Passion, desire to learn drive recruit division commander at RTC

DC1 Richard Regulski may have started his Navy career with a dream of being a SEAL, but this recruit division commander of the quarter was not deterred when those dreams were not to be.
    Regulski, now in his second year at Recruit Training Command (RTC), started out in the PACT-Seaman program, always saw the Navy as a series of open doors.
    "I saw where I could excel," Regulski said. "It was a change of my lifestyle for the positive. Hearing about the Navy SEALs drew me to this branch, and even when that didn't work out for me, the Navy has always provided for me."
    Regulski enlisted just over nine years ago, and found excitement and opportunity as an undesignated fireman and then in damage control.
    "Damage control was something that was motivating, exciting," he said. "Something about it felt comfortable and at home for me after being undesignated. The excitement of the job keeps me wanting to come back for more."
    After serving aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard in this capacity, Regulski sought a tour at RTC. He reported aboard in January of 2011, and graduated from RDC "C" school in April of that year. Before taking on his current job with Fleet Quality Assurance (FQA), he trained five divisions of recruits, plus an additional division while "shadowing" in his final phase of RDC "C" school. 
    Motivation at RTC is easy to find, according to Regulski.
    "Being able to sculpt and mold a person that you have confidence in," he said. "The mold of the right person you are sending to the fleet. Developing what we think will benefit the Navy – an honest, hardworking sailor who is ready to learn."
    Keeping motivated is key in a job that often demands long hours away from family, saps social lives, and can be mentally and physically exhausting.  Regulski sees no room for excusing anything less than excellence.
    "RDCs feel a need to be passionate about the job," he said. "Even when it is hard, wake up and do the right thing. Here at RTC, the wheel is already turning, you don't need to reinvent it. Just go with it and find your specific chunk of the wheel."
    Now that he is in FQA, however, the demands of his job fall to a more reasonable pace.  Regulski has been taking general education classes online and in the classroom.  He also has gotten involved in the Petty Officer Association and has taken on additional collateral duties.
    "Now is my time, not in push, to say 'How can I impact the ship and people around me to make things better?'" he said. "One of my weaknesses as a second class was trying to do too much, and things would fall by the wayside. I've learned from that."
    Though Regulski readily admits there is not a lot of personal time to be found around RTC, he does try to golf in his spare time.  He and his wife also enjoy travel, unique cultures and foods, which coincidentally are some of the reasons he joined the Navy in the first place.  The other reasons are all found right here at the Navy's only boot camp. 
    "As far as the Navy will let me stay in – progression with advancement," he said of his current career plans. "At least 20, 30 if I can or even longer if the Navy will allow me to."