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Colonel 'pays it back' on recruiting trip

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Col. Danny Davis doesn’t wear an Air Force recruiting badge, but that didn’t deter him from recently embarking on a mission to inspire and engage future Airmen.

Davis, the former deputy director for Manpower, Personnel and Services at Headquarters Air Force District of Washington, traveled throughout five counties in southern and eastern Kentucky from May 2-6.

With the help of the 332nd Recruiting Squadron, the team completed a demanding schedule. They visited seven high schools, resulting in approximately 175 leads, and established recruiter relationships with 13 principals and counselors, paving the way for future success.

Davis personally knew the odds most of these students faced. He grew up in McCreary County – the poorest Congressional district in America – and graduated from McCreary Central High School in 1989. When he contacted the schools about his outreach plan, he said they were very excited that someone cared enough to talk to their students about opportunities.

“The kids in this area have grown accustomed to hearing that their conditions are hopeless. I gave them some optimism,” said Davis, who will become commander of the 81st Mission Support Group at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, July 8.

“Because there were few opportunities when I was growing up, I knew before I left McCreary County in 1989 that someday I would return and encourage the youth to dare to dream and to chase dreams beyond what they can immediately see around them,” he said. “Any good citizen has a responsibility to serve his or her country, state and local community.”  

The school visits included five lunchroom interaction opportunities and 11 presentations to more than 1,000 students. Davis spent weeks fine-tuning his slide show, including information about career fields, benefits, commissioning opportunities, and videos of Air Force commercials and careers. 

“My recruiting focused on the benefits of joining the Air Force, but I also focused on having opportunities in life,” Davis said. “I told them they will have more opportunities by taking advantage of Air Force training and the emphasis the Air Force puts on education via the tuition assistance and the G.I. Bill programs. I told them success will not to come to them; they will have to go get success. When preparation, hard work, and persistence meet opportunity, they will be find success.”

Davis also helped recruiters establish social interaction with students so they can communicate on a monthly basis, building trust with future recruits by educating them on Air Force opportunities.

“Colonel Davis embodied being a good Airman first and didn’t forget where he came from,” said Tech. Sgt. Casey Davis, one of the 332nd RCS recruiters who accompanied the colonel on his travels. “He told every class that coming from humble beginnings didn’t exclude anyone from achieving from greatness. I spent a week with him, and from sun-up to sundown we were on the go. He really cared about the students he talked to.”

The colonel said he was inspired by a leadership opportunity he experienced in middle school with his school’s Army Junior ROTC program.

“This was my first ‘formal’ leadership opportunity, and I appreciated learning about discipline and teamwork. Although I never re-enrolled in the program after the first year, I never forgot the lessons I learned; those lessons helped shape my character.”
 
While attending the University of Kentucky in 1990, the colonel remembered contemplating what he wanted to do with his life.

“I have always been passionate about leadership and the various degrees of how to motivate others from diverse backgrounds to accomplish goals. Late that year, I met a UK Air Force ROTC cadet and we discussed the program. In January 1991, I enrolled, and I have not had one regret since that day; the Air Force and I have had a mutually beneficial relationship.”

One of Davis’ goals on this recruiting venture was to educate youth about opportunities.

“I explained to them that they can achieve their dreams even if they have never witnessed anybody else achieving those same dreams. I explained the more options they have in life, the more successful they will be. The Air Force values education and training. Education and training will give them more opportunities and expand their horizons to achieve much more than they ever dreamed they were capable of achieving,” Davis said.

“Another goal I had was to expose the students to the benefits of joining the Air Force on a level that made sense to them as 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds,” the colonel added. “The recruiters indicated they normally get two or three leads per school visit. At that rate, the goal would have been 15 to 20 leads. However, the fantastic team of recruiters (Tech. Sgt. Casey Davis and Tech. Sgt. Jason Miller) and I shattered that goal with 175 potential leads. Those students will stay in contact with the recruiters over the next two or three years until they graduate and finalize what they want to do with their lives. Some of them have recently graduated and have already visited the recruiter.”

On a professional level, the colonel said the recruiting tour ranked as one of the most gratifying experiences he’s had while serving in the Air Force.

“It was an opportunity for me to expose kids in Appalachian Kentucky to a broader picture than most of them will ever see again in their lifetime. Twenty-seven years ago when I left, I promised I would return and give back to the community. I kept my word,” Davis said. “If merely one student out of those 175 possible recruits chooses to join the Air Force, then their life will forever change and the visit will have been a success. And perhaps, 30 years from now that recruit will return to his local community and pay it back.”