1. EVENT
MANAGEMENT
&
RESOURCES

2. EVENTS
Being in front of target market individuals where they play or where they look for jobs continues
to be an important part of our overall recruitment strategy. It is particularly true in the summer
months when school is not in session, but school-related events such as football games,
basketball games and wrestling meets provide much the same opportunity.
In all cases, the objectives are the same: Put our “mouth where the Money is” by disseminating
basic information about Navy jobs and educational opportunities on site, and identifying
interested people who can become even more interested if we can provide them with more in-
depth information.
It is no secret that a number of these kinds of events turn out to be duds from the standpoint of
attracting and identifying highly qualified prospects. It also is no secret that we will have to
continue handling a number of these events simply to satisfy the broader objective of creating
Navy awareness, especially with audiences that might become good target market individuals
later on (Boy Scout camporees, for instance) or be key influencers down the road (veterans
groups, coaches conventions, professional associations for example) or those that are affiliated
with other Navy awareness initiatives (Navy Weeks, air shows, diversity events, STEM events).
To the extent that we can, we will strive to eliminate or reduce the number of events that simply
eat up your otherwise-productive recruiting time. At the same time, we are working to enhance
your opportunities for productivity at those events that you see as either very worthwhile or just
simply fun to engage in with the anticipation of a few prospects.
The following pages detail some of the elements we have to enhance your opportunities at
events. You also will find here some guidelines, instructions, forms, etc. that will make event
participation worthwhile.

3. HQ support items
Pull-up Bar – in most cases, a pull-up bar will travel with this trailer to enable recruiters to
engage an audience in a PT challenge.
Football Toss – wherever 110V AC power is available, the Navy recruiting inflatable football
toss can be used both to attract attention and to establish a competitive environment that can lead
to completed surveys and solid leads.

4. RADs Usage Guidelines
The term RAD stands for Recruiting Assistance Device. That description, alone, is key to our
understanding regarding how to use these materials.
Quite simply, WE ARE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF HANDING OUT MATERIALS WITH
NO EXPECTATION OF A RETURN. Instead, these materials – ranging from literature pieces
to tee shirts and water bottles – represent an investment in capturing a place in the minds of those
who receive them.
Does that mean that we don’t give something to someone who we don’t think will qualify as an
immediate recruitment candidate? Certainly not, but it does mean that we need to use
discriminatory judgment regarding what we give to whom.
Rule number one regarding our contact with the public in general and target recruiting market
(17-24 age-group individuals) is that EVERYONE MUST WALK AWAY FROM YOU WITH
A STRONGER BASE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE NAVY – ITS MISSION, ITS
OPPORTUNITIES, AND ITS REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFIED CANDIDATES – THAN
WHAT THEY UNDERSTOOD WHEN YOU FIRST MET HIM/HER. Most of the time, this
means that these people should walk away with at least a literature item and possibly something
more.
Let’s take a closer look at that, starting with the range of people you are likely to meet:
At a high school or college career fair, the vast majority of people you will talk with will be
target age and have some basic interest in Navy – either for a particular job or at least to find out
a little more about what might interest them. For this group, our RADs investment should be
fairly heavy – literature on specific job areas, information about Navy qualifications for
personnel, and perhaps some token give-away item.
At multi-school athletic events, again the vast majority of people will be target age, even though
they have not demonstrated an interest. For some in this group, our RADs investment should be
heavy, but for others our investment should be much lighter. There is a need to separate the two
so that more expensive RADs go to the ones that are worth pursuing more. In any case, people
who visit should at least walk away with information about Navy job opportunities, Navy
educational support, and basic qualifications for becoming a sailor.
At target-market events, such as country music concerts, or STEM or Diversity functions, many
people will fit target criteria, some in a very distinctive way. For some in this group, our RADs
investment should be heavy, but for others our investment should be much lighter. There is a
need to separate the two so that more expensive RADs go to the ones that are worth pursuing
more. In any case, people who visit should at least walk away with information about Navy job
opportunities, Navy educational support, and basic qualifications for becoming a sailor. STEM
and Diversity candidates should also walk away with information that supports those initiatives.

