Campaign_Plan_bookletV10_Attachment5.pdf

COMMANDANT’S

PLANNING GUIDANCE

• Achieve victory in the Long WAr.

• right-size our corps to Achieve A 1:2 depLoyment-to-dWeLL rAtio.

• improve the quALity of Life for our mArines And our fAmiLies.

• rededicAte ourseLves to our core vALues And WArrior ethos.

• posture the mArine corps for the future.

Our Marines and Sailors in combat are our number one priority.

With this priority in mind, we will focus on the following over the next few years:

“With unwavering standards and in a competitive arena, our magnificent Recruiting

Command continues to recruit the best of America into our ranks – but we may have to ask our recruiters to do more.”

— James T. Conway U.S. Marine Corps Commandant of the Marine Corps

A new era in recruiting has arrived. The Commandant’s intent is clear, his planning guidance is explicit, and his commitment is unfaltering. He has reaffirmed the precept that the Marine Corps Recruiting Command is strategic to the success of our Corps both in times of peace and war.

This past year, we embarked on a mission to right-size the Corps. In doing so, we established a series of milestones designed to “grow the force” and build an active component 21st century Marine Corps with an end strength of 202,000.

It has been a year of change. You and your Marines have performed magnificently during FY07. We will be asked to do more in the future and we will be armed and equipped to accomplish our mission and succeed.

Recruiting is the lifeblood of our Corps. The focus of our efforts is to recruit quality men and women as we expand our ranks. We must also be mindful to ensure that the Corps reflects the face of the nation and is representative of the people we serve. The recruiting environment remains competitive and challenging as we recruit during sustained combat operations and compete with our sister services and the private sector for the best eligible men and women our country has to offer. Detailed planning, precision execution, and unwavering commitment will yield results. The professional character of our recruiters, exhibiting our Corps/Core values of honor, courage and commitment, continue to earn the trust and respect of the public. Leadership and accountability define our Corps and are essential to preserving the relationship we have with the American people.

To meet the challenges of the current recruiting environment and to set the conditions for success, we must maintain our standards; modernize training programs; increase recruiter efficiency and effectiveness; reinforce our brand image of smart, tough, elite warrior; foster enduring relationships across a broad spectrum of our society; leverage information technology; synchronize our marketing and advertising initiatives to increase public awareness; and ensure that we are structured and organized to optimize our recruiting efforts.

Recruiting is the strategic first step in making Marines just as it is the first step in growing the Corps. As we expand our ranks and increase our officer and enlisted populations, we must preserve the unique character of our Corps.

We must remain faithful to our promise to make Marines, win our country’s battles and return quality citizens back home: citizens who — once transformed

— will be Marines for life.

COMMANDING GENERAL’S

INTENT

PURPOSE

CORE FUNCTIONS

ENLISTED RECRUITING • OFFICER RECRUITING • PRIOR SERvICE RECRUITING

MANPOwER AND FAMILy READINESS • FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT • STRUCTURE

ADvERTISING • PUbLIC AFFAIRS • TRAINING AND DOCTRINE

INFORMATION TEChNOLOGy • LOGISTICS

This recruiting campaign plan presents the intent and strategic goals for accomplishing the Marine Corps’ recruiting mission in the current environment and foreseeable future.

It provides an overarching vision to guide the implementation and adaptation of these goals through enabling objectives across the core functions of the Command. Further, it provides supporting objectives to ensure the viability of recruiting as part of the overall manpower process, in consonance with the Commandant’s Guidance.

