Photo By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Donaldson | Fifty-eight civilian employers from 28 different companies of New York Air National...... read more read more
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FRANCIS S. GABRESKI AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, WESTHAMPTON BEACH, N.Y. – The New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing welcomed 58 employers from 28 different companies to Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base on Nov. 2, as part of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) “Boss Lift” program.
This event provided them with a firsthand look at the wing’s critical rescue missions. The employers got a mission briefing, workstation tours, and orientation flights in the HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft and the HH-60W Jolly Green II search and rescue helicopter.
Ryan Huguenin and Michael Chiesa, fire chiefs of the West Sayville Fire Department in West Sayville, New York, and Marguerite Jimenez, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations at Deer Park School District in Deer Park, N.Y., were among the first civilians to fly aboard the 106th Rescue Wing’s brand-new HH-60W helicopter.
“It was my first experience in a helicopter, and I am speechless with how beautiful it was,” Jimenez said. “I can't believe we made history as the first civilians on that aircraft.”
This year’s Boss Lift was more than a flight experience; it was an opportunity for employers to gain a deeper understanding of the 106th’s mission and the demands faced by their employees who serve in the Air National Guard.
Following a detailed mission briefing, attendees received an overview of the wing’s search and rescue capabilities, learning how their support enables Airmen to respond to emergencies and deployments worldwide.
“When an employer supports our members, they are supporting the entire military family,” said Lisa D'Agostino, the 106th Airman and Family Readiness Program manager. “This year was even more remarkable because spouses of our service members were able to invite their supportive employers. This provided an opportunity to broaden the spectrum and let civilian employers know how they are an integral part of the military process.”
Lt. Col. Mike Ritigueno, an HC-130J pilot with the 106th Operations Group who piloted the HC-130J orientation flights during the event, noted the importance of employer support.
“This is one of the best opportunities we have to show our employers what we do on a daily basis,” he said. “When they see us in action, they gain a new appreciation for who we are and the impact their support has on our service to the country.”
Three managers of the MIL Corporation, based in North Charleston, South Carolina, were honored with ESGR Patriot Awards during the event.
Shannon Herring, the company’s Assistant Vice President; Brian Fehon, a company director and Jamie Sapp, the firm's senior manager, were nominated by Tech. Sgt. Jacquelyn Fisher, the 106th’s installation spectrum manager.
This award honors individual managers who provide exceptional support for National Guard and Reserve employees. Each of them received the award in recognition of their commitment to supporting Fisher’s service with the 106th Rescue Wing.
Herring thanked ESGR for conducting the 106th Rescue Wing visit.
“We now have a greater appreciation for the 106th Rescue Wing's professionalism and mission, and we’re more committed than ever to supporting Jacquelyn,” Herring said.
After relocating to South Carolina for her civilian job, Fisher continues to serve with the 106th Rescue Wing, traveling back to New York for drills.
“The support from my civilian employer has been incredible, and I’m proud to show them our mission here through events like Boss Lift,” Fisher said.
Tech. Sgt. Curt Abdool, a loadmaster with the wing’s 102nd Rescue Squadron and a lead technician at Delta Airlines at John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens, N.Y., nominated his employer, Delta Airlines, for the Pro Patria Award.
Abdool, who has been with Delta since 2013, praised the company's support, which has allowed him to balance multiple deployments with his civilian career.
"Delta has been with me every step of the way," Abdool said. "Every time I return, it’s like I never left."
Brian Perez, Delta’s line maintenance station manager at JFK International Airport, accepted the award and said it was important for employers to support members of the National Guard.
Perez said he was proud to support Abdool and other Delta employees in their National Guard or Reserve commitments.
During an orientation flight, Perez got to see Abdool in action as a loadmaster, sat in the cockpit of an HC-130J, and listened to and communicated with the crew through a headset.
"We’re fully behind Curt and all our team members who serve," Perez said.
The Pro Patria Award, presented by the ESGR, is the highest state-level recognition for employers who demonstrate exceptional support for their National Guard and Reserve employees, according to the ESGR website.
Retired Navy Capt. Ten Eyck Powell III, New York State ESGR Chair, told the employers they played a critical role in supporting the Guard’s mission.
“Without your flexibility and support, we couldn’t achieve our mission,” Powell said. “Visiting the 106th Rescue Wing today, you’re seeing some of the best America has to offer.”
Col. Jeffrey Cannet, the commander of the 106th Rescue Wing, said he appreciated the support shown by employers, especially those of service members' spouses, whose encouragement helps families balance civilian life with military service.
“Your flexibility allows our airmen to train, deploy, and save lives,” Cannet said. “We’re grateful for that partnership, and we couldn’t do this without you.”
“This was indeed our largest Boss Lift to date, and it was amazing,” D’Agostino said. “The civilian employers were thanking us for hosting them when indeed it is because of their outstanding support of our service members and families.”
The 106th Rescue Wing, based at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, New York, operates and maintains the HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft, and the HH-60W Jolly Green II search and rescue helicopter. The 106th Rescue Wing is home to a special warfare squadron with pararescuemen and combat rescue officers, specializing in rescue and recovery, and deploys for domestic and overseas operations.
| Date Taken: | 11.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.07.2024 12:24 |
| Story ID: | 484720 |
| Location: | WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 211 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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