ACH
By Spc. Scott Raper, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
[caption id="attachment_2279" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Brig. Gen. Joseph M. Richie and Mr. Thomas Peoples share ideas of diversity at the 2-75th Recruiting and Retention Summer Conference in Lexington, Ky., July 31. Group discussions were an aspect of the presentation allowing individuals to share their thoughts of how diversity is affecting the National Guard."]
LEXINGTON, Ky.(August 10,2010)
– More than 100 Kentucky National Guard Recruiters attended a yearly training conference and celebrated the National Guard’s 2010 Year of Diversity in Lexington July 31.
Though diversity training is a yearly requirement for all Soldiers in the Kentucky Guard, the 2
nd of the 75
th Recruiting and Retention Battalion altered the training to provide a fresh new approach to the topic.
“Diversity is not what the National Guard does,” said Stephanie Piimauna, training specialist for Guardian Quest, who provided the training for the recruiters.
“Diversity is what the Guard is,” she said.
The focus of her presentation to the recruiters, she said, provided an in-depth clarity of diversity and showed how it complements the job of the National Guard and specifically recruiters.
[caption id="attachment_2280" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mrs. Stephanie Piimauna instructs Kentucky National Guard recruiters at the 2-75th Recruiting and Retention Battalion's summer conference in Lexington, Ky., July 31. The annual diversity training was presented by Guadian Quest, a private company that has been working with the National Guard for four years."]
Because recruiters are the first line of action to a more diverse military, Piimauna instructed the recruiters in a variety of matters and themes to ensure that diversity is echoed within the Core Values of the National Guard. She provided exercises and scenarios allowing recruiters to use creative thinking to better understand change, different personalities and generations. The presentation, she said, revealed to recruiters how their own assumptions and tolerance affect the team and mission.
“We work in an ever-changing environment,” said Staff Sgt. Mark Hatfield, 2009 Kentucky National Guard Recruiter of the Year.
“This kind of training keeps us on edge, to help with and accept the changes and move on to meet the challenges of our job. I always take something from training to apply in recruiting and wish there was more of it,” he said.
Maj. Tammy Hurst, commander of the 2-75
th RR said she was excited about this year’s conference.
“The goal was to define the basic understandings of diversity,” she said. “I hope the training inspires a new thought process not only in every recruiter, but also in our command staff.”