An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Nov. 2, 2010

Air Guard builds partnerships with employers

By Maj. Gabe Johnson, Arizona National Guard

TUCSON, Ariz., - Nearly 100 business leaders from the Western United States and Guam converged on Arizona's 162nd Fighter Wing here at Tucson International Airport Oct. 27-28 to learn about the Air National Guard's mission and people.

Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director of the Air National Guard, hosted a Business and Industry Days event at the Air Guard's international F-16 training unit to give the employers a clear picture of how Guardsmen simultaneously serve the nation and the civilian work force.

The regional event was started in 1972 by the first Air National Guard director, Maj. Gen. I.G. Brown, as a way to reconnect Air Guardsmen with civilian employers during the Vietnam War. Today, with fewer Americans serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, Air Guard officials view Business and Industry Days as an important vehicle to create awareness and support for America's Citizen Airmen.

"We've tried to keep alive this tradition because we recognize the important role that employers - business and industry - play in mission accomplishment and supporting our Guardsmen and families," said Wyatt.

"We hope to show them a day in the life of their Airmen. By running them through the different venues we have planned for them here they'll have a deeper appreciation for their Airmen and likewise will understand that our Airmen appreciate what our employers do for them," he said.

"We hope these individuals will have a good experience and will go back to their state and spread the word about the value of hiring Guardsmen and the quality of work and individuals they have in their employ."

Adjutants general from 10 western states and Guam personally invited the most influential business leaders from their areas to participate. They arrived here with representatives from their state's Air Guard to experience several aspects of military life.

On the first day, the group shared a combat dining out where they were served unitized group rations from a Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen, or SPEK. The Air National Guard Band of the Southwest from California played during the dinner, after which, General Wyatt spoke about the overall history and mission of the Air Guard.

Day two began with briefings from 162nd Fighter Wing leadership, Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve, and Air National Guard Command Chief Master Sgt. Chris Muncy. The group then toured the base to see the mission first hand.

They flew F-16 simulators, visited with maintenance personnel, witnessed the power of an F-16 afterburner during an engine test and watched base firefighters perform an aircraft fire extraction demonstration where Airmen rehearsed a pilot rescue exercise.

"I'm really impressed. This has given us the kind of exposure to the military that otherwise we would never get," said Shawnie McLaurin, a Human Resources Manager for NV Energy in Las Vegas, Nev. "It definitely gave me a sense of what our servicemembers go through and their degree of commitment and dedication to our country."

"I must say that everything here is so well organized and first class all the way. We are learning so much that we can take back to our workforce as we look at ways to serve as you serve."

Muncy said programs that help educate employers and the general public are extremely vital for today's Guard and Reserve.

"Most people don't know who we are and that's on us. We have to go out and tell our story," he said. "It's good for our Guardsmen and it creates one more group of advocates."

Muncy also said the 162nd Fighter Wing was the right platform for Business and Industry Days due to its history, reputation and fighter training mission.

"You have so much to see here and people love to see single-seat fast movers," he said. "Besides, you can't beat Arizona weather in late October."

"I want to thank the 162nd for hosting this because it's an extremely important event," said Wyatt. "We wanted to highlight the 162nd because we thought it would be representative of the type of training and job skills required to be an Air National Guardsman."

 

 

Related Articles
A California Air National Guard C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, assigned to the 146th Airlift Wing, equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) performs a water drop during MAFFS training at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Port Hueneme, California, April 24, 2024. Air National Guard aircrew from the California Air National Guard's, 146th Airlift Wing and the U.S. Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing, train together to accomplish their aerial firefighting certification alongside the U.S. Forest Service and other wildfire prevention agencies. The recertification training includes classroom sessions, flying and ground operations for Air Force aircrews, civilian lead plane pilots, and support personnel from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other federal and state agencies. (U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Tech. Sgt. Michelle Ulber)
National Guard Ready for Potential Record-Breaking Wildfire, Hurricane Season
By Air Force Master Sgt. Amber Monio, | May 31, 2024
ARLINGTON, Va. — With 2024 projected as one of the hottest years on record, climate scientists have noted a heightened risk of hurricanes and wildfires, but National Guard officials said the Guard is more prepared than ever...

U.S. Army Soldiers from the 43rd Multi-Role Bridge Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade conduct a Wet Gap Crossing on May 11, 2024, at the Drawsko Combat Training Center, Poland, in support of Immediate Response 24.
29th Infantry Division HQ Heads Exercise Immediate Response
By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, | May 31, 2024
USTKA, Poland – Spc. Shiquies Branch, an administrative specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia Army National Guard, has a birthday coming up. But she’s spending it in the...

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terry Rutherford, a gun chief with B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery Regiment, Illinois Army National Guard, watches as his gun crew prepares their M777 howitzer to execute a fire mission during exercise Immediate Response in Ustka, Poland, May 11, 2024. The exercise is Rutherford’s last – he retires later this year.
Retiring Illinois Guard Artillery Gun Chief Fires Final Rounds
By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, | May 31, 2024
USTKA, Poland – When U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terry Rutherford enlisted in 1982, the idea of taking part in a training exercise in Poland was a seemingly ludicrous one – something that would never happen. After all, the Cold War...