Sailors assigned to the “Ghostriders” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 view the night sky on the flight deck of the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) while underway in the Mediterranean Sea, May 16, 2026. Mount Whitney is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support the warfighting effectiveness, lethality and readiness of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and defend U.S., Allied and partner interests in the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Chad M. Butler)
A Message From the Admiral
Recruiting Nation,
As we move deeper into fiscal year 2026, I want to take a moment to recognize the resilience, professionalism, and determination of Recruiting Nation. This year has required us to adapt quickly, stay focused on fundamentals, and respond decisively to challenges in an increasingly competitive recruiting environment. That is exactly what our recruiters, support staff, and leadership teams continue to do every single day. Recently, we faced an unexpected operational disruption that required us to adjust our glide slope and recalibrate portions of our production plan. While the details behind those adjustments matter operationally, the bigger point is simple: we made the changes necessary to keep Recruiting Nation moving forward aggressively and positioned to win. Recruiting is never a perfectly straight line. It requires constant assessment, adaptation, and teamwork. What matters most is how we respond to challenges, and Recruiting Nation has responded exactly as a world-class organization should. Today, we remain in a strong position. We are slightly below glide slope for shipping and slightly above glide slope in active-duty enlisted contracting. In fact, based on current trends and the effort I see across the force every day, I believe Recruiting Nation is positioned to have identified our full 45K shipping mission around Independence Day — a fitting reminder of the purpose behind everything we do. That success is not happening by accident. It is being driven by recruiters who are embracing urgency, improving activity, leveraging data, and relentlessly following up with qualified applicants. We are seeing stronger engagement, faster movement from appointment to contract, and renewed focus on reconnecting with applicants who may have fallen out of the process. Those fundamentals matter. Every conversation, every appointment, every follow-up represents an opportunity to change a life and strengthen our Navy. At the same time, we cannot afford to focus on only one challenge at a time. Whether it is Navy Special Operations recruiting, medical officer accessions, delayed entry program attrition, or increasing upper-funnel activity, world-class organizations attack multiple priorities simultaneously. That is the standard Recruiting Nation continues to uphold. I am especially encouraged by the innovation happening across the force. From expanded digital recruiting tools and AI-enabled applications to improvements in recruiter technology, communications systems, and data visibility, we are continuing to remove friction and give our recruiters better tools to succeed. Our goal remains simple: return more time, energy, and focus back to recruiters so they can do what matters most — engage and inspire the next generation of Sailors. Most importantly, I want every member of Recruiting Nation to understand the significance of your work. The young men and women you recruit today will become the Sailors who operate our ships, fly our aircraft, maintain our networks, support our submarines, and lead our Navy into the future. The readiness of our fleet begins with you. We are only weeks away from a major milestone, and I have complete confidence in this team’s ability to finish strong. Keep pushing forward. Keep supporting one another. Keep focusing on the fundamentals that drive success. The work you are doing matters immensely to our Navy and to our nation. Thank you for your commitment, your professionalism, and your relentless focus on mission accomplishment.
Winners win!
Rear Adm. Jim Waters Commander, Navy Recruiting Command
A Message From the CMC
Shipmates,
This past month provided another outstanding opportunity to get out across the enterprise and engage directly with the Sailors and leaders who continue driving our mission forward every single day. During visits to NTAGs New England, Heartland, Jacksonville, and Mid-America, I had the opportunity to spend time with recruiters, support personnel, the Chiefs Mess, DLCPOs, and command leadership discussing everything from production and readiness to resiliency, leadership development, and quality of life. I want to personally thank every Sailor and leader at the NTAG level for the professionalism, transparency, hospitality, and welcoming attitude shown during these visits. The passion and commitment displayed across the deckplates continue to reinforce that our greatest strength remains our people. I also had the privilege of attending a NORU graduation and seeing firsthand the continued effort being invested into preparing our recruiters for success throughout the fleet concentration areas and recruiting enterprise. The professionalism and motivation displayed by our newest recruiters remain a direct reflection of the instructors, leadership, and culture being fostered throughout NORU. Additionally, NRC participated in the recent NETC offsite where commands across the Force Development domain shared initiatives, lessons learned, and ongoing efforts aimed at improving training and leader development across the Navy. Discussions focused heavily on curriculum modernization and improving how we define and communicate Technical Mastery in alignment with DGM 007 and current advancement guidance. These conversations continue to reinforce the importance of developing Sailors not only as technical experts, but as adaptable leaders capable of thriving in today’s operational environment. Finally, we concluded NRC’s first-ever Sailor of the Year Selection and Meritorious Advancement to Chief Petty Officer under the updated OPNAVINST 1700.10Q. We had the opportunity to engage with four exceptional finalists representing the very best of Navy Recruiting Command. Their professionalism, technical expertise, leadership, and sustained superior performance were nothing short of inspiring. Congratulations again to NC1 Brenda Robinson from NTAG Southwest on being selected as NRC’s 2025 Sailor of the Year, and BRAVO ZULU to all finalists for representing this enterprise with pride and excellence. As we continue moving NRC from Good to Best, thank you for everything you do for our Sailors, future Sailors, families, and mission. Continue taking care of one another, continue leading from the front, and continue proving every day that Winners Win.
