WHCA Recruiting Trip
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Type Of Activity
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Personnel Recruiting Trip
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Location
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Location
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Ft Bliss TX
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Date of Activity
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Aug 04 1968 to Aug 10 1968
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Coordinates
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04 Aug 68 to El Paso TX -Ft Bliss Recruiting Trip
WHCA sent recruiting teams to all of the Army, Navy and Air Force training centers in the US trying to find candidates in certain technical MOS’s. I was recruited by WHCA while I was attending Microwave School in Ft. Monmouth NJ. A team of four members from the organization, all in civilian attire, asked me wide variety of questions for about an hour. Then I was submitted to an intense background investigation necessary to obtain a Top Secret Security Clearance, and the successful completion of a polygraph examination was a mandatory requirement prior to being assigned to WHCA. The requirement for a polygraph examination was eventually eliminated by 1968. This entire process still took several months to complete and would usually be finalized before the candidate was finished with their schooling.
In 1968 I was assigned to a four man team to go to Ft. Bliss TX to review, recommend and ultimately select candidates for future WHCA assignments, because Ft Bliss was the HQ for the US Army Air Defense Command there was a large Training Center on the Base. After a cross country airplane flight from Washington DC's National Airport to Chicago's O'Hare International to Dallas and finally to El Paso Airport. We also received meals on every leg of this flight so we ate four times on a flight that took five hours. We arrived in El Paso TX Sunday evening and got settled in our motel. The next morning we met with the Base Commander to obtain full access to all 201 files of the students currently attending any training that was taking place on the base. We were given permission to go to the base personnel unit and were given a contact to meet with so we could get started.
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| Insignia of the United States Army Air Defense Command |
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| The Air Defense Commands' Museum at Ft Bliss |
We immediately contacted the personnel unit and began reviewing hundreds of 201 files. Each of us separated the records of people that we thought would make good candidates. We then looked at military aptitude scores, current training courses, education and general backgrounds to make our final decision on who we would interview. The few individuals that remained were first gathered in a group while we explained what we were doing and let them know about WHCA and the process that we would follow to make our final decision and what it would take to qualify. We did give everyone in the room a chance to withdraw from consideration with no questions asked. For the next three days we conducted personal interviews asking many direct questions about their lives and background. As we completed the individual interviews we discussed the merits of each candidate and made our final selections.
We met with the final seven candidates the next day to have them complete the administrative paperwork, which also included the forms needed to perform an extensive background investigation and obtain top secret security clearance. Once they graduated and received their security clearance they would receive their assignment in WHCA.
Memories of Individual experiences of the WHCA recruiting process
Roger Zabkie remembers that in 1955 when I was near the end of my 30-some weeks of microwave school at Ft Monmouth, two guys in civilian clothes interviewed several people in my class. Three of us were selected for WHASA, WHCA's predecessor. One went to High Point, one stayed in DC, and I went to Camp David, where I served for five years. No polygraph until three years later.
John Cross In 1965, while I was attending 26 wks. of Microwave Radio Repair training at Fort Monmouth NJ, a WHCA recruiting team was looking for recruits when they graduated from training. I was more than halfway through training when I was pulled out of class for my Interview. After about an hour of rapid fire questions I returned to class.
The next day I was sent to another meeting with about a dozen people there. We were given the paperwork to fill out for a TS security clearance, since I already had a secret clearance, I had all of the necessary information to quickly fill it out. I was then told about the Poly that would be scheduled in the near future.
About a week later I took the Poly. After I was all strapped in, I was asked about twenty five questions (many the same as was asked during my interview) everything was going well until the last question, which was “Have you answered truthfully all of the previous questions” when I answered yes, the machine went wild.
After a short consolation with the administrator I was given the test over and PASSED!
When I graduated from Training, I had not heard anything about my security clearance. I was assigned to a Holding company and given the task of showing up every morning in uniform at Reveille and raising the flag. And then show up again at retreat to lower the flag while hanging around home the whole day. This lasted about three weeks when I received my orders to report to a street address in DC.
From the dozen that had filled out the paperwork only three of us, Chuck Duval(who joined me at Camp David), Marty Schorn who went to Cadre/Creed, and I made it to the agency—a small number considering the pool of 1000 trainees.
Charles Heyman comments I had the same Basic Training experience at Fort Dix NJ, Sept 1965. Initially the first presentation was outdoors. From that 13 of us went on for a second interview and 3 were accepted, I was the only one that actually went on to assignment. I spent four months at Ft. Gordon in switchboard training and a couple of months waiting for security clearance. Steve Weber and I left Ft. Gordon for WHCA about the same time in Feb 1966.
John Tiffen said I was interviewed during Basic Training at Ft. Ord in August or September of 1966. Charlie Graffius was one of the interviewers (can't recall the other person). What Kerry said was what I was told also, except I don 't recall the part about waiving my AIT school (but then, it's been close to 60 years).
