442nd Fighter Wing recruiting excels again as AFRC announces top recruiters for 2008

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kent Kagarise
  • 442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  For the second consecutive fiscal year, 442nd Fighter Wing recruiters have won the Top Outstanding Team Achievement Award given out by Air Force Reserve Command Recruiting Service. 

The members of the Whiteman recruiting team are: Senior Master Sgt. James Frizen, Master Sgt. Jerry Hancock, Tech. Sgt. Clark Gilleo, Tech Sgt. Brad Grimmitt and Staff Sgt. Devin Willis. 

For Senior Master Sgt. James Frizen this is the second time in his career he has had the privilege of winning this prestigious award back-to-back. He is very proud of his current team and their rare accomplishments. 

"To get the team award means we all have to be the best of the best," he said. "Our goal is to always do better. This year we blew everybody out of the water. To be able to achieve this two years in a row is unheard of. I'm amazed!" 

To put into perspective the 442nd Fighter Wing recruiters' achievements, in 2007 they exceeded their original goal by 180 percent. For 2008 the goal was exceeded by 215.2 percent. The closest competitor was the 908th Airlift Wing recruiters at Maxwell Air Force Base, which reached 168.9 percent, nearly a 45 percent difference. 

The newest face to the wing's recruiting office at Whiteman Air Force Base is Tech. Sgt. Clark Gilleo who made his presence known by taking home the Top Rookie Recruiter Award, The Century Award and the Most Non-prior Service award (for the Central Recruiting Squadron). 

"I knew recruiting wouldn't be easy, but I am very competitive. I don't like to lose, and my recruits reap the benefit of my work ethic," Sergeant Gilleo said. 

To attain the Century-Club award a recruiter must exceed their original goal by 150 percent. This is an accomplishment that usually takes four to six years. Sergeant Gilleo shows no signs of letting up. 

"My original goal for this month was four," he said at the end of October. "As of tomorrow I will have put nine new Airmen into the wing."