McAnuff gets tour of duty with armed forces as part of Joint Civilian Orientation Conference

As vice president for enrollment services, Courtney McAnuff is used to doing the recruiting, not being recruited.

The tables were turned on him recently when he was chosen to be a part of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, a program sponsored by the United States Department of Defense that selects about 40 people to get a behind-the-scenes look at the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy and Coast Guard.

"I thought they had made a mistake," said McAnuff, of being selected. While he still isn't sure who nominated him or how he was chosen, he said he wouldn't have missed the opportunity for anything.

IN THE HATCH: (from left) Courtney McAnuff, EMU's vice president for enrollment services, enjoys a moment in an Abrams Tank with Georgia Durante, who owns a Hollywood stunt company, and Armond Mills, publisher of the San Diego Business Journal.

"It was a great experience. Very fascinating," he said, of the weeklong, overseas adventure from Oct. 17-22.

During the trip, McAnuff traveled to Washington, D.C.; Stuttgart, Germany; England; Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany and a undisclosed location in Bavaria.

McAnuff and his group began their tour of duty in Washington, D.C., where they met and had a "frank conversation" with the deputy secretary of defense, McAnuff said.

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