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Air Force Reserve recruiter grabs 14 in one day

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jason Tudor
  • Air Force Reserve Command Recruiting Service
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  In baseball, 14 strikeouts leads "SportsCenter." The anchors walk through each of your highlights until you send the game-ending strike across the dish, bring the crowd to its feet and regale the media with some witty comment.

Master Sgt. Kevin French, a recruiter in Tampa, Fla., understands the feeling. He's struck out major league talent (more on that in a moment) but, more recently, hit a home run for Air Force Reserve Command Oct. 1 by enlisting 14 people in one day.

Sergeant French, a recruiter for three years, said the opportunity presented itself, and he took advantage.

"It should have been 17," he said, laughing, "but two were out of my control. One was deployed, and the other one just slipped my mind."

He said he started the process weeks in advance. Sergeant French handled the stacks of paperwork and appointments early.

When enlistment day came, he met with the recruits in groups. The first five enlisted in the morning. Another six enlisted in the afternoon. The remaining people were "gained" from the Florida Air National Guard or the Inactive Ready Reserve program and did not require an enlistment ceremony.

Sergeant French and each applicant reviewed the paperwork and then signed.

"They already knew what they were signing," he said. "It was merely a matter of ensuring the details were correct."

Once the paperwork was completed, the applicants were ferried to the office of retired Maj. Francisco Irizarry. Mr. Irizarry has assisted the Air Force Reserve with enlistments for the past decade. Sergeant French prepared Mr. Irizarry a week before for enlistees, and he was happy to cooperate.

This one-day grand slam didn't happen by chance. Instead, it started during Sergeant French's years playing professional baseball. Drafted as a pitcher by the New York Mets in 1981, the right-hander played in the minor leagues with the "Amazin's" until 1983, when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He reached AAA and the Pawtucket Red Sox before injuries to his throwing arm forced him out of the game. He's also spent five years in the Coast Guard.

However, the work ethic and love of competition instilled by coaches and fellow players never left him.

"The way they prepare you, the competition with other teams and the way the coaches prepare are all amazing," he said. "You're always competing; always trying your best. It's always win-win-win."

The 14-in-one-day effort earned Sergeant French a phone call from Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., AFRC commander.

The general congratulated Sergeant French for his effort and told him to keep up the good work.

Meanwhile, that good work hasn't been lost on his boss, Senior Master Sgt. Gary Johnson. The senior recruiter for Sergeant French's zone in Florida, Sergeant Johnson said Sergeant French takes seriously the responsibility of manning the Air Force Reserve.

"Sergeant French is all about production," Sergeant Johnson said. "Fourteen 'gains' in one day takes dedication to the mission. He approaches everything with the same intensity as he did playing professional baseball. He's one of a kind." (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)