MISSION

vISION

The Marine Corps Recruiting Command (MCRC) conducts operations to recruit qualified individuals for enlistment or commissioning into the United States Marine Corps and Marines Corps Reserve to attain assigned Total Force personnel requirements by component and category in accordance with applicable Fiscal Year (FY) Marine Corps Accessions Strategy (Manpower Accessions Plan Memoranda) and the Military Personnel Procurement Manual (MPPM; MCO P1100.72C and MCO P1100.72B), and as directed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Recruiting is the lifeblood of the Corps. The legacy of the Marine Corps is to “Make Marines, Win Battles, and Return Quality Citizens” back home: citizens who, once transformed, will be Marines for life. As such, we are dedicated to recruiting high quality men and women of character to meet the needs of our Corps and the Nation and who are representative of the people we serve. We are known for our high standards, strong work ethic, and commitment to work as a team to accomplish the mission. We will continue to employ our doctrine of system-atic recruiting and remain vigilant to recognize the changes required to meet the needs of a dynamic marketplace. While we must leverage the latest information technology, we must never lose sight that our success relies on “face to face” interaction with prospects. A fervent focus on mission accomplishment and thorough training will enable us to continuously hone and maintain our competitive edge. We will sustain success through leadership and our most effective weapon —THE MARINE RECRUITER.

STRATEGIC

GOALS

6. Build and foster external relationships across American society.

Communicate the “Elite Warrior” brand image to prospects to generate interest in earning the title “Marine.” Build on our long-term relationship with key partners to ensure communications and sales strategies are relevant and integrated.

7. Continue to develop our internal relationships within the Marine Corps by enhancing our cooperation with both the Marine Corps Reserves and the Operating Forces. Referrals from the Reserves and from

Command Recruiting programs are critical to our continued success.

8. Explore, develop, and deploy technology innovations that increase recruiting efficiencies; save time; assist commanders in command and control (C2), planning, and decision making; and streamline recruiting procedures.

9. Develop Marine and Family Readiness initiatives that facilitate the promotion of self-sufficiency, personal and family readiness, and adaptation to recruiting duty in order to improve the health, safety, and welfare of Marines and families on recruiting duty.

10. Continue to provide comprehensive, effective training to our Marines in the field, and their Civilian Marines counterparts, using a synergistic approach that capitalizes on developing training methods in order to exploit advantages achieved in our marketing and advertising campaigns.

1. Recruit men and women, to achieve enlisted and officer mission requirements. These individuals will meet the high quality standards, possess the basic character necessary to earn the title, “United States

Marine,” and successfully complete their requisite term of service.

2. Attain a representative entry level population that reflects diversity consistent with national demographics.

3. Cultivate and refine recruiting processes that differentiate and distinguish our recruiters and recruiting methods from competing services by emphasizing our core values.

4. Evaluate and validate recruiting processes, functions, and manning plans in order to align manpower resources within a properly structured command to ensure assets are focused on mission attainment.

5. Aggressively pursue process and policy innovations that make supporting functions (e.g., program assignments, waivers, recruiter administration, and logistics functions) more efficient in order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our recruiters.

ENLISTED

RECRUIT ING

The Marine Corps Recruiting Command is charged with achieving the officer and enlisted total force accession requirements. Our mission is to seek out and find the highest quality young men and women to take up the challenge to earn the title of a United States Marine. The Marine Corps viewpoint is the ‘All Volunteer Force’ is in fact an “All Recruited Force” and the Marine Corps Recruiting Command has become the standard by which many are measured.

In order to meet the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ 202K end strength goals, continue to maintain the high Marine Corps and Department of Defense quality standards, and attain a diverse entry level population representative of national demographics, we must be ever vigilant in our targeted approach of enlisting only the best and the brightest youth of America. We do this with our efficient and effective use of our Systematic Recruiting. This time tested approach has proven over and over once again, that the path to achieving success is the Recruiting Process; Names, Prospecting, Screening, Selling, Processing, Delayed Entry Program, and Ship. Our Supporting Arms; Command Recruiting, Pool Program High School/Community College, Prior Service Enlistment Program and Priority Prospect Cards are the key elements in this process.

These programs allow us to systematically target high quality young men and women who are high school seniors and recent high school graduates who have the potential and desire to earn the title Marine.

The Marine Corps Recruiting Command offers a wide variety of enlistment programs from aviation electronics to infantry, many with enlistment bonuses for those who qualify. There are more program incentives available in today’s recruiter’s tool box than at any time in our existence. Our Marine recruiters must continue to emphasize that we sell the Marine Corps first, the intangibles, our core values which distinguish us from the other services, that every Marine is a rifleman, and that you are a Marine for life. However, in order for the Marine Corps to continue to be competitive in the marketplace, Enlistment Incentive Programs will be provided for nearly 100% of our regular mission and the Enlistment Bonus Program has been increased seven fold in recent years to over $70M.

