Sgt. 1st Class Justin Newman poses in his office at the Lexington store front. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Crane)
By Staff Sgt. Benjamin Crane, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky is fortunate to have more than its fair share
of great recruiters, as evidenced by the number of recruiters that have exceeded
their assigned missions this year.
One recruiter though, Sgt. 1st Class Justin Newman from Lexington, has stood
out above the rest and was selected as Kentucky’s representative for the
Directors 54 at the Director of the Army National Guard’s Strength Maintenance
Awards Conference in November.
Newman has been a recruiter in the Lexington area for the last twelve
years and has been able to create a good standing with the area schools and has
developed relationships with Soldiers he’s previously recruited that have sent
others his way because of their experience with him.
“When I talk to individuals interested in joining the Guard, I’m really direct
and to the point,” said Newman on what makes him successful. “If they want to
join the Guard I’m not going to sugar coat it, I’m going to say, this is what
the Guard can do for you, but this is what you’ve got to do for us.”
He excelled during the 2019 recruiting year, enlisting 147% of his assigned enlisted accessions mission (mission was 18 recruit enlistments, he enlisted 25) according to the commander of the recruiting battalion, Lt. Col Darin Bussabarger.
Newman is married to his wife Christy, whom he
credits for pushing him and supporting him through his career.
“The
reason I’m here is for my family, but my faith is a number one priority in my
life,” said Newman. “You have to have
faith if you’re going to make it in recruiting.”
His friendly, genuine personality serves as one of his greatest assets
as a recruiter. He also says his life experience goes a long way in
helping him develop rapport with recruits. Prior to his time as a recruiter, he
was a Lexington policeman and he drilled with the field artillery.
In addition to raw numbers, he has contributed immeasurably to the
battalion's success by training, mentoring and leading young new recruiters and
setting a superb example for other RRNCOs to follow. He is well known
and respected throughout the battalion for his experience and abilities.
One of Newman’s biggest accomplishments includes him getting sent to a
failing storefront for the past few years to either fix the issues they were
having and start getting more enlistments or shut the storefront down and
relocate.
“He immediately stepped up and made some changes and the storefront is
now producing the number it should be,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph S. Owens,
Recruiting and Retention Battalion Sergeant Major. “He has also capitalized on
social media marketing and it has paid off big dividends for not only him but
the entire team.”
The Army National Guard created the Director’s Strength Maintenance Award Program (DSMAP's) Director’s 54 Award and is given annually to the top recruiter in each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and three U.S. territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).
“He represents Kentucky well and we are thrilled to have him on the
team,” added Bussabarger.”