By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tracey Bannister, Navy Office of Community Outreach
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Petty Officer 1st Class Yashua Reid, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, is serving in the U.S. Navy assigned to Navy Recruiting Orientation Unit (NORU) with the next generation of U.S. Navy Recruiters.
Reid is a 2017 graduate of Lower Richland High School.
Reid joined the Navy eight years ago. Today, Reid is a student learning the skills necessary to be a Navy recruiter.
“My father served in the Army,” Reid said. “I joined to make my family proud and pursue a college degree. I chose a different path since my hometown was an Army community.”
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Columbia.
“Growing up, I was taught to always take advantage of the opportunities provided to you,” Reid said. “I learned that there is more out there than just staying in South Carolina. It’s a big world to see.”
Located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, NORU is the Navy’s sole recruiting schoolhouse responsible for the instruction of Enlisted and Officer personnel in professional sales, prospecting techniques, marketing, applicant processing, recruiting terminology, leadership, ethical behavior and activity analysis. It also provides continuum training for the Navy’s Career Recruiting Force and prepares selected leaders for the challenges of operating a Navy Talent Acquisition Group.
Over 3,500 students come from sea duty and shore to attend basic recruiting courses and receive a good dose of public speaking classes to develop communications skills that will help them not just in recruiting but throughout their Naval careers. Students must demonstrate what they learn in the classroom with prepared speeches and perform in a simulated sales environment, where they must help an applicant make an informed, mutually beneficial decision to join the Navy. These steps are critical to ensuring that prospective applicants fully understand what naval service entails and that the Navy receives highly motivated and committed officers and enlisted sailors to serve.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Reid serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
Reid has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am most proud of being named 2024 Sailor of the Year on my ship,” Reid said. “It just shows how far I’ve come since my first year in the Navy. I want to finish my bachelor’s degree in human resources and hopefully get selected for Limited Duty Officer.”
Reid can take pride in serving America through military service.
“Serving in the Navy provides tradition and pride,” Reid said. “I’ve never experienced that before I served alongside my brothers and sisters in the Navy.”
Reid is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my wife, Breanna Reid, my parents, and my siblings,” Reid added. “I also want to thank Command Master Chief Keona Johnson, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jesse Booth, and retired Cmdr. Samantha Savage, retired Master Chief Petty Officer Laura Padilla, and Chief Petty Officer Flournoy. I wouldn’t have kept going without them.”
Photo by Ensign Tiffany Savoie,
Navy Office of Community Outreach
