Joint Base Pearl Harbor - On a bright sunny morning, as the State of Hawaii celebrated the Kamehameha Day holiday, 28 employers gathered to attend an ESGR Hawaii Bosslift, experiencing firsthand the excellent training and professionalism of the Hawaii Air National Guard (HIANG).

BGen Ann Greenlee, on behalf of the HIANG and ESGR Hawaii, welcomed the invited employers and thanked them for their support of Guardsmen and Reservists in Hawaii. A flight safety briefing was then given to the employers in preparation for their air refueling flight with the 203ARS. Employers on this Bosslift witnessed one of the last air refueling operations of the HIANG’s F-15s of the 199FS. In July 2010, the unit will be replacing the F-15 Eagle, so meticulously and proudly maintained and flown for the past 24 years, with the new F-22 Raptor.

After the flight, a lunch was hosted at the 15AW Dining Facility, allowing the employers to experience the wonderful service and meals provided to our service members. BGen Joseph Kim, 154WG/CC, and Col Brad Sakai, 154WG/CV, stopped by during the lunch to personally thank each employer for their support.

Following lunch, the employer group was taken to the C-17 Operations building, home to the 204AS and Boeing C-17 Aircrew Training Systems Flight Simulator. There the group was treated to some hands-on time in the C-17 flight simulator, and also received a capabilities briefing and walk through of the C-17 cargo aircraft. The employers experienced a sampling of the intense and recurring training the aircrew members constantly practice. Mr David Greenlee, ESGR volunteer and instructor pilot at the simulator, greeted and hosted the flight simulator tour.
The final stop on the day’s tour was a short bus ride to the 201CCG to attend a briefing of the unit’s Eagle Vision operation, hosted by our ESGR volunteer LtCol Martin Moerschell.  Eagle Vision provides detailed satellite imagery for a multitude of tasks for operational and humanitarian support. 

The ESGR Bosslift event concluded back at the auditorium of the 203ARS with the presentation of Patriot Awards by ESGR volunteer and US Army Reserve Ambassador Ms. P. Pasha Baker, and the formal signing of Statements of Support by the employers.  The employers in attendance were extremely amazed and pleased with the day’s events, resulting in three employers asking to become volunteers for ESGR Hawaii. 

The ESGR Hawaii Bosslift event ended much as it began, with a warm sunny afternoon.