The region’s newest Marine Corps recruiting station commander hails from Los Angeles, California, but loves Georgia so much that he made it his home. Staff Sgt. Michael A. Trevino said he’s looking forward to helping potential Marines from Hinesville to Statesboro to Waynesboro learn more about the military.
The married father of four — soon to be five — settled into his Statesboro office Sunday and is already meeting potential recruits, he said.
He previously lived and worked in Tifton, where he bought a house, before being ordered back to California to be deployed as an infantryman to Jordan. When that tour was over, he willingly accepted the recruiting gig.
“As long as I was being sent back to Georgia, I had no problem being sent back to recruiter duty,” he said.
Recruiting is something many service members are required to do at some point. When they reach E5 sergeant status, they are sent to recruiting school, he said.
“No one joins the Marine Corps to be a recruiter,” he said, but he finds the task rewarding. Although the job originally was a three-year assignment, Trevino said he looks forward to working as a recruiter for the remainder of his career.
“We have consultative selling skills, but we don’t ‘sell’ anything,” he said. “Applicants want to join. We just handle the paper work and answer questions.”
In high school, Trevino was in the Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, or JROTC, and knew he wanted to go into the military. His resolve strengthened following 9/11, and he joined the Marines in 2004.
At the time of his enlistment, he wasn’t aware that “the Marines had so many different jobs,” he said. “I would have gone into media affairs.”
Now as a recruiter, Trevino said he makes sure each new applicant is educated on the possible career choices within the Marine Corps — and there is no problem finding interested applicants.
“There is a surplus of people coming through,” he said.
When Trevino isn’t working, he is spending time with his wife, Nicole, and their kids: three girls — Dana, 7; River, 4; and Noel, 2 — and adopted son Noah, 8. The couple also has a son on the way, due in February.
Trevino is enrolled at Georgia Southern University for the summer for classes in communications and public affairs. He already holds an Associate of Arts and has completed several advanced military courses including Infantry Mortar Leader, Small Arms Weapons Instructor and Combat Marksmanship in addition to his training in recruitment.
He has received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three gold stars) and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Trevino may be reached at michael.a.trevino@usmc.mil.
Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.