PENSACOLA, Fla. – Sailors onboard Information Warfare Training Command Corry Station awaiting instruction are excelling in the Navy’s Hometown Area Recruiting Program.

HARP allows Sailors to return to their hometowns for 30 days to assist local recruiters by relating their Navy experiences to peers and future recruits. Sailors who wish to participate must have a commanding officer’s endorsement and exemplify the highest standards of military appearance, conduct and courtesy.

Three Sailors recently completed their HARP duties and returned to Naval Air Station Pensacola’s Corry Station. Seaman Jacob Betts, Seaman Austin Tears and Seaman Andrew Evans – all cryptologic (collection) technicians – were part of the first batch.

Tears went back to Rochester, New York, for HARP, where he went to various high schools, the area Military Entrance Processing Station and spoke to recruits on his Navy experiences so far, particularly those interested in the information warfare community.

“I enjoyed seeing the other side of the recruiting process, learning the ins and outs of the MEPS process, and the different ways to gain attention of potential recruits,” he said.

Tears was directly responsible and involved with the recruitment of five new Sailors, according to officials at Navy Recruiting Station Greece, New York.

Petty Officer 1st Class Chase Whelchel, IWTC Corry Station’s HARP coordinator and a cryptologic (collection) technician, said these opportunities allow for continued leadership development among junior Sailors, increased recruitment effectiveness and will have a lasting impact for the Navy.

“The Sailors who are participating in HARP are providing critical insight to potential recruits across the nation, as well as having the unique opportunity to directly affect the future Sailors that will one day take the watch,” he said. “Each Sailor who has completed the program has returned with a noticeable change in leadership style and growth.”

IWTC Corry Station leaders say they will continue encouraging Sailors to participate in HARP in alignment with Navy administrative message 290/22, which states: “Every Sailor is a recruiter. Sailor’s stories and experiences could hold weight and influence within their circle and be the reason someone chooses military service.”

IWTC Corry Station is part of the Center for Information Warfare Training. With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT provides instruction for over 26,000 students every year, delivering information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. It also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic, information systems and electronics technicians; intelligence specialists and officers in the information warfare community.