Employers take flight as part of Employer Appreciation Day

  • Published
  • By Stacy Vaughn
  • 445th Airlift Wing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Seventy two employers of the 445th Airlift Wing reservists had the opportunity to fly aboard a C-5 Galaxy and a KC-10 Extender on Employer Appreciation Day, May 2. The employers came from Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky, parts of Ohio and other areas to see exactly where their Air Force reservist employees work and what they do on unit training assembly weekends. 

"Employer's Day was fantastic. It was a great way to let employers get a sense of what their reservists do and it gave them the big picture," Senior Master Sgt. Lisa Rodriguez, 445th Maintenance Squadron, said. "The employers I brought were so excited about coming out here. Now they're going to take what they saw and bring it back to their workplace," she said. 

Employers started the morning with a buffet breakfast catered by the Wright-Patterson Club. During the breakfast, Col. Stephen Goeman, 445th AW commander, gave a short history on the wing and thanked the employers for their support. Following Col. Goeman, an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve briefing was given by Woody Stroud, Ohio ESGR. 

The 30 reservists who were available to attend met up with their employers in hangar 4016. The hangar offered the employers the opportunity to touch and see some of the wing's assets. The 445th Security Forces Squadron displayed a variety of weapons and a humvee; the 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron set up a patient pallet and demonstrated how patients are transported back to a base on an aircraft; reservists from aircrew flight equipment popped open a raft and demonstrated some of the different survival equipment they are responsible for; Master Sgt. Avery Turner, wing staff, gave the employers the opportunity to see the break-down of a mobility bag and had a mannequin outfitted with mobility gear; and the 445th Maintenance Group had a static display of a C-5 engine and a bucket truck. 

After the hangar tour, the employers and their reservists headed to the flight line to board the aircraft they were assigned to; either the C-5 or the KC-10. Both planes took off from the base for an air refueling mission over Kentucky and back. Employers were rotated through the flight deck on both aircraft. Those on the KC-10 were also rotated through to view the air refueling. At one point, the C-5 took on 1,000 pounds of fuel.
Kevun Kohl, GE Money Bank, shot video footage on his flight aboard the KC-10. "This was a great experience and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I got a lot of video footage that I can go back and re-live today again," he said. 

After the flights, employers were given a certificate of appreciation and a goodie bag to take with them. The employers then had the opportunity to go back to the work place of their reservist. 

"Employer's Day is a great idea. I really enjoyed everything we did today," Marty Jones, Warren Correctional Institution, said. 

"I was really impressed with what I saw today," Roger Bellar, Chillicothe VA Medical Center, said.