New York Air National Guard gives civilian employers a lift

SCOTIA, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) — The 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard played host to dozens of local employers recently, to give them a little taste of what their guardsmen and women are up to during that one weekend per month, and two weeks out of the year that they’re not at work.

“The point is to try to get pillars of the community, different employers, to come and get a chance to experience some of what the guard and reservists actually do and understand the value that their role plays,” says Nick Johnston, spokesperson for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve .

The airlift wing’s executive officer, Major Jesse Endres says, “Whether it’s support crew or maintenance or actual fliers, the employer now gets to see what their job is, and the final product, which is getting airplanes off the ground.”

Everyone who took part in the morning’s events talked about what makes our service men and women ideal employees. Dom Dominguez, a veteran of Afghanistan, who now heads up the Center for Development and Civic Engagement at the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, likens our veterans to pre-packaged, fully baked employees who are ready to lead on day one.

“I always like to call the military, ‘little leaders in a box.’ They make great civilian employees when they get out of the military, so this is a great connection,” Dominguez said.

Major Endres adds, “We’re goal oriented. Very driven. I think that employers see that. They know that they’ve got people they can count on day in and day out.”

The men and women of the 109th are now preparing for their annual mission to Antarctica in October in support of the National Science Foundation. A mission that no one else in the world is equipped for.

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