We must continuously validate and refine our processes, functionally and technically. We must increase efficiency in our supporting arms, leverage technology to give our recruiters more productive time to mentor our future Marines. We will decrease attrition, both pool and recruit training, while simultaneously improving the quality of life for our recruiters and their families.

We seek individuals who are mentally, morally and physically qualified to be transformed into Marines and foster our “Elite Warrior” culture. Each applicant must embrace our core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.

We are not taking applications, only Commitments. This philosophy is our ethos.

ObJECTIvES:

3. ensure poLicies And stAndArds AccurAteLy cApture quALity meAsures.

Growing our officer corps to meet the demands of the “Long War” will be a challenge in the foreseeable future. It is imperative that our Officer Selection Officers (OSOs) and Marine Officer Instructors (MOIs) spend the necessary time preparing their officer candidates for the rigors of OCS. FY07 OCS attrition returned to the historical low levels of previous FYs and this positive trend must continue to meet forecasted accession missions.

Finally, efforts to increase the Naval Academy graduating class percentage that can select the Marine Corps and the Marine share of funded NROTC scholarships must continue. Increased accessions from these two key programs will ensure we are properly positioned to meet the growth to 202K.

ObJECTIvES:

2. increAse minority officer Accessions.

3. increAse the corps’ fAir shAre of usnA And nrotc Accessions.

4. increAse the number of officer seLection teAms.

5. ensure proper phAsing of An AdditionAL osA into seLected osts.

6. continue to reduce pooL And ocs Attrition.

OFFICER

RECRUIT ING

Our enlisted Marines deserve the finest leadership we can provide. Officer recruiting provides the Marine Corps with commissioned officers of the highest leadership potential.

This effort includes our Officer Selection Teams (OSTs) recruiting applicants for the Platoon Leaders and Officer Candidates classes, coordinating accessions from the Naval Academy and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) units, selecting highly qualified applicants for our enlisted-to-officer programs. Recruiting the highest caliber officers fulfills our obligation to remain ready today while building for the future.

The needs of the Marine Corps establish the demand for new officers. In response, talented young men and women are accessed in the precise numbers needed to support our requirements. This is done in a manner that reflects both the quality and rich diversity of America’s young people. The diversity of our officer corps is one of our greatest strengths and every effort must be exhausted to capitalize on our recent gains. We must maintain our focus on the diversity market in order to recruit the best and brightest candidates from these communities.

Our ability to continue to attract superior candidates requires unrelenting focus on developing and maintaining effective recruiting operations and by ensuring that our operations processes continue to evolve to meet the challenges of a dynamic, highly competitive market. The addition of three new OSTs and adding a second Officer Selection Assistant to carefully selected areas provides the market coverage required to meet the FY08 accession mission. Advertising, lead generation, and officer recruiting operations are key elements of this effort and will result in more effective officer recruiting for the Marine Corps.

We will continue our campus relations program by hosting a series of Educator’s Workshops. These workshops will target college and university influencers and provide them with an opportunity to see how the Marine Corps produces future officers. Workshops will include tours of Officer Candidates School (OCS), The Basic School (TBS), Weapons Training Battalion, Marine Corps University, National Museum of the Marine Corps, and attendance of The Sunset Parade at the Marine Corps War Memorial.

The Marine Corps Reserve continues to play a vital role in our Nation’s defense.

Reserve Marines are engaged in the Long War as Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) units deploy across the globe and individual Reserve Marines augment our warfighting commands.

