Bosslift gives civilian employers an inside view of Kentucky Air Guard missions

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Angelee Barnett
  • 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. --  More than 50 civilian employers had the opportunity on Thursday to learn more about the Airmen, missions and capabilities of the Kentucky Air National Guard by participating in an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve “Bosslift.”

The employers toured the Kentucky Air Guard Base here, attended mission briefs about the 123rd Airlift Wing and flew on a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where they visited the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Bosslifts are designed to enhance the military understanding of civilian employers, many of whose employees serve as drilling reservists in the Air National Guard, said retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mike Ricjie, state chairperson of the Kentucky Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

Crystal Balentine, chief human resources officer for First National Bank in Mayfield, Kentucky, was among the employers who signed up for the Bosslift.

For Balentine, the program offered a new perspective. She admitted knowing “next to nothing” about the National Guard, despite having a rich history of proud military service.

“I have had one employee, in 19 years, that has been a National Guard member,” Balentine added.

According to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Haldane Lamberton, adjutant general of the Kentucky National Guard, that limited exposure is rather common. Only around 1 percent of civilians enlist in the armed services as a whole, with the Guard being “just a slice” of that percentage, he said.

“We've got roughly about 340 million people in our country today,” Lamberton said. “You could walk down to the street cross paths with about 340 folks before you would cross paths with anybody in uniform.”

With little day-to-day exposure to the military, many employers don’t understand the unique challenges that their Guardsmen employees face in balancing civilian and military careers, Richie said. They also may not be aware of the extensive benefits those employees bring to the civilian workforce.

The Bosslift program is designed to address that knowledge-gap.

“We come to you, employers and community leaders, and we make you aware of the benefits that come with hiring Guardsmen,” Richie said during his briefing to the group.

He emphasized the value that Airmen and Soldiers bring to the workforce, noting that the teamwork and leadership training they receive is some of the best in the world.

“The people who work for you are a critical part of our nation's defense,” Richie said. “They are taught to do what they do when lives are at stake.”

Balentine agreed that Guardsmen typically possess characteristics that are less common in many civilians, praising their work ethic and job-site capabilities as instilled characteristics gleaned from their time in service.

“There’s just something different about service members,” Balentine said. “Their commitment, dedication, team skills and, of course, their all-around respect is like no other.”

Richie concluded by thanking the participants, stating that employers “make it happen” by supporting Guard members’ service obligations and recognizing the value they bring to the workplace.

The Kentucky Air Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing is one of the most decorated units in Air Force history, with 21 Outstanding Unit Awards. The wing and its 1,200 Airmen execute a broad spectrum of missions, including tactical and humanitarian airlift, contingency and disaster response, pararescue, combat control, explosive ordnance disposal, critical care air transport, security forces and civil engineering.