Los Angeles-based recruiters go wireless

LOS ANGELES (NNS) -- Navy Recruiting District Los Angeles completed the initial roll out of the Mobile Recruiting Initiative (MRI) for its stateside stations Dec. 19.

The MRI consists of a common access card (CAC) enabled laptop with Wi-Fi, a portable scanner and a compact printer.

The new system replaces the NMCI-based laptops, which forced recruiters to link to the internet and their e-mail through NMCI-enabled lines, keeping them tethered to their desks for connectivity.

With more than 160 recruiters assigned, the district's system administration (SYSAD) department was very busy with the rollout, and pleased with the results.

"The transition was smooth," said SYSAD department dead Nicole Thompson. "We put the system through its paces, worked through any potential issues our recruiters may face and came up with solutions to those problems. The initial logon process for each unit took about two hours, but after that initial logon at the district they [the recruiters] can work anywhere."

Before the MRI, recruiters would typically meet a prospective applicant to discuss Navy opportunities only to set up multiple appointments to gather and process the paperwork necessary to go to MEPS. Now, a recruiter can meet at an applicant's home to scan birth certificates, diplomas and print the forms needed to join the Navy.

"The MRI process streamlines the entire recruiting process," said Foothill division leading chief petty officer Chief Navy Counselor Josh Tripp. "Recruiters have all the tools for processing right there, eliminating the need for multiple visits to the applicant's home or the recruiting station for processing. This is a time saver for our applicants. Now, the recruiters have more time to develop relationships and raise awareness in the areas they work in."

The new system utilizes cloud-based computing on secured servers, which eliminates personally identifiable information (PII) to be stored on the laptop. The CAC reader on the laptops, along with the industry standard encryption protocols allows the recruiters to work remotely, knowing their information is secured.

"The move to MRI-based processing constitutes a paradigm shift for Navy Recruiting, said Electronics Technician 2nd Class James Bame, SYSAD technician, "We've embraced the change and we're moving forward, smartly. When we say 'The Navy's Hiring' we really are - wherever, whenever."

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For more news from Navy Recruiting District Los Angeles, visit www.navy.mil/local/nrd-la/.