Prior Service Recruiting’s (PSR) focus of effort is on individual Marines transitioning from the active component Marine Corps as well as former Marines already re-established in hometown America. The PSR process will continue to be focused on accessing the appropriate number of Reserve Marines, enlisted and officer, to meet force manpower requirements and to enable the Marine Corps Reserve to meet authorized end strength. The FY08 mission is a 25.38% increase from last year’s assignment and represents a valid requirement in support of maintaining our Selected Reserve end strength of 39,600. PSR is tasked to recruit trained, qualified, and experienced prior service Marines to SMCR units and Individual Mobilization Augmentation (IMA) billets assigned to active component Operational Sponsors.

During FY07, PSR conducted a structure review of our Transitional and Prior Service Recruiting force in order to align manpower resources to ensure assets are properly employed to attain the PSR mission. The results of this review streamlined our PSR force to 81 production recruiters dispersed across the recruiting battlefield.

The Prior Service Training Assignment (PSTA) program provides an opportunity for MOS retraining for qualified applicants to be re-trained in order to meet the specific T/O billet requirements for which they are accessed. This program is tied to the accession process and is a vital tool for PSR.

Critical to the success of PSR is the use of information technology in the Reserve Recruiting effort, specifically the Automated Leads Management and Reporting System (ALMRS). ALMRS provides our recruiters information on Marines currently serving in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).

Total Force Recruiting is the key to success as our Marine Corps continues to engage in the Long War. PSR’s link to SMCR units throughout America provides MCRC with a permanent foothold in areas with many potential prospects for both active and reserve component non-prior service (NPS) recruiting programs. PSR will continue to execute a supporting/supported role with NPS and Officer Programs in order to exploit this foothold.

Attainment of these goals ultimately will ensure that the Marine Corps will remain a “Total Force” in Readiness.

PRIOR SERvICE

RECRUIT ING

ObJECTIvES:

ObJECTIvES:

1. mAintAin 100% tAbLe of orgAnizAtion (t/o) stAffing At the district-LeveL And beLoW.

7. provide educAtion concerning the tricAre prime remote heALth cAre progrAm.

9. minister to individuALs And fAmiLies through A robust reLigious support netWorK.

The entire Manpower and Family Readiness effort is designed to support our Marine recruiters so they can make their assigned missions. The most important assets in the Marine Corps Recruiting Command are well-equipped, well-trained, and well-led Marines, sailors, and civilian Marines. Our workforce is unique, and the character of their service during this arduous duty rivals that of any preceding generation. Families share collectively in the sacrifices made by Marine recruiters.

We continue to search for opportunities to improve the experience of those serving on recruiting duty.

Recruiting duty is a Special Duty Assignment (SDA) and presents many challenges for our Marines and their families due to the unique nature of the mission and distance from supporting military installations. This vast network of Marines throughout America constitutes one of the most extended elements of our Marine Corps family. We will continue to champion issues and aggressively pursue initiatives that improve the health, safety and welfare of our workforce and their families.

The manpower process directly supports the recruiting mission by providing well trained Marines to commanders. Close coordination with Headquarters Recruiter Screening Teams (HRST) ensures adequate staffing levels are maintained at all times. Careful management and monitoring of our career recruiting force (MOS 8412) is essential to ensure professional development and appropriate billet/duty stations assignment.

The Command’s awards and meritorious promotion programs contribute to the morale of our Marines and Sailors by recognizing their achievements, contributions, and sacrifices.

Through participation in the development of the strategic manpower plan, we are able to anticipate and influence manpower issues that impact the long-term vitality of our organization and mission attainment.

Civilian Marines continue to provide an invaluable service and are an integral component of our Total Force. Working in partnership with Marines, civilian personnel will continue to play in important role in supporting the mission of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command. Our commitment is to define for them what the Marine Corps offers, and what the Corps expects from this select group who support our Marines.

During 2008, the Marine Corps Recruiting Command is committed to successful implementation of the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), and maintaining an innovative and distinctive civilian workforce capable of meeting the ever-changing recruiting requirements of today and the challenges of tomorrow. The Recruiting Command is actively participating with HQMC in the implementation of this new personnel system. Following an intensive training program for supervisors, managers, human resources specialists, employees, commanders and senior management, we will begin implementation in February 2008.