Always Ready!
Very Respectfully,
CMDCM Vantroi SibiliaMartinez
A Message From the NCR
Recruiting Nation,
We are entering another month of a historic fiscal year, and I want to emphasize a few things. On the enlisted side, we are doing well in overall mission attainment, but we cannot allow that success to create a false sense of comfort. Our all-service accession data continues to run at historic highs, and across the enterprise we are averaging in the high 20s. However, All Service Accession Data can be deceiving because it is also influenced by what the other services are doing. The other services did not take the same level of mission increase as the Navy. Depending on their Delayed Entry Program inventory and training pipeline posture, they may not need to contract at the same pace, or they may already be full and not yet open for the next fiscal year. So while it may appear that we are capturing an unusually high share of the market, we need to keep that in the proper context. Our culture has to remain grounded in running the play every single day. I do not believe we have hit our ceiling as an organization. True mission attainment is not just making the overall number. It is making every mission across active duty, Navy Special Operations nuclear field, and every subcategory that matters to the Navy. So my charge to the field is simple: run the play every day. Drive the activity required week to week. Stay disciplined in the process, and let’s see where that takes us by the end of the fiscal year. On the officer side, we have taken a round turn, and it feels like we find ourselves in this position around this time every year. We are rushing to close gaps in specific officer designators, especially in the medical community, and specifically within the Health Professions Scholarship Program for the Medical Corps, which brings in the future doctors who will care for our Sailors and Marines. That program is a strong product. In many ways, the Navy sells itself, but only if we know how to properly identify, target, and engage the right market. I encourage everyone in the Career Recruiting Force and every officer recruiter to continue learning our craft. We have to get on glide slope earlier and stay there so we are not living through the same ebbs and flows year after year. Overall, I could not be more proud to be part of this organization and this team. Winners win, and we have proven that time and time again. These are not major course corrections. They are small adjustments, honest reflections, and opportunities to look in the mirror and improve. That is how we maintain our place as the Navy's premier talent acquisition organization. Thank you for your hard work, your commitment, and your continued drive to make this enterprise better for years to come.
Very Respectfully,
Master Chief Kevin Daniel Kikawa
Navy Recruiting Selects Sailor of the Year
Commander, Navy Recruiting Command recently named Navy Counselor (recruiter) 1st Class Brenda Robinson, a recruiter assigned to Navy Talent Acquisition Group Southwest, as the fiscal year 2026 Sailor of the Year. Along with the honor Robinson was meritoriously promoted to Chief Navy Counselor, and after Chief Petty Officer initiation she will don her new rank. Robinson, a native of Riverside, Calif., is the Department Leading Chief Petty Officer of NTAG Southwest’s division 4. Division 4 covers five stations including Hemet, Palm Springs, Moreno Valley, Menifee and Temecula, Calif. “This year was especially meaningful because it was the first year CNRC's winner was selected for meritorious advancement to Chief following the season,” said Robinson. “I was eligible through the Recruiter of the Year pipeline. Although I was nominated for Sailor of the Quarter and NTAG Sailor of the Year and was not selected in those categories, I remained eligible because I was selected as Recruiter in Charge of the Nation, which earned me the opportunity to compete in the SOY semi-finals. To me, that became another reminder that closed doors do not always mean the journey is over.”
Robinson has served for more than 12 years; she’s been underway with the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and the dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45). Both successful tours, but recruiting is where she found her passion. “I had Sailors who trusted me, even during difficult seasons when I asked them to continue delivering while many were already burnt out,” said Robinson. “I had mentors who challenged me, guided me, and kept me grounded in remaining true to myself.” Robinson credits being recognized as the best in the nation by Navy Recruiting Command to the people she has worked with and guided her throughout her career.
Navy Recruiting Reserve Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony, May 1
Story by Lt.j.g. Adelola Tinubu, photos by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Sydney Moore.
MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Navy Recruiting Reserve Command held a change of command ceremony, May 1, 2026, at Naval Reserve Center Memphis, marking the transition of leadership from Capt. Todd Christopher Winn to Capt. James Russell Prouty. Rear Adm. James Waters, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, presided over the ceremony. During the ceremony, Winn formally relinquished command after a tenure marked by operational growth and organizational development across the Reserve recruiting enterprise. Winn, a prior-enlisted Sailor who rose through the ranks to captain, played a pivotal role in the establishment and maturation of the Reserve Talent Acquisition Groups, strengthening the Navy Reserve’s ability to recruit and retain prior-service talent.
