thedrifter
04-23-09, 06:30 AM
Marines officially open new recruiting office
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April 22, 2009 - 4:09 PM
Yumans who are considering serving their country in the Marines Corps will be able to make their decision in a new place.
After having been at their old location for many decades, the U.S. Marines officially opened their new recruiting office in Yuma on Wednesday morning.
Joined by Deputy Mayor Ross Hieb, a former colonel in the Marine Corps, and Councilman Raul Mendoza, the recruiting station commanding officer, Maj. Thomas Hodge, cut a ribbon strewn across the office's front door using a saber.
"The Marines have been recruiting some of its finest from Yuma for many years," Hodge said during the ceremony.
Also present at the ceremony was Dozer, an English bulldog, the same breed the Marines use in their bulldog logo.
Dozer is owned by Staff Sgt. Eugenio Mejia and is also the unofficial mascot of the office.
The Marines relocated to the site, 1630 Pacific Ave., Suite 12, along with the other military branches to form what is now the new Armed Forces Career Center.
"The recruiters have told me they are pretty happy with the place," Mendoza said afterwards. "It's in a great location and has a fresh new look. It's very nice."
Members of the community were invited to attend the ribbon cutting and join the Marines for a coffee social afterwards.
Staff Sgt. Paul Barron said the new recruiting office is in a commercial part of town, located in a strip mall across 16th street from Yuma Palms Shopping Center.
"I can see us being here for a few decades," Barron said. "It's a much better location and much more central."
Mendoza added the new location, combined with Yuma being such a military town, could work well together to draw in more potential recruits.
The new recruiting office, is unmistakably Marine.
On the walls, which are painted blue, red and gold, are all sorts of Marine-related items and displays, which are intended to introduce recruits to the history of the Corps and the meaning of being a Marine.
Barron said that the new office is part of a branding campaign in which every recruiting office on the West Coast will have the same look and feel.
"It has been planned for many years, now it's happening," Barron said. "It doesn't matter where you go, once you walk into that office you know it belongs to the Marines."
Sgt. Ashley Unfried-Snipes added the new look gives the new recruiting office more of a professional appearance.
The new center is also a plus for the recruiters, who are enjoying more space then they had at their old office at Catalina and 4th Avenue. It has two offices, a storage room and a large front lobby.
Barron said the new office actually opened about a month and a half ago, while he was out of town for a week. He said when got back, it was to a mostly empty office.
"Most of our stuff had already been moved to the new place," Barron said "All my personal items were still there, but the government property I'm responsible for had already been moved."
--
James Gilbertcan be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.
Ellie
Comments 1 | Recommend 0
April 22, 2009 - 4:09 PM
Yumans who are considering serving their country in the Marines Corps will be able to make their decision in a new place.
After having been at their old location for many decades, the U.S. Marines officially opened their new recruiting office in Yuma on Wednesday morning.
Joined by Deputy Mayor Ross Hieb, a former colonel in the Marine Corps, and Councilman Raul Mendoza, the recruiting station commanding officer, Maj. Thomas Hodge, cut a ribbon strewn across the office's front door using a saber.
"The Marines have been recruiting some of its finest from Yuma for many years," Hodge said during the ceremony.
Also present at the ceremony was Dozer, an English bulldog, the same breed the Marines use in their bulldog logo.
Dozer is owned by Staff Sgt. Eugenio Mejia and is also the unofficial mascot of the office.
The Marines relocated to the site, 1630 Pacific Ave., Suite 12, along with the other military branches to form what is now the new Armed Forces Career Center.
"The recruiters have told me they are pretty happy with the place," Mendoza said afterwards. "It's in a great location and has a fresh new look. It's very nice."
Members of the community were invited to attend the ribbon cutting and join the Marines for a coffee social afterwards.
Staff Sgt. Paul Barron said the new recruiting office is in a commercial part of town, located in a strip mall across 16th street from Yuma Palms Shopping Center.
"I can see us being here for a few decades," Barron said. "It's a much better location and much more central."
Mendoza added the new location, combined with Yuma being such a military town, could work well together to draw in more potential recruits.
The new recruiting office, is unmistakably Marine.
On the walls, which are painted blue, red and gold, are all sorts of Marine-related items and displays, which are intended to introduce recruits to the history of the Corps and the meaning of being a Marine.
Barron said that the new office is part of a branding campaign in which every recruiting office on the West Coast will have the same look and feel.
"It has been planned for many years, now it's happening," Barron said. "It doesn't matter where you go, once you walk into that office you know it belongs to the Marines."
Sgt. Ashley Unfried-Snipes added the new look gives the new recruiting office more of a professional appearance.
The new center is also a plus for the recruiters, who are enjoying more space then they had at their old office at Catalina and 4th Avenue. It has two offices, a storage room and a large front lobby.
Barron said the new office actually opened about a month and a half ago, while he was out of town for a week. He said when got back, it was to a mostly empty office.
"Most of our stuff had already been moved to the new place," Barron said "All my personal items were still there, but the government property I'm responsible for had already been moved."
--
James Gilbertcan be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.
Ellie