PHILADELPHIA – In one of Navy Talent Acquisition Group Philadelphia’s stations, Navy Recruiting Station Westminster, Maryland, Navy Counselor 1st Class Matthew Gittrich sits down with an applicant and meticulously describes the ins and outs of naval life: from boot camp to further education, jobs, and even family and finances. Out of his 11 years of naval service, he has already dedicated five years to recruiting and has made it his priority to ensure his future sailors start their careers in the Navy with an educated plan.

The majority of the young men and women he speaks to in schools do not know much about the Navy, nor have a military family background, just as he knew very little before joining. But Gittrich made it his goal to thoroughly guide future sailors, as the first familiarization with the Navy starts with a recruiter.

Like many young men, the Orange Park native yearned for adventures outside of York, Pennsylvania, paired with a desire for personal and financial independence. While others may have chosen college, that solution wouldn’t free them from financial dependency. Instead, he chose to explore the military. After learning about what each branch had to offer, the Navy won him over, and as an electronics technician (navigation), he began his journey aboard the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS West Virginia.

“The Navy offers many technical jobs that translate well into the civilian world, and that is something I always teach my applicants,” shared Gittrich. “For example, with my background in electronics and working aboard submarines, I already have a substantial resume, on top of college credits from Navy’s training. The sky is really the limit when you apply yourself, pick more skills along the way while serving, have a stable job, expand work experience and receive an education.”

Gittrich took to heart his mentors’ words to always find a new skill to learn, develop and grow oneself - something he also passes on to his future sailors to ensure their future success in the Navy and after the service: “the more skills you have, the more hirable you are, make a better candidate when looking for jobs, whether you do four years or 20 in the Navy. It provides you with flexibility of what type of job you want to do, opens up many avenues to apply yourself and learn a multitude of skills that can be used both in the military and civilian world.”

Volunteering in his local community and schools also allowed Gittrich to break up myths and misconceptions about the Navy that many people may have, as well as educate parents and families of future sailors on what to expect.

“I think the biggest thing in recruiting is making them [applicants] understand that we are real people, and our life is not just the Navy. We have lives separate from the military, and we do all the same things that they do on a daily basis,” explained Gittrich. “The hobbies you enjoy, sports you play - they will not disappear because you've joined the Navy. In fact, the diversity, experience and culture in the Navy may hone the skills you already possess, while also covering the expenses. In a nutshell, the Navy is just simplifying and making your life easier, it has done so for me and my family, and I hope to share it with others.”

As a sailor and a recruiter, he made it his mission to educate and guide young men and women from step one. The culmination of all the hard work he puts in at the beginning, teaching future sailors the basics about the Navy, and later seeing them graduate boot camp, especially at the top of their class, is the most rewarding aspect of his job. For Gittrich, it is as important to prepare future sailors for their first steps, as it is to be a continuous mentor, regardless of where the Navy takes them. He considers his job as a recruiter not only to get applicants to boot camp, but to set them up on a successful path, and it starts by building connections, networking, and, in many ways, paying it forward just as his Navy mentors helped him along the way.

“I always like to follow these kids’ careers and help them by being that mentor they can reach out to whenever,” Gittrich said. “I don't care if you've been in the Navy two months or four years, however long, if you have a question, or you need help with something, I'm willing to help. Just like my mentors still help me, I want to pay it forward by sharing my knowledge with others. I’ve built good relationships with my sailors over the years, who reach out to me even after three or four years and ask questions, or ask for advice. We all want to be successful our entire Navy career, and I want to help guide these sailors because if they're successful from the very start, they are more likely to stay in the Navy and keep their careers going.”

NTAG Philadelphia encompasses regions of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia, providing recruiting services from more than 30 talent acquisition sites.

With more than 330,000 active duty sailors, 290 deployable ships, more than 3,700 aircraft and dozens of bases in the U.S. and across the globe, America's Navy is the largest, most powerful naval force in the world. The opportunities available in today's Navy are as boundless as the sea itself. To learn more about the opportunities in the Navy visit www.navy.com.