In fiscal year 2025, the command exceeded its officer accession target, attaining 1,590 accessions against a target of 1,515. Building on that momentum, in FY 2026, NRRC has already attained 648 against a target of 1342. Additionally, NRRC met and exceeded its FY 2025 enlisted target attaining 5,734 against a target of 5,729. For FY 2026, with a target of 5,000, the command is once again on pace to surpass expectations with 2,945 attainments with five months left in the fiscal year.
Recruiter in the Spotlight: Chief Navy Counselor Emma Tinch Is An Award Winning Leader
Story and photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Fred Gray IV, Navy Talent Acquisition Group Northern Plains SCRANTON, Pa. (April 22, 2026) — Recruiting is more than a job, it’s finding the next generation of Sailors. Chief Navy Counselor Emma Tinch, a Recruiter assigned to Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pittsburgh and Division Leading Chief Petty Officer (DLCPO), received the 2025 DLCPO of the Year award from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, December 8, 2025. Tinch joined the Navy in the Surface Professional Apprenticeship Career Track and was assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). While there, she learned about multiple career fields. After completing her tour as an undesignated seaman, she became a yeoman and was subsequently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW 8). She then became a recruiter at NTAG Jacksonville and it was there she decided to become a career recruiter and re-rated as a navy counselor. She then transferred to NTAG Pittsburgh, was promoted to Chief Petty Officer, and became a DLCPO. “You’re not going to find a harder working recruiter than you will in Pittsburgh because it is so challenging to get these applicants interested,” said Tinch. She leads fourteen recruiters covering northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New York. According to Tinch, recruiting in the region can be difficult and the area lacks a large Navy presence, so recruiters must get creative to garner interest in the Navy. “They’re going to high schools, colleges, and gyms, setting up tables and spreading awareness,” said Tinch. “In their off time they are wearing their Navy [physical training] gear. They are always talking about the Navy and getting involved with anything extracurricular in the community.”
NORS Chicago Opening Ceremony
CHICAGO, Ill. – Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Great Lakes held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of Navy Officer Recruiting Station (NORS) Chicago, a new hub dedicated to recruiting and developing future Navy officers. NORS Chicago is one of three officer recruiting stations managed by NTAG Great Lakes, alongside NORS Madison and NORS Milwaukee, which is currently under construction and expected to open in August 2026. The addition of NORS Chicago reflects the Navy’s continued investment in officer recruiting across the Great Lakes region and its commitment to strengthening the future force. Assigned to NORS Chicago are General Officer (GENOFF) recruiter Chief Navy Counselor Dominique Anderson, Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC) recruiter Lt. Alexander Hagedorn, and medical officer recruiter Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Christopher Chiswick. Together, they will lead efforts to identify, mentor, and guide qualified candidates through the process of becoming Navy officers in a variety of career fields.
Leadership from NTAG Great Lakes attended the ceremony to commemorate the opening and highlight the importance of officer recruiting to the Navy’s long-term readiness. Participants included Cmdr. Brian Richards, commanding officer; Cmdr. Nicholas “Fester” O’Neill, executive officer; and Command Master Chief Andrew “Andy” Hochgraver. Also in attendance were Lt. Sydney Vandenberg, officer programs officer, and Senior Chief Navy Counselor Michael Ortolaza, officer assistant chief recruiter. “Our officer programs are critical to the Navy’s mission and impact our readiness,” said Richards. “Stations like NORS Chicago play a vital role in ensuring we continue to attract talented individuals who are ready to lead sailors and meet the challenges of tomorrow’s Navy.”
Zero8Hundred and the San Diego Seal's Honor Local Recruiter.
SAN DIEGO (April 17, 2026) – On a night dedicated to honoring those who serve, Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Alan Henderson represented the best of Navy recruiting at a San Diego Seals National Lacrosse League game, where he was recognized by Zero8Hundred, a San Diego-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting service members and their families. Henderson, a recruiter assigned to Navy Recruiting Station Chula Vista under Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Southwest's Division 1, was selected by his command to represent the Navy at the event. "I recently was presented an award at work, Zero8hundred reached out to the command looking for a Sailor, and they chose me," said Henderson. “I am honored to be chosen and to represent my command.” For Henderson, recruiting was never the plan, but neither was becoming a Boatswain's Mate. He came into the Navy undesignated, initially hoping to work as a Builder. Working alongside other Boatswain’s Mate changed everything.
