News

367th Recruiting Group is closing the door

  • Published
  • By Holly Birchfield
  • 78 ABW/PA
Robins Air Force Base, GA --  The 367th Recruiting Group is closing the door on its 50-plus years of recruiting.

On Tuesday, the group will deactivate as part of the reorganization of the Air Force Recruiting Service, the 367th RCG's parent command based at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio.

In 1954, the recruiting group, then known as 3503rd Personnel Processing Group, made its home at Robins. The unit, which oversees recruiting operations of seven recruiting squadrons covering 13 states and two U.S. territories, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, became the 367th RCG in 1992.

Col. Mike Brice, 367th RCG commander, said his group is charged with bolstering the Air Force's enlisted force strength.

"We oversee seven squadrons that are in the group. Our mission is to bring the human capital into the Air Force to accomplish the mission and the Air Force core competencies, such as the Global Strike, Global Reach, Global Reconnaissance and Cyber. Our target population is 18- to 24-year-olds on the enlisted side, so we aim to bring in 7,000 to 8,000 individuals per year."

Colonel Brice said his group's deactivation comes as the Air Force faced a draw down of its forces.

"Air Force Recruiting Service, our parent command, had to reorganize and restructure to meet the target the Air Force levied on it," he said. "They made the decision to close one group, the 367th RCG, and four squadrons. There used to be 28 squadrons in Air Force Recruiting Service and now there will be 24."

Colonel Brice said those remaining squadrons will fall under three recruiting groups that remain under the Air Force Recruiting Service.

Senior Master Sgt. Bob Hawkins, 367th RCG trainer, said the group has recruited Air Force members from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee.

The group has definitely made its mark in recruiting over the years.

Since 1992, the 367th RCG has put well over 100,000 enlisted men and women into uniform, Colonel Brice said.

Chief Master Sgt. Mike Suchy, 367th RCG's superintendent, said the 367th RCG has faithfully met its recruiting, enlisted, line officer and recruiting goals since its inception.

Chief Suchy said the 367th RCG has proven itself a leader among Air Force recruiting groups.

"In its recent past, the group with its seven squadrons, has been number one of four groups for enlisted and officer accession recruiting in the last two years," he said. "The 333rd Recruiting Squadron out of Melbourne, Fla., was named the number one squadron in the command last year."

Colonel Brice said the group has also been recognized as an Air Force outstanding unit four times in its history, most recently from 2005-07.

The 367th RCG commander said despite the unit's deactivation, his group's men and women will remain true to its service.

"We're sad to see the group closing on Robins, but we understand that organizations in the Air Force have to always continue to evolve," he said. "We'll continue to carry on the proud history of this group and the rest of the Air Force Recruiting Service and we'll meet our mission of getting the right men and women into the Air Force."