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Sergeant recruits for Reserves and federal jobs

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Andrew Davis
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Covering a five-state region, recruiter Master Sgt. Gary Garnto has his hands full. He travels quarterly to meet and coordinate with commanders, potential recruits, hiring officials and civilian personnelists. 

Sergeant Garnto is the sole Midwest Air Force Reserve Technician Recruiter. A former security forces member of 15 years, Sergeant Garnto got into recruiting eight years ago and was recently assigned the ART recruiter position at Scott AFB. 

"I recruit for the Air Force Reserve Technician Program, which is personnel that are in the Air Force Reserve but also hold a federal job position on base," said Sergeant Garnto. "They are typically folks just coming into the Reserve, whether they are members from other branches or Airmen leaving active duty who are looking to stay in the federal system." 

Sergeant Garnto goes above and beyond what a normal recruiter does helping personnel throughout the hiring process, making sure applicants turn in the best package possible, drastically improving their chances of getting a job. 

"They (applicants) can apply through www.usajobs.gov by themselves, but without an ART recruiter they don't have that person diving through their package and checking on it," said Sergeant Garnto. "They can't always call these places and check up on the status, but I can. I basically oversee their package and the entire hiring process. 

"Really one of my main jobs is to ensure their package is the best one they can turn in, reviewing it if it needs some corrections or work. I'll tell them that and give them advice on what to change here and there to make it a better package for a higher rating. The higher the rating, the better chance they have of getting hired." 

The speeding up and simplifying of the hiring process is one of the main perks of using an ART recruiter to find a federal job. 

"If you compare them (applicants) to applying just through USA jobs to say a guy who is already in the Reserves coming to me and applies, it is by far faster and simpler," said Sergeant Garnto. "I send their package directly to the Special Examining Unit (SEU) in Georgia. Normally it's a long process through USA Jobs, but with me, within a week or so, we can have your package sent out to the SEU and from there it's a simpler process." 

As personnel come and go the job positions are constantly changing, but for qualified personnel who want to join the Air Force Reserves there are 20 to 30 slots available at Scott AFB. 

"Optimally we would like to hire fully qualified folks coming off of active duty or folks already doing the job in the Reserve," said Sergeant Garnto. "But we also have the opportunity to hire folks coming right off the street. 

"But they have to know that they are required to join the Air Force Reserve. They can get rated and get a tentative job offer but without being in the Air Force Reserves these ART slots are not available to be accepted until they are physically qualified to become a member of the Air Force Reserve," added the sergeant. 

ARTs play a major role in the Air Force Reserve working during the week within their unit as well as drill weekends and annual tours. Job openings at Scott include aircraft maintenance, administration and flight attendant career fields. The aircraft mechanics positions can hire at the WG-10 level and the latter two positions starting at GS-7. For more information on ART career opportunities, contact Master Sgt. Gary Garnto at 593-1526 or via e-mail at gary.garnto-02@scott.af.mil.