Mr. Laurence G. O’Neil, SHRM President and CEO, Mr. William Maroni, Chief External Affairs officer, and Mr. Michael Layman, Manager of Labor and Employment took flight from Andrews Air Force Base on an ESGR Bosslift  hosted by the Air Force Reserve on a KC-135 Air Refueling Tanker.

The ESGR Bosslift program is designed to educate employers who hire National Guardsmen and Reservists by letting them see, up close, what their employees do while on military duty away from their civilian jobs.

The Washington DC ESGR Committee arranged for government and civilian employers to take a ride on the primary refueling plane of our nation’s Air Force. This flight carried employers on a four-hour round trip to refuel aircraft over the Northeastern United States. The planes were at 22,000 feet and just 30 feet apart as the refueling took place. Employers watched this intricate operation while next to the boom operator in the tail of the tanker, a modified Boeing 707.
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense agency that seeks to promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law and resolving conflicts through mediation.

As the 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens, ESGR will continue to be the informational agency for the employers of America’s Citizen Warriors. For more information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities, please call 800-336-4590 or visit the ESGR website at www.esgr.mil.