Air Force announces top recruiters for 2007 Published Jan. 14, 2008 By Maj. Sean McKenna Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Fourteen Air Force recruiters were named tops in their field for fiscal year 2007 as winners of Operation Blue Suit XXIX, Air Force Recruiting Service officials announced today. The best Air Force recruiters for 2007 include Master Sgt. Russell Benigno, 337th Recruiting Squadron at Fayatteville, N.C.; Master Sgt. Brian Clark, 362nd RCS at Moreno Valley, Calif.; Master Sgt. Bruno Pell III, 333rd RCS at Melbourne, Fla.; Master Sergeant Rafael Perez Jr., 333rd RCS at Guaynabu, P.R.; Tech. Sgt. Thomas Doyle, 367th RCS at Aurora, Colo.; Tech. Sgt. Nuyen Harper, 318th RCS at Dover, Del.; Tech Sgt. Mark Terry, 343rd RCS at Manhattan, Kansas; Tech. Sgt. Dayne Thomas, 369th RCS at Agana, Guam; Tech. Sgt. Edward Vargas, 333rd RCS at Orlando, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Daniel Atkins, 317th RCS at Yorktown, Va.; Staff Sgt. Joseph Babcock, 364th RCS at Penn Valley, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Glennis Hamilton, 331st RCS at McDonough, Ga.; Staff Sgt. Johann Lynch 341st RCS at San Antonio, Texas; and Staff Sgt. Eric Wilson, 331st RCS at Pensacola. Fla. "Recruiters dedicatedly work in one of the Air Force's toughest careers - 'selling' the Air Force," said Brig. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot, AFRS commander. "To meet the challenge, our recruiters must be the very embodiment of what it means to serve. These 14 extraordinary individuals have demonstrated they are what they 'sell.' They are what they believe in - and they truly believe in the Air Force way of life." The Operation Blue Suit program recognizes the best recruiters worldwide for their efforts in recruiting a diverse, high-quality volunteer force to fill career fields critical to the Air Force in accomplishing its missions. Air Force Recruiting Service met its enlistment goal for the eighth-consecutive year in 2007, bringing in 27,760 new Airmen against an accessions goal of 27,760. The FY 2008 goal remains 27,760. "These are challenging times our nation faces and all of our military recruiters are doing a fantastic job in meeting the goals," General Vautrinot said. "The operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have tested our ranks, as well as the will of all Americans, but well-qualified young men and women continue to serve - a real testament to the tremendous quality of our countrymen, our Air Force and its recruiters. We are confident that kind of support - that call to action - will continue in 2008." Operation Blue Suit began in 1979 to help bolster production in critical recruiting programs. The competition was originally designed to enhance enlisted recruiting efforts during the traditionally slow months of February through May. It proved so successful that officials expanded it to include officer accessions recruiting. This year, Operation Blue Suit honors 14 enlisted and officer accessions recruiters as the best of nearly 1,600 Air Force recruiters worldwide. Winners are nominated by their recruiting groups and selected by a board based on their performance in meeting assigned recruiting goals, leadership qualities and other professional traits. Air Force Recruiting Service officials will recognize Blue Suit winners and their spouses in events taking place March 3-7 in San Antonio.