With the Air Force Thunderbirds roaring over the Blue Ridge Mountains, the West Virginia Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve was busy working the crowd at its display booth, hosting a Business After Hours event, and recognizing service members and employers.

The Air National Guard Air Base at Martinsburg teemed with 80,000 spectators during the two-day air show event on September 4/5, 2010.  Though the West Virginia Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) would like to boast that the turn-out was because of the WVESGR committee’s efforts, it is more likely that the United States Air Force Thunderbirds Demonstration Team and the United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Demonstration Team and other performers were the main attractions.  Nevertheless, the air show provided a great opportunity for ESGR to promote support for National Guard and Reserve units in West Virginia.

ESGR presented a Seven Seals Award to ESGR Area Director Major Melissa Shade for her outstanding work in ESGR .  Major Shade is the Executive Officer of the 167th Air Wing in Martinsburg and is a key player in the Thunder Over the Blue Ridge air show organization. 

A Seven Seals award was also presented to the City of Martinsburg who has been a long –term strong supporter of not only the 167th Air Wing in Martinsburg, but for all Guard and Reserve employees of the city.  ESGR’s mission is to ensure that every employer respects and values the services of the Guardsman-Reservist employees, who, in aggregate comprise forty-eight per cent of the national defense. 

The ESGR team who worked the show aren’t sure how many of the 80,000 plus visitors to the “Thunder Over the Blue Ridge” air show visited their booth during the air show, but the eight volunteers and support staff were very busy folks  over the two day period.  WV ESGR also hosted a Business After Hours for Employers on Saturday evening and provided an educational briefing and solicited Statements of Support from those attending.