I know of one other guy from my Basic Training company who was chosen and he wound up working the switchboard (can't recall his name right now, either). Didn't get the final word until well into my AIT at Ft. Gordon.
Mark Edwards In 1966 there was no question about bestiality, but I was asked about any homosexual activities.
Donald Cammel When I was recruited their were about 30K Signal Corp Trainees at Fort Gordon in March 67. They screened records and invited about 350 to attend the first hour. After two breaks the number was about 150, and after lunch faded to about 60. During interviews they invited 11 to fill out packets. There ended up being 3 of us coming out the other side of the funnel! The other two people did their tour and got out.
William Sauder I was selected in 67 Ft Benning of the 6 that came for the interview only myself and Newt Shannon who went to work at the switchboard made it all the way through unbelievable odds.
Harland Priddle I enjoyed reading the selection process of the WHCA enlisted staff. Congratulations as one of the very, very few who were selected to serve in WHCA.
I participated on a couple of these recruitment trips. As I recall, we were always looking for a reason not to select based on some preset criteria, some of which made no sense.
My selection to WHCA as Deputy Commander was a result of General, Director of Hdqtrs Air Force Communications at the Pentagon recommending me to current WHCA Commander, Col Al Redman, later BG Redman, who I served with at the Joint Chiefs 1965-1968. Al was only the 3rd Commander since WHCA established in 1942, Replacing MG Jack Albright.
Needless to say, this was the best Air Force assignment with an outstanding group during historical times--Pres Nixon trips to China and ISSR 1972.
I took the Poly from CWO Corky Dever (I think--he worked for CWO Len Stephens). I loved my Angus show animal and we didn't own any sheep, so I was clean and passed the Poly.
General Redman later ask my opinion about taking the Poly in about 73 and I said it was probably a good criteria for WHCA, just to show we were a cut above other assignments, but doubt if it had any value in identifying security threat people.
WHCA did use infiltrated people in comm center as I recall and did have a few successes, but this was also discontinued later.
AND NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY
Kerry Pinkerton When I was in basic in 69, WHCA personnel came to Ft Benning and looked at 40,000 trainees AFQT scores looking for category 4s that had enlisted. Iirc, that was an IQ over 120. Then then looked at other stuff and decided who to invite for an interview. There were 80 of us at the interviews. 8 made it through the day after the windowing process. .
The windowing process consisted of being told we'd
1. Have to waive our schools
2. Couldn’t have ever been arrested even if later released.
3. Couldn't have more than 3 tickets.
4. Couldn't have ever had sex with a family member or an animal.
5. Couldn't have ever smoked pot or taken drugs.
6. Had to pass a polygraph.
7. Failing the poly meant you were turned back to the army, which meant you were going to be dragging an M14 through the jungle.
Jerry Nichols and I ( both went to AV), and Bruce Mills (radio) made it to the agency. Pretty small group out of 40k.
I heard that not too many years later, they had to drop the pot requirement. And then at some point I heard that they dropped the poly and WHCA was on their way to becoming just another assignment.
Mike Ebbing adds the recruiting team came to Ft. Campbell, KY, around February of 1970. As I recall, a group of close to 500 attended the first day. Only 75 were invited back on the 2nd day. Not sure how many packets were issued but I do know only 3 of us made final cut. All recruited for Signal, and we headed to Ft. Gordon for switchboard school. Terry Brewer and Dennis Munger both got their clearances and orders for WH Signal a couple months before me. When I reported to WHCA HQ in Georgetown, I was told I would also be at WH Signal. The next day, they changed their mind and assigned me to Camp David switchboard. I remained close friends with both Dennis & Terry. I spent my 2 weeks of Signal training (one week at Terry's apt in Arlington and another week at Dennis' apartment (also in Arlington). Karen and I stayed with them at the WHCA Xmas parties as well!
Gary Paul My experience was similar at Ft Knox in '72. They went through about 10,000, 201 files, interviewed 75, and picked up 1. A very lucky day for me.
Charles Easter In Apr or May of 1973, I was working in the Comm Center at Wright Patterson, AFB, when word came down that there was a recruiting team from Washington DC that was going to hold a briefing at the base theater, and I was asked if I wanted to go. I almost said no, as I had no desire to go to DC, so why bother, but I changed my mind and went, mostly just to get out of the comm center for a while. Anyway the base theater was pretty well filled up and we listened to what they had to say. I don't remember how the weeding went, but I ended up having a face to face interview with the recruiters. After the interview they asked if selected would I be interested in going to DC to work in the White House. I couldn't turn that offer down, so of course I said yes.
