CAMP SHELBY JOINT FORCES TRAINING CENTER, Mississippi – Guardsmen bring remarkable 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. Mississippi Guardsmen traditionally only train one weekend a month and two weeks a year, but even that short absence can hinder the civilian businesses that employ Guardsmen.
Col. Bobby M. Ginn, Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center post commander, welcomed approximately 30 employers from across Mississippi and Louisiana to Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for a “boss lift” event June 8, 2018.
The boss lift gives employers a chance to visit with their Soldiers in the field to get a first-hand look at what their employees do for the military.
“This is a great way for the Mississippi National Guard to show the employers appreciation for their support; and shows them what their Soldiers do when they have to be off of work to attend training,” said Ginn.
The boss lift is sponsored by the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) program, facilitating 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 and back to civilian workplace.
The Citizen Soldiers of Mississippi could not defend and protect the homefront and serve abroad without the continued promise of meaningful civilian employment for themselves and their families.
“It’s an honor to be able to see the men and women of the Mississippi National Guard train in their environment,” said Ken Yeager, a supervisor at Peterbilt Truck Center.
Civil servants from around the Newton, Miss. area, attended the boss lift with employers because the city is home to the 1st Battalion, 204th Air Defense Artillery Regiment headquarters. As the only air defense unit in the Mississippi National Guard, they play a crucial role in the state’s overall mission.
“Roughly 80 percent of our Guardsmen are traditional Guardsmen - they attend drill one weekend a month and annual training,” said Lt. Col. Johnny Brewer, the battalion commander of 1-204th ADA. “Without the help of the employers we couldn’t do what we do. They allow our Soldiers the time off work to attend training.”