MANPOwER AND FAMILy READINESS

FINANCIAL

MANAGEMENT

An accurate and proactive financial management program ensures the recruiting and advertising effort’s financial requirements are provided and executed within published measures of effectiveness.

The Comptroller remains engaged in the primary functions of the Headquarters and maintains constant coordination and communication with regional financial personnel to remain abreast of emergent funding issues. With the recent increase in funding, it is now critical to maintain a steady baseline budget, one that does not rely on supplementals, in order to support the command’s mission.

As a financial manager of Defense resources, all aspects of financial management from functional planning of mission requirements to the end state of accurate execution and control of resources are used to support the Commanding General’s mission.

ObJECTIvES:

STRUCTURE

Structure is the cornerstone of our recruiting success. Every aspect of our recruiting effort hinges on proper structure; from advertising to facilities.

As we grow to 202K it becomes even more critical that we ensure that every recruiter in the field is provided the resources necessary to be successful.

This includes an adequate population from which to recruit. Likewise, risk and opportunity should be distributed equitably at the Recruiting Sub-Station, Recruiting Station, District and Region levels. Structure strategy decisions are fact-based and data-driven and are connected by design to our recruiting strategy.

Our ability to influence this ever-changing market requires a keen understanding of the behaviors of not only our target market but also their influencers and the factors impacting the enlistment decision. We must be proactive in conducting market research and we must continue to experiment with innovative initiatives and ideas in order to identify the most effective and efficient strategies.

In order to set the conditions for success in our target markets, from the region to the recruiter level, we commissioned an independent contractor to validate our structure and provide recommendations for how to better exploit our target market. This fresh, independent analysis ensures that our intelligence preparation of the battlefield remains relevant, and will arm the commanders and recruiters in the field with accurate intelligence.

The National Structure Working Group which meets twice annually will allow us to continuously refine our structure, exploiting targets of opportunity as they are uncovered. This aggressive, proactive approach to structure at the national level will ensure that our Marines in the field maintain a competitive edge in a highly fluid marketplace.

Using this holistic approach which keys in on various measures of quantity, quality, and propensity, ensures that not only does every Marine have access to a sufficient population, but that he has access to the “qualified” population.

ObJECTIvES:

WA N T E D :

LEADERSHIP THAT INSPIRES

MARINES UNDER YOUR COMMAND,

AND AMERICANS EVERYWHERE.

4/C

THERE ARE NO FEMALE MARINES. ONLY MARINES.

True strength lies not in self but in unity. As a recruit, you’ll be pushed to your physical and mental limits. Only together, can you find what it takes to complete the journey and earn your place among an elite few.

WMA_004_4C_8.5x11.indd 1 5/22/07 2:22:42 PM

OK

FEW CAN BE MARINES.

EVEN FEWER CAN LEAD THEM.

CAN YOU?

AS AN AMERICAN

YOU CAN TAKE THE L E A D.

BUILD THE L E A D.

LOSE THE L E A D.

YOU CAN L E A D BY EXAMPLE.

COMMITTEE.

OR DEFAULT.

YOU CAN L E A D

WITH PURPOSE

OR NOT AT ALL.

AS AN AMERICAN AND

A MARINE CORPS OFFICER

YOUR L E A D WILL IMPACT

THE FUTURE OF THIS NATION.

Lead_4C_OBAR_8.5x11.indd 1 4/11/07 12:51:33 PM

MCRC Advertising supports the Marine Corps recruiter by the execution of a National Advertising Program that has Regional implications and local impact. The National paid persuasive communications or advertising must directly support the individual Recruiter on the street and capitalize on the economies of scale available through consolidation of media purchases.

Advertising must represent the Brand Vision of Smart, Tough, Elite Warriors; instill the Marine Corps values of honor, courage, and commitment; and fit into the context of the longer Marine Corps story of “Making Marines, Winning Battles and Creating Quality Citizens”: citizens who – once transformed – will be Marines for life. These complementary messages must work to inspire prospects to seek information and interact with Marine Recruiters, reinforce the enlistment decision and contextualize this choice of military service to key influencers.

