HARTFORD, Conn. –
The Connecticut National Guard recently hosted several community leaders and state agencies to highlight its role as "Connecticut’s Home Team" and its commitment to supporting both the state and the nation.
Some of those participants include members of the clergy, the Connecticut Employer Support to the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), the Connecticut Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and more. These events include tours of National Guard facilities, including the 1109th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group and the Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot in Groton, Conn.; Camp Hartell; the New England Disaster Training Center; the 103rd Airlift Wing; and more. Visitors also toured a C-130 cargo plane and flew in a Connecticut Army National Guard aircraft.
"Our Guardsmen and women are some of the best Connecticut has to offer," said Maj. Gen. Francis Evon, Connecticut’s adjutant general and commander of the Connecticut National Guard, which oversees the state’s Army and Air National Guard. "Our Soldiers and Airmen come from the communities they serve. They are the police officers, firefighters, postal workers, and accountants you see every day."
Connecticut National Guardsmen typically serve one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer. When they don their uniforms, they serve as highly trained military professionals, ready to respond to a wide range of incidents, from natural disasters and civil unrest to assisting nursing homes and hospitals or participating in school supply donation drives and other community outreach events.
Most Guardsmen in Connecticut have full-time jobs in addition to their National Guard duties. Federal law protects their right to take military leave from their civilian employers without facing repercussions.
The Connecticut Employer Support to the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense office, works to "develop and promote employer support for Guard and Reserve service by advocating relevant initiatives, recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of applicable laws, and resolving conflict between employers and service members," according to its website. The ESGR educates service members and their civilian employers about their rights and responsibilities under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).
The Connecticut ESGR sponsors a program called BossLift, which allows Guardsmen to nominate their employers for support recognition. Selected employers are invited to tour their employees' military workplaces and take a flight on a Connecticut National Guard helicopter.
"It’s great to support Connecticut service members and the state by showcasing the capabilities of the Connecticut National Guard to their employers," said Brig. Gen. (CT Ret.) Jerry Lukowski, chairman of the Connecticut ESGR. "Our Guardsmen can demonstrate to their employers the dedicated work they provide to the state and the country while away from their full-time jobs."
“The Connecticut Army National Guard facilitates Civic Leader Tours intended for newly appointed personnel assuming significant leadership positions and operational roles,” said Major Lee Lukas. “These tours are designed to provide collaborating agencies with a firsthand understanding of the organization's statewide assets, facilities, and locations through both aerial and ground perspectives. This comprehensive approach equips participants with a nuanced comprehension of the operations of the Connecticut Military Department and its critical contributions to fulfilling State and Federal Mission Sets”.
Most recently, the Connecticut National Guard hosted the Connecticut Department of Education. During the tour, Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker got a first-hand look at the Guard’s mobile STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) laboratory trailer. The mobile trailer, brought to schools across Connecticut, is equipped with cutting-edge technology, interactive exhibits, and hands-on experiments, including a 3D printer, rocket kits to teach aerodynamics, a remote-controlled flying drone, and other high-tech teaching aids designed to spark curiosity and innovation in students.
"Events such as Civilian Leader Orientation Flights, Community Leader Travel Tours, and ESGR BossLifts are key to raising awareness about Connecticut’s 'Home Team,'" said Col. Ben Neumon, chief of the joint staff for the Connecticut National Guard. "Every time we share our story and discuss our capabilities with employers and state partners, we enhance the Connecticut National Guard’s mission effectiveness and highlight the unique challenges of serving where we live. Showcasing our world-class facilities and highlighting the opportunities of service in the Connecticut National Guard allows educators to carry our message to their students, who are our key recruiting population."