DVIDS – News – New Jersey Marketing Takes New Approach to Recruitment Campaigns

PHILLIPSBURG, N.J. — A soldier stands at a podium and speaks to a silent room. He admires the “pinks and greens” that remind him of an era that speaks of tradition, duty, and service.
Concerned parents, public officials and the Phillipsburg School Board huddled cautiously, awaiting the soldier's shocking words from the podium.
“I know a kid who wanted to give back to his community. He started his career at Rutgers University and earned a degree in criminal justice. He was saddled with $100,000 in student loans, but after , we realized that the economic situation was not good enough to be policed,” said U.S. Army Sergeant Ryan Vance. “I'm that girl.”
In New Jersey, National Guard recruiters are making a significant effort to engage with local communities, prioritizing outreach to schools and towns where they have roots and personal ties.
“Granting additional access to military recruiters in our high schools allows us to give back to our communities,” said Sgt. Vance. “By offering admission to our high school, we are able to provide the Phillipsburg community with a wealth of information about the life-changing opportunities that have saved me and so many others from financial insecurity.”
Sgt. Vance's participation in the local school board meeting is just one example of a new grassroots marketing effort aimed at recruiting the next generation of soldiers for the New Jersey National Guard.
“This new approach requires establishing a dialogue with the public,” said Army Staff Sergeant Malika Moore, marketing noncommissioned officer with the New Jersey Army National Guard Recruitment and Retention Battalion. You can demonstrate the National Guard's commitment to providing value to the community. ”
The new initiative consists of two aspects.
First, it's a concerted effort to work with public institutions and elected officials to ease access to educational facilities and enable recruiters to participate in community events. .
and second, fostering relationships with local media outlets and influential community members to emphasize the “citizen-soldier” motif and distinguish the New Jersey Army National Guard from other component units. .
“Alongside the guidelines of the Greatest Generation campaign and the National Guard Bureau's social media guidebook, this initiative aims to help paint the New Jersey National Guard in a different light than others believe about the U.S. military.” I think so,” said SSG Moore. “By jointly marketing the New Jersey National Guard's local investments in parallel with the New Jersey National Guard Bureau's marketing campaign, this team is building a comprehensive view of the military's mission to protect and serve the people of our state and nation. You can aim for it.”
U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Jesse De La Cruz, a recruiting officer with the New Jersey Army National Guard's Recruitment and Retention Battalion, played a pivotal role in facilitating this effort.
“Passaic is my hometown. I grew up here, went to school here and now serve here,” Delacruz said. “Giving people like me in this community a chance to get out of trouble is a way for me to give back, and furthermore, having recruiters at this level involved in advertising and promotion is a great way to give back in the long run. It will definitely help our mission.”
SFC De La Cruz is a native of Passaic Township, located in the heart of northern New Jersey.
“I was skeptical of the military because I didn't know what they were doing here,” said Passaic Township High School Principal Graciela Romero. “Jesse's presence proved our suspicions wrong, because he wasn't about giving back to everyone, he was about giving back to everyone,” he said. only those who can be hired,” Romero said.
During his tenure as Passaic Township's Recruitment and Retention Noncommissioned Officer, SFC Delacruz gradually improved the quality of life by building relationships with Passaic Township's municipal and educational institutions.
SFC de la Cruz's contributions include providing students with the opportunity to take the ASVAB, ensuring that students who are struggling academically have a clear path to graduation, and supporting the community through sports, NJROTC, and various community events. and organizing and contributing to recreational activities, adding a dynamic dimension. For educational experience.
“SFC de la Cruz's efforts are commendable and should be emulated as much as possible,” said SSG Moore. “By promoting a concept that focuses on citizen soldiers, we encourage the public to see us as more than just a military force, and that we protect our country while living here and serving here.” We can make people aware of this,” said SSG Moore.