Photo By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Atkinson | In this image released by the Joint Task Force 136 (Maneuver Enhancement Brigade),...... read more read more
CAMP BOWIE, Texas - Service in the Texas Army National Guard may only be “one weekend a month, two weeks a year,” but even those short periods of time can have a big impact on the civilian businesses that employ Guardsmen full-time. Beyond civilian talents, many Guardsmen bring unique skills and perspectives to their workplaces, ranging from a developed attention to detail to a motivation to work until the job is done and a team-driven work ethic.
“This is a two-fold issue,” said Joint Task Force 136 (Maneuver Enhancement Brigade) Commander Col. Lee Schnell. “We need to accomplish our mission and, to do that, we need your employees, and we appreciate the support you give them.”
Schnell welcomed more than 20 employers from all over Texas to Camp Bowie in Brownwood, Texas, for the bosses day event Nov. 19 during the brigade's annual training period. “These are a really great group of Soldiers with a real-world mission they take seriously.”
The Texas Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense office, bridges the gap between Guardsmen's military and civilian lives through its Boss Lifts Program, wherein employers visit with their Soldiers in the field to get a look at what their employees do for the military. Established in 1972, ESGR promotes cooperation and understanding between reserve component Soldiers and their employers. In an era of unprecedented National Guard deployments, this cooperation is necessary to ensure a smooth transition from civilian work to military duty back to civilian workplace.
“My experience was very informative,” said John Nelson of Nelson Improvement, visiting his son, Sgt. John Nelson II of HHC, JTF-136 (MEB). “I was impressed beyond words seeing what my son and all the other Soldiers do.”
Boss lifts also allow the individual Soldiers to show their employers what they do after transitioning from civilian clothes to their Army Combat Uniforms.
“I wanted to give my boss a chance to see why he approves my leave and what I do in the military,” said Spc. Hector Orozco, an information technology specialist in the communications section of Headquarters and Headquarters Company.
Orozco's boss, Mike Molz with CFAN, a composite fan blade manufacturer based in San Marcos, flew in on a Black Hawk helicopter with 15 other Austin-area employers. Molz got to observe Orozco hard at work for the brigade while visiting the tactical operations center. Other employers visited the firing ranges to see their employees qualifying with their assigned weapons.
For Ororzco, CFAN's support really started in 2008, when he joined the Texas National Guard.
“I went to Basic Training,” he said, “and then once I got back, I was at work the next Monday.”
Because of the JTF's unique mission set, Soldiers from the brigade are called away more often than most traditional Guardsmen for training. The brigade is custodian of the Homeland Response Force mission for FEMA Region VI, a consequence management endeavor that provides National Guard capabilities to civilian authorities during chemical, biological, radiological, or explosive emergencies.
“We train harder than a lot of other units,” said Capt. Johnny R. Guerrero, the brigade boss lift coordinator. “I wanted to make sure the employers got a hands-on experience and understand why the Soldiers are gone so much.”
Beyond just a fun experience, Guerrero hopes this tour lets the employers see their troops in a new light.
“The boss lift gives employers the chance to really appreciate what their Soldiers do in the field,” he said. “It also allows them to see the leadership and potential these Soldiers have and bring back to the civilian world.”
Orozco attributes his leadership, among other skills, to his military training.
“The military kind of throws you in the mix with lots of other people, and you have to develop communication skills that you can take back to work with you,” he said.
“Teamwork and leadership is something to be admired,” said Nelson, “and as an employer, sought after. I was honored and grateful to have this experience.”
For Schnell, civilian and military life dovetail to make better Soldiers and employees.
“You give them to us for our training,” he said, “and I promise you, we're going to give you back a better employee.”
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.20.2014 18:37 |
| Story ID: | 148415 |
| Location: | BROWNWOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 102 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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