Finally, as our target audience changes, our advertising must evolve, anticipating additional informational needs and changing media consumption behaviors. Examples of innovations include the Electronic Priority Prospect Card Program (EPPC) and other programs to speed the delivery of lead information to the Recruiter in the field. In the current cluttered spectrum of media, Marine Corps advertising more than ever before must be relevant and unique. It must stand out from the barrage of messages aimed at our target prospect and their influencers, and inspire the uninformed to consider the Marine Corps and support the enlistment decision of others.

ADvERTISING

ENLISTMENT BEHAVIOR MODEL

Time en li sT m en T i n T en T

HigH low

Awareness/Understanding

Consideration

Search

Choose

Enlist

PUbLIC

AFFAIRS

Public Affairs serves as a vital link between the Marine Corps and the American public. Public Affairs activities facilitate the flow of information to the public through unpaid external and internal media and an aggressive community relations program. The goal of these activities is to inform and educate the public about opportunities for service in the Marine Corps and help reinforce the positive image of the Marine Corps in the local community. A continuous flow of information and public affairs expertise exists between all levels of the Marine Corps, from the HQMC Division of Public Affairs to the MCRC PA to the Region and District public affairs offices, and finally to the Marketing and Public Affairs Marine. This flow of information ensures HQMC and MCRC speak with one voice and the importance of coordinated planning with the intent to relay strategic themes and messages.

The objective of our public affairs effort is to tell the Marine Corps recruiting story in a truthful, honest, and energetic manner that fosters a positive relationship with the public and the media. Today’s information environment revolves around a 24-hour news cycle and increasingly relies on different methods of communication media to the American public. Public Affairs Marines use a variety of initiatives and communication tools to tell the recruiting story through the internet, external and internal news sources, and radio programs. Initiatives such as our enlisted and officer Educators Workshop Programs are used to tell the Marine Corps story to influencers - while at the same time providing an opportunity for influencers to interact with Marines and gain a respect for the Marine Corps. MCRC’s Headquarters website is another useful tool that publishes stories and information about recruiting activities from around the command.

“Next to doing the right thing, the most important thing is to let people know you are doing the right thing.”

-John D. Rockefeller

The Commandant has established a Strategic Communications Council to integrate activities across all informational functions and engage key audiences to achieve effects consistent with Marine Corps interests, policies, and objectives.

These informational and operational functions extend beyond the normal communications tools of the past and require a coordinated and synchronized plan that relies on themes and programs to communicate a coordinated theme at the right time, in the right place, and to the right audience.

“The future success of the Marine Corps depends on two factors: first, an efficient performance of all duties to which its officers and men may be assigned; second, promptly bringing the efficiency to the attention of the proper officials of the Government, and the American people.”

-Major General John A. Lejeune

A systematic, forward reaching, well-grounded and sustainable approach to training continues to be essential to the long-term success of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command. Formal and unit directed training programs enable us to maintain perishable skills such as sales skills and systematic recruiting skills and are vital to mission accomplishment.

Training must be tiered and progressive, with each follow-on course building and reinforcing the skills taught at the previous course. Our recruiting volumes outline the training requirements for both enlisted and officer recruiters. In addition to the recruiting volumes, we have recently published an “8412 roadmap.”

The 8412 roadmap provides a single-source reference for 8412 MOS training and education. The 8412 roadmap and the recruiting volumes together provide both our Marines and their leader’s doctrinal source references for required 8411 and 8412 MOS training. The time-tested recruiting volumes as well as the 8412 roadmap, if properly followed, will ensure that MCRC’s Marines are prepared for the recruiting challenges of today and tomorrow.

The intent of our training is to best prepare our Marines with the inherent skills needed to perform their duties in an increasingly challenging recruiting environment.

Given the challenging mission requirements, the development of quality training programs that improve performance and build confidence in our Marines are vital.

All MCRC mission training is based on “systematic recruiting,” our doctrine of how to successfully recruit. This doctrine must be continually evaluated to ensure it meets emerging needs. Relevant changes will be reflected both in the curriculum of our formal recruiting courses and the informal training conducted in the field.

