FORT KNOX, Ky. –
A good Recruiter recruits anywhere and everywhere. Sgt. 1st Class Chashella Martin, a U.S. Army Recruiter based out of Margate, Florida, knows this better than anyone else.
Martin, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, joined the Army in 1998, inspired by her older brother who joined the Navy.
She tried college for a year before enlisting at her mom’s request, but her dreams of joining the Army couldn’t be stopped.
“I chose the military because of the foundation and independence it provides,” Martin said. “I grew up in a single-parent household, so I wanted to be able to provide for my mother and my children.”
In the Army, Martin has had several successful careers. Her first job in the Army was as an 88H Cargo Specialist. Later, after leaving active-duty and joining the U.S. Army Reserve, Martin learned about and took advantage of the training and educational opportunities the Army offers.
“I learned I could change careers, I could go to college without paying money – the Army would literally train you for free,” Martin said.
She became a 68E Dental Specialist. Then, she became a 68K Medical Laboratory Specialist. With these new careers came training and certifications – all free through the Army.
Now Martin has found her calling as an Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Recruiter in Margate, Florida, informing others of the opportunities she gained by serving her country.
“I became a Recruiter because I wanted to spread the word,” Martin said. “I felt like I’d be the best person for the job because I’ve done Active-Duty, I’ve done the Reserve, I’ve had so many jobs within the Army, I have my degrees up to my master’s degree - I’m literally a walking billboard.”
For Martin, success in recruiting means being adaptable and able to recruit on a moment’s notice. While she does plan and designate certain days for certain recruiting tactics – one day for interviews, one day for going to a community event, for example - she also keeps a table and Army-branded tablecloth in her car, ready to set up, any time anywhere.
Even in times of distress, recruiting is on her mind. During a visit to the emergency room with her daughter, Martin shared her knowledge of Army opportunities with a hospital staff member.
“The medical assistant who helped my daughter – I ended up talking to her about all the medical jobs the Army has,” Martin said.
Martin explained the AMEDD Enlisted Commissioning Program (AECP), where Soldiers retain military benefits and pay while completing up to 24 months of nursing school, after which they commission into the Regular Army component of the Army Nurse Corps.
Now because of Martin, that medical assistant from the ER has joined the U.S. Army Reserve, is accepted into a full-time nursing program and doesn’t have to worry about juggling multiple jobs and paying for nursing school.
Martin has also recruited people she’s met on vacation, the children of her old hometown friends, store clerks she’s met while shopping with her family – but the recruit closest to her heart? Her daughter, Spc. Miracle Mattox, a medical logistics specialist stationed in South Korea.
“I was super excited about it,” Martin said. “When she was growing up, all the kids in the neighborhood would come outside and we would play Army. So, for her to join, it was a nice feeling.”
Martin says that if there was one piece of advice she’d give to herself when starting her Army journey, or to any potential future Soldier, she’d emphasize the opportunities within the Army.
“There are no limits,” Martin said. “If you want to be a doctor, you can be a doctor in the Army. You can literally do anything under this one umbrella of the Army. You don’t have to settle for less. It’s never too late.”