5. At air shows, county fairs and community functions, the nature of the audience will be largely
outside the target market, but can contain some key influencers. For this audience, Navy
Awareness is essential across the board, and it will be harder to separate the two so that more
expensive RADs go to the ones that are worth pursuing more. In any case, people who visit
should at least walk away with information about Navy job opportunities, Navy educational
support, and basic qualifications for becoming a sailor. Use of things like the pull-up bar and
completed surveys to identify the more interested individuals is encouraged. Use of things like
the photo-op prop to siphon away little kids so that you can spend more time with the more
qualified people is also encouraged. Use inexpensive RADs such as coins, tattoos and pencils for
Navy awareness with poorly qualified folks, and save the more expensive RADs for the highly
qualified ones.
At Boy Scout/Girl Scout functions, recognize that these people probably will be the most
qualified some day. Although these people should not get expensive RADs, they should get
items that help to spread Navy awareness in a constructive way. Posters and inexpensive RADs
will be helpful in this regard, as well as literature – at least the kind of literature that helps to
point out Navy jobs, educational support and what it takes to become a sailor.
At veterans’ functions, it is highly unlikely that you will have target market individuals, but this
audience certainly serves as key influencers to young people. We cannot overlook the
importance of this group to help spread Navy awareness. Inexpensive RADs will be in order,
plus literature that helps to point out Navy jobs, educational support and what it takes to become
a sailor. In many cases, this will be passed along to future market people.
RADs Costs:
The following list will help you identify the per-item cost of RADs:
DVD $ 1.25 ea
Bumper Sticker $ 0.10 ea.
Ruler $ 0.30 ea.
Stress Ball $ 0.42 ea.
Beverege Cooler $ 0.75 ea.
Sport Coin $ 0.16 ea.
Lanyard $ 0.72 ea.
Water Bottle $ 1.50 ea.
Coffee Cup $ 1.73 ea.
Pencil $ 0.14 ea.
Pen $ 0.35 ea.

6. Pull-up Bar Guidelines
NRD Nashville has one pull-up bar and several of the recruiting stations have access to them as
well.
The pull-up bar offers two distinct advantages in event recruiting:
1 It attracts attention to the Navy venue and helps draw a crowd.
2 It enables recruiters to establish a competitive environment within the crowd, which
in turn helps to select the most physically qualified individuals and enables recruiters
to collect completed surveys.
The pull-up bar is easy to assemble, but it is important to secure the components of the assembly
to keep it together. Large safety pins are kept with the bar assembly for that purpose. The pins
not only secure the components together, they also help to keep components from jamming
together, a situation that makes disassembly difficult.
Upon disassembling the pull-up bar, make sure that the pins are linked together and also hooked
onto one of the assembly components.
Inflatable Football Toss
NRD Nashville also has one inflatable football toss set-up. This is another attention-getting
device that serves the same purpose as the pull-up bar. To build a competitive environment, it
will be important to establish a fair distance from the device to the point where competitors are
expected to toss the footballs.
The football toss requires 110V electrical power to make it operational. Simply plug it in and the
internal fan box will inflate the device.
The football toss has security straps that need to be used to anchor the device. Anchoring can be
handled with tent stakes or with sandbags. Either will be sufficient.
Footballs frequently will lodge between the front of the assembly and the inflated bladder inside.
Recruiters monitoring this will often be required to dig out the footballs so that the competition
can continue.

7. Convention Booth Availability
NRD Nashville has several convention booths available for use, and a few other devices that help
to make 10 x 10 or 10X20 booth spaces more attractive. Each of these convention booths is
designed for easy set-up and break-down, but each also must be custom decorated for each
particular event.
A little practice and prior planning will be required to use these convention booths successfully,
but the added professionalism makes the use of one well worth the effort, and produces better
results.
Consult with your PAO regarding the use of one of these convention booths for multi-school
career fairs and other indoor venues where large crowds are anticipated.
Canopy Availability
NRD Nashville has a number of canopies available for outdoor events. The Stations should not
be holding on to these, please return these to HQ. Most of these are 10 x 10 in size, but a few 10
x 20 canopies are available as well.
Canopies offer shade in severe sunlight situations, and shelter from rain when those situations
threaten. Contact the district’s PAO to reserve a canopy for an outdoor event.
School vs. School Events
In the course of normal Navy recruiting, effort is so focused on the attainment of contracts, one
by one, that opportunities for high exposure that can build a large pool of future prospects easily
can be overlooked. The resources cited above are designed to enhance event recruiting.
Without question, the best source for qualified candidates is the network of high schools,
community colleges, colleges and universities within our reach. And if these venues do not
produce immediate candidates, they still are worth cultivating to produce a pool of future
candidates.
Multi-school events, such as football games, basketball games, wrestling meets and other
sporting events can be ideal opportunities for developing a Navy recruiting presence. Concerts
and other gatherings can do the same.
We encourage recruiters to identify these situations and to use the resources available to exploit
them.
General Awareness

8. Many audiences contain people who are not of recruiting age, but that does not mean that your
influence is lost. Older people can have an influence on younger ones, and youngsters will
eventually reach the right age for Navy. In any case, it will be important to let everyone in event
audiences know that the Navy has a wide variety of jobs; that the Navy has programs that
support an individual’s education aspirations; and that there are important requirements that need
to be met for one to qualify for Navy service. The following is customizable for each NRS and is
recommended as a handout for virtually every kind of event.