Shipmates,
Congratulations on your orders to Navy Talent Acquisition Group New Orleans! I would like to take this opportunity to personally welcome you to the Navy’s premier talent acquisition command, affectionately known as the “Powerhouse!”
 
NTAG New Orleans’ Area of Responsibility includes more than 24 Navy Recruiting and Navy Officer Recruiting stations, encompassing 91,940 square miles within Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle.
 
You will be given considerable responsibility during your tour, perhaps more than ever before in your career, and I will rely on your judgment, initiative, and resourcefulness in providing qualified and motivated men and women to join today’s Navy.
 
I challenge you to learn as much as you can while at Recruiting School and become an expert in Salesforce!  Seek out successful Recruiters and learn from them. Find innovative ways to identify qualified applicants and get the Navy seen and heard in your local community. Our Shipmates and fellow service members currently serving on the front lines need our total commitment to Recruiting.  Our Nation is counting on us.
 
Below is my command Philosophy, this month’s incentives, and some helpful information that may answer some of your questions. I realize this will not address all of your concerns so I’ve also included some phone numbers for you too. We are standing by to assist in any way!
 
NTAG New Orleans Command Philosophy
 

Our mission is to recruit the best, most qualified and professionally resilient individuals for today and tomorrow's Navy. Recruiting is an important responsibility and one of the greatest opportunities we have as Sailors - we are charged with ensuring our Nation is manned and ready for our next fight - what, how, and why we do what we do matters, you as a member of this team matter! I will make my day-to-day decisions based on these beliefs. The below will help guide expectations and actions.

Core Command Goal: Through personal excellence, professional competency, and consistent resiliency we do OUR part for National Security - we strive to be the example; we lead, we win.

Key Results that are important to me:

•            A balanced Command environment where Sailors are both contributing members of a high- performing team and feel psychologically and physically safe

•            Increasing Zone B Retention to 70%

•            Increasing the advancement rate for E-5 to 25% and the E-6 board eligible rate to 60%

•            A thriving Command Resiliency Team (CRT) with active quarterly participation

Monthly Production Objective: Meet NF (0 + E) mission. Finish 1QJ2...3 for NCO(%), WC (%), and have lowest attrition (%) in NRC. These are the guideposts I'll use to evaluate our performance.

Essential Prospecting Actions we will hold ourselves accountable to are:

•            A minimum of 1 non-JROTC High School presentation per week

•            7 Personally Developed Contacts (PDC) per day

•            Phone Power a minimum of 25 calls per day

•            Planners - plan, then work the plan - maintain 90% planner execution accuracy

•            Collect 50 surveys per week

My leadership style is one that is grounded in being transformational and data-driven - I will ask hard questions and will make decisions based on data - data is emotionless and unbiased. We must be willing to do the hard task and break from our comfort zones; properly manning the fleet will require all of us to be uncomfortable at times. Being a "learn-it-all" Leader versus a "know-it-all" is a personal value of mine; I believe in the growth mindset. I grew up on successful teams and believe Team is key but I also understand the importance of individual excellence; competition is healthy and needed. Transparency - if you are unclear, ask for clarity - Leaders do their best to answer the why.

I value you being the best version of yourself, both professionally and personally. Being the best and leaving a legacy matter! It is my sincere honor to serve as your Skipper. Go Navy, Beat Army!

 
Next Steps for Recruiting Duty

1. Contact the Chief Recruiter, NCCS Rodgers at (901) 623-5644

   1. Navy Recruiting Station assignments are determined by the Chief Recruiter and based on your request and the needs of the Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG).
      Fill out (document link) and send to keri.levy.mil@us.navy.mil
      
      2. Fill out (document link) and send to hytiki.f.rodgers.mil@us.navy.mil

2. Command Sponsorship

   1. Recruiters must contact Chief Recruiter prior to receiving a Sponsor.

   2. If you have not received a Sponsor, contact the CCC: YN1 Hawkinson, Christopher – 504-678-5256 – christopher.s.hawkinson.mil@us.navy.mil

   School/Istops/househunting

   1. Follow orders for attending NORU

   2. Follow orders for any Istops

   3. See “Helpful information” below for government leased housing if interested

3. Pay

   1. SDAP - Your Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP) will not start until you complete your basic Recruiter qualification.

   2. BAH - Your BAH will be based on the zip code for your Ultimate Duty Assignment (UDA), and NOT the zip code of your residence. Be aware of this when negotiating a lease or when purchasing a home.