Improvements in our Recruiting Management, Recruiter Instructor and Officer Selection courses will continue to be implemented to ensure we provide our command group members and OSOs the best available training to accomplish their mission.

Continuation of training, throughout the recruiter’s and command group member’s tour of duty contributes to individual proficiency and unit mission accomplishment.

In addition to formal training provided at Recruiters School, Proficiency and Review (PAR) training, continuous Managed-on-the-Job Training (MOJT), Professional Sales Skills Modular Application training, and Refresher Reinforcement training reinforce and sustain the basic skills taught in the formal recruiting courses.

Meaningful, timely, and relevant training, at all levels guarantees success.

Through sustained training, MCRC will continue to provide recruiters with the knowledge and skills to meet the challenges of the current recruiting environment.

TRAINING

AND DOCTRINE

The rapidly changing Information Technology (IT) landscape holds great promise to transform the way MCRC does business. That transformation must be rooted in the proven Systematic Recruiting process. New initiatives should leverage emerging technology to improve existing procedures or create new efficiencies.

The net goal of an effective information technology strategy is to give time back to the recruiter.

Marine Corps Recruiting Command’s campaign to automate the Systematic Recruiting process down to the recruiter level relies on timely and integrated acquisition of computers and software. To be successful, we must eliminate stove-pipe systems, parochial interests, and non-interoperable systems, while aligning initiatives with DoD, DoN, USMC, and US Military Entrance Process-ing Command (USMEPCOM) IT strategies, programs and security requirements.

We must invest in the manpower and train-ing of IT personnel necessary to support the tremendous growth in computing systems at the Recruiting Stations. Careful application of technology creates opportunities and supports the “First to contact, first to contract” adage.

Marine Corps Recruiting Information Support System-Recruiting Sub-Station (MCRISS-RSS) development, Tablet Personal Computers

(TPCs), as well as ongoing efforts in marketing and advertising provide a foundation for the overall automation campaign. During 2007 MCRC deployed over 4000 Tablet PC computers to recruiters. Supporting efforts such as Career Day capabilities kits with projectors and mobile printing will enhance the recruiter’s ability to present Marine Corps opportunities. Development and deployment of MCRISS-RSS promises automation of most of a recruiter’s Systematic Recruiting daily activities in order to speed the sharing and processing of applicant information.

Meanwhile, emerging technologies like electronic document management systems, intranet portals, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), instant messaging, integrated mapping and GPS, cellular and other mobile computing technology are being considered to enhance the recruiter’s capabilities.

Commitment to the best support possible for our Marine recruiters means continuous development, integration, and sharing of IT resources. Sharing our collective knowledge on current and future technologies that support our business practices and developing innovative processes assures the Marine Corps will remain the leader in the recruiting arena.

INFORMATION

TEChNOLOGy

Recruiting offices act as the daily operations centers for our recruiters. Providing professional space in the right location directly supports the overall recruiting mission. In order to promote a uniform image through one of our primary engagement areas, MCRC will begin the “branding” of our Recruiting Substations (RSS) and Permanent Contact Stations (PCS). Branding recruiting offices will enhance the applicant’s and influencer’s engagement experience by using imagery, colors, and other sensory elements to instantly communicate associations with the Marine Corps. Functionality of the office space will not be comprised, but further enhanced through immediate brand recognition and a consistent, uniform, professional look. This initiative will take several fiscal years to complete as we look at a national roll-out for over 1400 recruiting offices, but the end result will be worth the investment.

As we align our recruiting force, we will continue to provide the resources required to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our recruiters.

Right-sizing our GSA vehicle fleet to meet demands in the field is essential. Part of this growth will include using commercial technology to assist in reducing at-fault accidents. This technology will assist in improving the safety and security of our recruiters and vehicle assets, improve our vehicle readiness, and lower costs by reducing potential accidents. Other innovative technologies, like those found with the recent implementation of non-instrumented drug testing, will continue to assist in recruiting only those individuals that meet the high quality standards and character required to be a United States Marine.

LOGISTICS