| G-RAP enlistments net $4 million for Ohio Army National Guard Soldiers |
NEWTON FALLS, Ohio – As a Recruiting Assistant (RA) for the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jack Reppart loves to talk to people about the Ohio Army National Guard. His efforts have paid off nicely, for himself and for the Guard, as Reppart’s most recent enlistment pushed total earnings from Ohio’s RAs to more than $4 million. Reppart, who retired from the National Guard in 2006, has helped enlist 11 recruits and earned $22,000 to date. He currently ranks second for all Ohio RAs in total enlistments. Reppart attributes his success to his enthusiasm for the National Guard. “I love talking to people about how great the Guard is! The first thing I do whenever I meet someone is ask, ‘How old are you?’ When I know they might be qualified for military service, I immediately say…’let me tell you about the Guard.’” Reppart most recently helped Pvt. Daniel Arthur, a high school senior from Minford, Ohio, along the path to his enlistment. “I talk to everyone about the Guard, and I rarely have to convince a potential recruit how great the bonuses and educational benefits are,” Reppart said. Launched in 2005, the G-RAP offers RAs the opportunity to earn income by identifying well-qualified men and women for service in the Army National Guard. RAs receive up to $2,000 for enlisting prior service members or for each new recruit who enlists and reports to basic training. Guard RAs are embedded in their respective communities and are uniquely positioned to identify potential officers and Soldiers in the people they already know. With more than 2,000 total enlistments through G-RAP since the program’s inception, the Ohio Army National Guard currently ranks second nationally, with nearly 5,000 active RAs. Reppart, who jumped on board as an RA prior to his retirement, credited his success to G-RAP program itself. “It’s just a solid program. It’s much better than any other (referral) program the Guard has used in past years.” Staff Sgt. Christopher Flannery, Arthur’s Recruiting and Retention noncommissioned officer, indicated the G-RAP program also works well for recruiters, “Most of my new enlistments are G-RAP’ed,” Flannery said. “Through G-RAP, the RAs are helping us by giving us good leads.” Arthur indicated that a conversation with RAs, Reppart in particular, is a great way to initially learn more about the Guard without having to contact a recruiter. “He really helped answer a lot of my questions, especially as I was looking at money for college and wasn’t sure about what I wanted to do yet,” Arthur said. Ultimately, Arthur joined Battery C, 1st Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in February. He will depart in June for Basic and Advanced Individual Training as an early warning system operator and will attend Wright State University when he returns from training. Arthur said he was excited about the bonus and college money he’ll receive and that he plans to join Reppart by becoming an RA himself. As for Reppart’s future G-RAP efforts, he’s already working his next potential Guardmember, and no one’s beyond his consideration. At a recent hospital visit with his child, he talked about the Guard with a doctor on staff who was interested, specifically when Reppart shared all the Guard had to offer a medical officer. “As a doctor, he really wants to get involved and is even interested in deploying,” he said. “We’re trying to find a good time outside his work schedule to get together.” Through GRAP-O, RAs can earn up to $8,500 for successfully accessing a medical officer. His advice to other RAs who wish to be successful with the G-RAP program is simple: “Talk to as many people as you can and remember, it’s like asking for dates, you’re going to get a lot of no’s, but eventually you’re going to get a yes. Just keep talking about what the Guard has to offer and you’ll be successful.” |