“Boatswain's Mate kind of chose me, right,” he said. “If they say, choose your rate, choose your fate. I came in undesignated. I wanted to be BU, but the community was pretty small, and since I was undesignated, I was already working with the Boatswain’s Mates. I got to see a lot of what they did. And it kind of spoke to me, the small boat evolutions, the high speed, low drag evolutions they get to do. I liked that.” Three years into his recruiting tour in Chula Vista, Henderson has found his footing in a role he initially wasn't sure about. He credits his Boatswain's Mate background for making the transition natural.
“Seeing Them Become Sailors”: O’Connor Powers Navy’s Future in Duluth
DULUTH, Minn. — Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Mechanical) 2nd Class Nathan O’Connor, a Navy recruiter assigned to Navy Talent Acquisition Group Northern Plains, is being recognized for his exceptional contributions to the Navy’s recruiting mission while serving in the same region where his journey began. As the recruiter in charge of Navy Recruiting Station Duluth, O’Connor has helped establish the station as a top producer in northern Minnesota, earning multiple Sailor of the Quarter awards, Rookie of the Year honors in 2025, and NTAG Northern Plains Sailor of the Year for 2025. A native of Roseau, Minnesota, O’Connor said returning home in a new role has made his work especially meaningful. “Being born and raised here, shipping out to the fleet, and then coming back to help people the same way I was helped is amazing,” O’Connor said. “Giving my fellow Minnesotans a chance at a short or long-term career feels right.” O’Connor joined the Navy at 19 after graduating from Roseau High School and went on to serve aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) and USS Sterett (DDG 104). He said those experiences built the foundation he relies on today.
Like Father, Like Son: A recruiter’s legacy
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - An end of tour award is typically given to a service member at the end of a tour at the command they are stationed in recognition of outstanding service. For Mark Hardy, formerly radioman 1st class, his end of tour award for recruiting came 30 years later. During a ceremony, April 1, 2026, Mark was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for outstanding services as a recruiter at Navy Recruiting Station Victor, formerly named NRS Henrietta, in Rochester, New York. In attendance were his two sons, Chief Information Systems Technician Ryan Hardy, currently a recruiter assigned to Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pittsburgh; and Chief Gunner’s Mate Chad Hardy, assigned to Center for Security Forces Detachment Chesapeake, Virginia. Mark served as an active-duty recruiter from 1978 to 1981. After leaving active duty, and a stint as a civilian fire fighter, Mark decided to re-join the Navy in the reserves. While in the reserves, Mark volunteered to be mobilized on active-duty orders and serve as a recruiter from 1984 to 1986. While assigned as a recruiter, he was attached to Navy Recruiting District Buffalo, and worked out of NRS Henrietta as one of the first to occupy that office. He continued his career until 1991, when he was medically discharged.
“The awards were different back when I was in, in how they were awarded,” said Mark. "So before, Navy achievement medals went to truly the almost end of your career. It was your parting gift.” Despite 20 years of service on active duty and in the reserves, Mark never had a retirement ceremony, and despite five years as a recruiter, he never received an end of tour award. In 2021, after a long administrative process and multiple appeals, Mark was granted retirement by the Board of Corrections of Naval Records.
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U.S. Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman Daniel Truelove, assigned to Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 1, Construction Dive Detachment Charlie (CDD/C), front steps into the water during a bilateral exercise with a Croatian dive team in Pag, Croatia, May 8, 2026. UCT 1, CDD/C, currently deployed under 22nd Naval Construction Regiment, is a specially trained and equipped unit within Navy Expeditionary Combat Forces, that specializes in diving, light salvage, underwater construction, and military engineering operations in austere environments.
Sailors man the rails on the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), as the ship returns to Naval Station Norfolk, May 16, 2026, following a historic 11-month deployment to U.S. 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleets as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. Before returning to Norfolk after 326 days, the Gerald R. Ford crew conducted 23 replenishments-at-sea and sailed over 57,713 nautical miles. Embarked Carrier Air Wing 8 logged more than 5,760 flight hours and 12,200 flight launches. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice India Aaron Terrell)
NTAG Atlanta joined the U.S. Navy Esports Team “Goats and Glory” during DreamHack Atlanta 2026, engaging with attendees through competitive gaming, interactive experiences, and Navy career outreach. Sailors connected with the gaming community by showcasing teamwork, leadership, and opportunities available within the United States Navy while supporting one of the nation’s premier esports and gaming events in Atlanta. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kyle Merritt)
An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Ghostriders” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, takes off from the flight deck of the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) during deck landing qualifications aboard the warship in the Mediterranean Sea, May 16, 2026. Mount Whitney is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support the warfighting effectiveness, lethality and readiness of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and defend U.S., Allied and partner interests in the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Chad M. Butler)
Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in the Atlantic Ocean, May 5, 2026. Nimitz is deployed as part of Southern Seas 2026 which seeks to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Frankie M. Guage)
Credits:
Commander, Navy Recruiting Command