Grissom's new recruiter has sights set on change

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Jami Lancette
  • 434th ARW Public Affairs
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. --  Service before self, the cornerstone of what Airmen are made of and for Grissom’s newest recruiting flight chief it is the very definition of the job she does.
Senior Master Sgt. Tracy Barry recently took the position as the 434th Air Refueling Wing recruiting flight chief and has her sights set on changing the culture of recruiting to a more exciting environment.
“I want to make recruiting exciting here for the recruiters,” said Senior Master Sgt. Tracy Barry, 434th Air Refueling Wing recruiting flight chief. “I want recruiting to be a part of the wing.
“I also want my recruiters to be excited to go out and recruit for the wing,” said Barry. “And I want to bring a new level of energy with recruiters here and get a new energy of folks for the wing.
For the past seven years, Barry has used her deep rooted service before self to change lives and introduce people to military life and the rewards that come with it.
“I love helping people and changing their lives,” said Senior Master Sgt. Tracy Barry, 434th Air Refueling Wing recruiting flight chief. “It’s been a great opportunity to help folks.
“Seeing them go off to basic training and then come back as new Airmen is really special to me,” added Barry.
Barry, a former dental assistant, comes to Grissom from Dobbins Air Reserve base, Georgia as a senior recruiter where she gained the experience and knowledge that she plans to use to better Grissom’s team.
“Only having five recruiters under my belt will allow me to get into the field and run with the recruiters to do more training with them,” said Barry. “With the 16 that I had before I was more in the office, on the phone, or on the computer pushing packages.
“So it will be nice to get out with them and find good talent,” she added.
Barry explained some of the most rewarding aspects of her career was not just going out and getting her numbers but the times she was able to change someone’s life.
“This is a great opportunity and has certainly changed my life and not only that but the opportunity to change someone else’s life,” said Barry. “I have helped people who were homeless and people who were given an ultimatum by their parents to either go to college or join the military.
“It’s just a really great opportunity to change someone’s life for the better, it really shouldn’t just be a numbers game,” she added.
The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. The Citizen Airmen from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.

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