On his first trip to Washington, an Army recruiter from Charleston, W.Va., held the senators sitting on the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee Jan. 31 in the palm of his hand.

He wove story after story from his opening statement through the hearing’s conclusion and gave panel members a unique insight into serving in today’s Army.

Sgt. 1st Class Ricky Lee Webb, a former state trooper, said “I’ve been doubly blessed on being a drill instructor” before he returned to his hometown as a recruiter.

Recruiting is a unique experience to Webb, and he said “recruiting is not business as usual” of selling the Army. It is being “a mentor, coach and guidance counselor.”

He told the committee about his teen-age years and how he “used to take baths in a creek” before heading on to school “where we were treated differently.”

He also said that when he talked to an Army recruiter back then what he was told “wasn’t exactly the truth” about career opportunities.

In answering a question on obesity from Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., Webb said the Army and Congress should re-look the height and weight standards.

“The standard was set many years ago” before there was “a McDonald’s and Burger King on every corner. They don’t get out to run the hills … to stay lean and mean, like I did. They stay inside the house,” playing games on Play Stations.

A few years ago, Webb went to a Wal-Mart to buy tires. He was wearing his uniform and was killing time walking around.

At a Play Station, one of the mechanics was engrossed in his Tiger Woods game. The mechanic’s name was “Steve,” embossed on his work clothes. Webb put his height at 5 feet 9 inches, and weight at 260 pounds.

As it turned out, Webb was going to have to return to the store another time because they did not have the four tires he needed.

When he came back later for the other two tires, Steve approached Webb and asked him why he didn’t talk to him about the Army.

The mechanic told Webb that he had spent four years in JROTC and knew that he was a recruiter.

Webb told the senators that he knew that Steve as he was then would never meet the Army’s height and weight standards.

But Webb didn’t stop there.

“I said if you take two weeks of your own time” to work out with Webb then they could begin talking about enlisting in the Army.

“Absolutely, he made it, been to Iraq three times, is a staff sergeant.”

Current standards would have a potential recruit in his 20s, like Steve, weighing 192 pounds or less.

Laughing, Chambliss said, “No way a fat guy like me can scale that mountain in your ad on TV.”

On a more serious note, he told the senators that “the biggest problem [for potential recruits] is that they can’t pass the math” on the standardized entrance exam.

“They can’t carry the one” and suggested that potential enlistees be allowed to use calculators” in taking the exams as they do in school.

On recruiting improprieties, Webb said, “I have not seen a single investigation” in his area and told the panel members that “we’ve made great strides with the Buddy Program and cameras in the station” recording interviews.

But when he is asked why he enlisted by a high school student, a parent or a senator, Webb doesn’t hesitate. “It’s about pride in serving my country.”
Still Serving!