The sun is setting over the gorge.  The crowd is on their feet, hands in the air, cheering wildly, as country music icon Tim McGraw bursts into song.

Reservists from the 446th Airlift Wing were rewarded through the Get 1 Now program with free tickets to the Tim McGraw concert held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on June 18.  They were also given passes to a VIP private show with Mr. McGraw before the main show.

The Get 1 Now program is a way to keep the Air Force Reserve strong.  Current members can refer someone to the Reserve, and when their referral turns into an enlistment, they become eligible for awards. 

"The Get 1 Program is awesome!," said Tech. Sgt. Gregory Abel, a member of the 86th Aerial Port Squadron. "If you get someone to sign up, you get cool things such as free tickets to a Tim McGraw concert at the Gorge!  Nothing can compare to standing three feet from him."

"I referred my step-brother to the Air Force Reserve so he can better himself before he goes to college, " said Senior Airman Kyle Knox, a member of the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron with the 446th Airlift Wing. "This is an excellent experience for me.  Because of my referral I got to come close to Tim McGraw and enjoy a concert."

From last fiscal year October 2009 through June 2010, the wing received 47 new leads through the program.  From October 2010 to present day, there were 143 referrals; an increase of approximately 300%.  

"The reason the program works so well is only a Reservist knows what it's like to be in the Reserve," said Chief Master Sgt. Scott Terpening, chief of recruiting for the 446th Airlift Wing. " They are able to promote the Reserve from their own perspective."

For this event alone, the Air Force Reserve at McChord Field received 43 new leads from 25 Reservists who then had the opportunity to attend the concert on behalf of Air Force Reserve Recruiting and the Tug McGraw Foundation.

According to www.tugmcgraw.org, The Tug McGraw Foundation was established by former Mets/Phillies pitcher, Tug McGraw, in 2003.  Tug McGraw served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam era. Tim McGraw, Tug's son and a Grammy Award-winning musician, is the McGraw Foundation's Honorary Chairman and a strong supporter of the military and of the military's efforts in brain injury research and patient care. 

Through the Tug McGraw Foundation, Tim McGraw expresses his gratitude to military members for their service to the nation.

For more information about the Get 1 Now program, please visit http://www.get1now.us