So after all the paperwork was processed, I was told that I would have a hold put on my records and could not be reassigned until I was either accepted or denied. About 5-6 months later I got the call that I was accepted. As far as I can remember, only myself and Eugene Edgerson were the only ones selected from that group. Glad I was at work that day and glad that I decided to go to the briefing.
John Harris My time in the service was 78-93 and of course long after the draft ended. The recruiting team scanned about a thousand records at Fort Polk and interviewed about 50. They picked up four of us. I never saw a poly.
Chris Morgan recalls that Dave Lytle recruited him from Fort Gordon in early fall, 1980, the theater was packed and only 2 of us were selected. During the interview with Dave, he apologized for having to ask me if I ever had sex with an animal. I asked him if anyone ever said "yes". There was no response.
Richard LePere In 1981 there was recruiting team in Germany. We were invited into the NATO HQ Theater in Heidelberg. The theater was filled with troops standing in the aisles, and along the back wall. Mark Schmidt was on that trip. We received the security briefing before breaking for lunch. When we returned, there were 13 people left in the theater. The 13 were whittled down to 5. Of the 5, that were selected to go to WHCA, only 3 went to WHCA and made it through training.
Dave Meyers (AF) was my training NCO, and Ricky K. Harris and I went through training together at Signal 015, with the Western Electric 608D cord Swbd. I still have the color coded training paper mockup of the 608D cord switchboard. Each day we started with the switchboard mockup, practicing calls. Then we moved onto the crash position for movements and EA crash conferences, Echo/Fox, Crown Control Radio Console. Then after lunch we were put on one of the Controller positions, with Dave sitting next to us to monitor our call processing. After about a week, an SAO sat in between us, and we moved onto the paging system, the IBM database for name lookups. The EA procedures were hammered into our heads, along with the authentication codes for authorizing a non-secure EA conference call across non-dedicated 1FB circuits. I was told that I had to go through every level of training, including being trip Swbd Lead certified within 12 months, and that included stateside and overseas qualified. Best job ever!
Barry Bracken I wish I would have paid more attention to events that happened early in my career. I was a "buck sergeant" stationed at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado Springs in 1982. I got a call from my first shirt one afternoon telling me that he did not know what I had done, but I better be in my service dress when reporting the next day to the Pete Field Base Theater. Pat Bell is the only one I can remember being on the recruiting team - she was the one that did the interview. I got a call a couple of weeks later asking me if I would be willing to come to WHCA without my clearance being completed to work on a "special project". I said yes and PCS'd a week or so later on just a message, no orders...quite an experience. I think I only had to have one person call the "special" number on the message. I only heard one side of the conversation; it was pretty much "oh....yes sir....yes sir...thank you."
I arranged for my buddy to ship my HHGs and the wife and I drove across the country; her in our car packed to the hilt and me on my motorcycle. I was assigned to the special projects office, affectionately known as Albertson's Animals, and started work building the REVCON coaches.
I echo the sentiments of those that say they were lucky to have an opportunity to come to WHCA. Every job I have had since leaving the USAF has been because of a WHCA Alum vouching for me.
Jill Beatty Andershonis Chris Woodard and I were the only 2 to complete the process at Pearl Harbor in 84(?). The Chapel at PH started out full and the questions were the same during the weeklong process that included a photo and fingerprints. Questions weren’t really much different than what I was used to for security updates.
Marlene Chiatovich Mika I was a recruiter '95-'00 those questions were still asked during interview - crazy answers sometimes!
The poly was gone, the pot question was back .
Jeff Massa I was at HQ Air Force Personnel and got a call one day asking if I would be interested in working at WHCA (I didn't even know about the White House Communications Agency), I asked what it was and said sure. A couple of days later I was interviewed by several people over the next 2 days. During the interview I asked them how that got my name, I was told that if I got the assignment, they would let me know. # months later that offered me the assignment (which I accepted), once I got to WHCA I asked again how they got my name, and I was told that the person who would know was no longer at WHCA. I still don't know how they found me, but I was glad they did!
Larry Bethea I was stationed at Andrews AFB communications center, when I was ordered to attend a briefing. I'd guess about 60 Airman attended the briefing, 5 of us stayed and 2 of us joined WHCA. I got the same questions, no Poly. In fact I held TS clearances for over 30 years and never had a Poly. As a DOD Contractor I considered working for the CIA and heard they required a poly. Then I heard they fail 80% without question and for no reason creating the illusion of the cream of the crop. I declined so I didn't have to answer for a failed poly.
In today’s environment recruiting is done online by downloading an application to serve. WHCA is currently accepting applications from personnel on active duty in the grades of E4 with less than eight years in service (on a case-by-case basis) and grades of E5 to E6 with less than 15 years in service. for a 5 year tour, but must serve for a minimum of 3 years, for all branches. Currently there is a recruiter assigned to each branch of the service with a defined application process for each branch.
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