Point of Contacts:
Command Duty Officer: 504-913-2062

Admin Officer:                             (504) 210-9076          nattearra.a.taylor.mil@us.navy.mil
Personnel Officer:                        (504) 678-6933          shea.m.clark.mil@us.navy.mil
Personnel Office:                         (504) 678-6917          lashonda.m.leonard.civ@us.navy.mil

Administration Department:       (504) 678-6700          nrd_new_orleans_adm.mil@us.navy.mil
CCC:                                           (504) 678-5256          christopher.s.hawkinson.mil@us.navy.mil

Chief Recruiter:                          (504) 250-6569          keri.levy.mil@us.navy.mil
Supply Department:                   (504) 678-5855          larry.l.horton4.mil@us.navy.mil
DEPCO:                                       (504) 884-2849          hannah.e.conners2.mil@us.navy.mil
SPECWAR/SPECOPS:                 (985) 252-5403          jonathan.glasscock.mil@us.navy.mil
Nuclear Programs Coordinator:   (504) 252-5403         jacob.e.denham-barr1.mil@us.navy.mil
NROTC Coordinator:                     (504) 220-3676         shaun.m.carlton2.mil@navy.mil
Public Affairs:                              (504) 884-2849         hannah.e.conners2.mil@us.navy.mil
SYSAD:                                        (504) 678-7217         Dexter.price.civ@us.navy.mil


Military Entrance Processing Stations (Navy Liaisons)
MEPS New Orleans:                      (504) 678-5522         
MEPS Jackson:                              (601) 354-2454         

Headquarters Location
We are located onboard the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans at 400 Russell Ave. Bldg. 192, New Orleans, 70143.
 
Helpful Information
 
Medical and Dental Care - Depending on your station assignment, you may be utilizing a local area medical treatment facility or may need to contact Tricare Region South to find out local providers which accept TRICARE for medical as well as dental. Advise the Chief Recruiter of any potential surgical or long term medical issues.

Base Housing - If you are assigned to an area station within 60 minutes of NAS Meridian, NAS Pensacola, JRB New Orleans or CBC Gulfport, you are eligible to reside in base housing but must apply for housing at the individual base.
If you desire to purchase a home, I recommend contacting a realtor in the local area for specific information.

Government Leased Housing - If you are assigned to a Recruiting station that is more than 60 minutes from a military installation, you may be eligible to apply for the Government Leased Housing (GLH) program. You may review eligibility and application procedures by going to the CNRC website. This program allows you to live in a house or apartment (depending on paygrade and number of dependents) and enter into a contract/lease with the Army Corps of Engineers. Your utilities are included in your rent but you give up your BAH. If you are interested in this program, contact LSC Oral Lewis at (504) 941-0741 or oral.d.lewis.mil@us.navy.mil so he can assist you with the application process. The entire application process can be completed online by clicking here.

Hurricane Preparedness - Since many of our Recruiting stations are on the Gulf Coast, we are constantly prepared for evacuation due to hurricane. I do not say this to cause concern but to make you aware that we do have a Hurricane Preparedness Plan, which denotes that each Sailor is responsible for making themselves and their family members aware of evacuation routes in your local area. During hurricane season (1 May to 30 Nov), you must have a hurricane preparedness kit, which provides for you, family, and/or pets. You should also establish two separate places you can go in the event of an evacuation. Upon check-in, you will be asked to provide your evacuation contact information. The information must provide names, phone numbers (no cell numbers) and addresses of where you intend to evacuate. In severe instances, NRC will provide evacuation travel funds.

Physical Fitness - Many of our Recruiting stations conduct PT together three times each week. Each of our Recruiting stations belongs to a Recruiting division and some of our divisions do PT together each week. Since many of our stations are geographically separated from each other, this can present a logistics challenge. However, physical fitness must be maintained while on Recruiting duty, and we offer incentives to promote a culture of fitness.

Education - While assigned to NTAG New Orleans, you are encouraged to seek higher education. Upon reporting, you will be focused on learning your new job, administrative duties, area of responsibility, visiting schools, etc. After that, however it is recommended that you seek means to develop your education via CLEP exams, DANTES, distance learning, online education, or classroom instruction. It is usually a good idea to start with a visit to a college counselor to determine what your degree program interests are, what programs are available and which learning method best suits your learning style and work/family schedule. Do not let your entire three-year shore duty pass without pursuing education. If you pursue Tuition Assistance, please become familiar with rules and understand its CO level approval.
 
Schools - Depending on the ultimate geographic area to which you are assigned, there are several options for public or private school. You can obtain information from your state’s Department of Education at the following
Alabama www.alsde.edu
Florida www.fldoe.org
Louisiana www.doe.state.la.us/lde/directory/home.html
Mississippi www.mde.k12.ms.us

Fleet and Family Support Center - Provide all standard FFSC services (relocation assistance, SEAP, TAP, Financial counseling, home buying seminars, family counseling, parenting classes, etc.). There are several Navy bases in our geography that have available FFSC centers. You can obtain contact information for FFSC at www.ffsc.navy.mil.

Military One Source - Since many of our stations are not in the immediate vicinity of a military installation, we encourage the use of Military One Source to address any issues or questions that you might normally refer to a Fleet and Family Support Center. I have enclosed some information in your package that details the serves of Military One Source and highly recommend them to our Sailors. However, the chain of command is always her to assist in any issue or obstacle you might encounter.