholarships and opportunities for people to serve their country around the world.

"What are their interests? What are the things that motivate them to serve? What do they like doing? Whether it’s working on F-18s, serving on a nuclear-powered submarine or on an aircraft carrier, we want to talk with them about those opportunities," said Hiltz.

Navy recruiters said the propensity among current youth to serve in the military is low, and so is the number of Americans qualified to serve physically, academically and medically.

From that small group of qualified candidates, the Navy is in competition with all the military branches and service, and organizations and industries across America.

"America relies on an all-volunteer service to defend it, and it’s important to have a credible defense at all times," said Commander Hiltz. "In a dynamic, global world of geopolitical forces constantly stressing and straining we need to be able to defend ourselves credibly. So we know this recruiting mission is one that we can’t fail on, and that’s why we’re so motivated, that’s why my recruiting team is so passionate about talking about their experiences and about the Navy."

This week, FOX 13 met Future Navy Sailor James Suther at Naval Station Everett. The 22-year-old from Bellevue said he mostly signed up for the challenge and camaraderie.

"It’s what I’ve always wanted to do ever since I was a little kid. A lot of people want to be influencers on Instagram or they want to be rich, I don’t know, they have different goals," said Suther. "I want to do something different than most of my peers."

Suther leaves for Navy Boot Camp in early August.

"I think it’s going to be fun. I’ve never seen anything like that happen to me before, so I think it’s going to be cool to not have my phone for ten weeks and kind of separate myself from the rest of the world and just be around a lot of like-minded people and challenge myself," said Suther.

U.S. Navy Recruiters will be at the Seafair Festival Aug. 5-7 at the NIMITZ VR activation from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The Navy is offering enlistment bonuses of up to $50,000. It’s also currently piloting a Single Parent Waiver, which allows single parents with two or less children over the age of one year to join the Navy.