AFRS vice commander finds recruiting ‘a hidden jewel’ Published June 24, 2013 By Annette Crawford AFRS Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- The past 28 years have flown by for Col. Michael Vlk. As he readies for life after the Air Force, the vice commander of Air Force Recruiting Service recently reflected on his career. Originally from Wheaton, Ill., on the outskirts of Chicago, Vlk joined the Air Force in 1985 because he wanted to fly. But that decision didn't come without doing some homework - he said that when he was getting ready to graduate from the Illinois Institute of Technology with a degree in electrical engineering, he interviewed the Air Force recruiter just as he did with other corporations who were interested in him. When it came to make a decision, he saw that the Air Force was the best choice. After training at Mather AFB, Calif., Vlk served as a navigator and electronic warfare officer at several assignments, including Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; Kadena AB, Japan; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; and Mather. Several positions as a staff officer followed, from squadron through Headquarters Air Force levels. But it was his first experience with AFRS that he considers a pinnacle of his career. He commanded the 348th Recruiting Squadron at Little Rock AFB, Ark., from 2004 to 2006. "It was my first experience with recruiting," said Vlk. "I knew they were looking for commanders and that I was competitive. Until then, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a recruiting squadron or group. Now I push it as a hidden jewel." The colonel said being commander of the 348th was a "great experience with a wonderful team of professionals. My favorite part of recruiting is the people and the person-to-person aspect. As much as we have technology, convincing someone to join still requires that face-to-face interaction." The squadron covered Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, and was a part of the country Vlk wasn't familiar with. But he soon learned more about that area than he ever anticipated when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. The colonel credited his team with pulling together and making the best of the devastating situation. "Squadron commander is the best job in the Air Force," Vlk said. "But if being commander is like gravy, then making O-6 is like dessert." The colonel has several philosophies and words of wisdom he lives by. High on that list is integrity. "That should always be uppermost in your mind in whatever you're doing," he said. "I also believe in 'Bloom where you're planted.' When I was in one job, I wasn't worried about moving to the next job. What was important was taking care of my people." Vlk's retirement ceremony is set for July 12, in conjunction with the AFRS headquarters picnic. His plans for now are to relax and visit family and friends and then see what his options are. He hopes to stay in the San Antonio area while his children are in high school.