Photo By Philip Speck | Retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mike Richie, center, state chairperson for the Kentucky...... read more read more
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Douglas Craddock credits his childhood as the son of a Soldier for instilling a set of values that made him the person he is today.
“My father served in the Army for over 20 years as an active-duty serviceman,” said Craddock, vice president of community engagement at the University of Louisville. “I am who I am because of the discipline, exposure and benefits I received due to his service. I have had the chance to travel the world, gain an education and pursue my dreams.”
When Craddock was offered the opportunity recently to experience a Bosslift — a special program that exposes civilian employers and community leaders to the missions of the military reserve components, including the Kentucky Air National Guard — he didn’t hesitate to sign up.
“The Bosslift program brought me even closer to my father’s day-to-day experience as an Airborne infantryman,” Craddock said.
But it also taught him a lot about the service of traditional Air National Guardsmen, who, unlike active-duty troops, must balance part-time military service with a full-time civilian career. The University of Louisville employs scores of National Guard Airmen and Soldiers across multiple civilian disciplines.
“It provided a unique perspective into the life experiences of Air National Guardsmen serving our country,” Craddock said.
As one of more than 25 local employers and civic leaders who participated in the Bosslift, the event also “brought together like-minded leaders to further support those who serve,” he noted.
Enhanced understanding of the National Guard and its Citizen-Airmen is one of the primary goals of the Bosslift program, which is sponsored by a federal entity called Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Haldane Lamberton, adjutant general of the Kentucky National Guard.
Lamberton noted that less than 1 percent of Americans serve in the military today, which impacts the public’s understanding of the Guard.
“You’d have to cross paths with roughly 330 people on the street before you met somebody in uniform,” Lamberton told the Bosslift participants during an orientation briefing. “So the majority of folks in our country don’t know the military.”
Even if civilians have a vague notion of what it’s like to serve in the National Guard, it’s often outdated, he added.
“Most folks think we go out and stack sandbags during a flood. We do respond to weather-related incidents all the time, but also we do a little bit more than that these days.”
For example, the men and women of the Kentucky Air National Guard regularly deploy around the world, working side-by-side with their active-duty counterparts as an integral part of crucial missions on every continent. Those Airmen have served in virtually every major U.S. military operation Since Sept. 11, 2001, logging more than a half-million days of duty in over 45 countries.
“The men and women who join the Guard today are doing it with the expectation that they’re going to deploy somewhere,” Lamberton said. “These are your neighbors, your coworkers, your employees — they literally put themselves in harm’s way, they’re doing it entirely of their own volition and they’re doing it to be of public service.”
Retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mike Richie, chairperson for the Kentucky Committee of ESGR, noted that the active-duty military can’t do its job today without reserve troops from the National Guard — people who occasionally need to take a leave of absence from their civilian jobs, put on the uniform and serve their state or nation wherever the need exists.
“The reserve component is about 38 percent of our country’s total military force,” Richie told the Bosslift participants, “and the National Guard makes up a significant portion of that in key roles across the components. For instance, almost 50 percent of brigade combat teams in the total Army are in the National Guard, and 65 percent of the airlift and tanker refueling capability lies in the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard. Those are critical capabilities required to go to war.”
The Bosslift, held here Sept. 19, included extensive briefings on the missions of the Kentucky Air National Guard and its primary operational unit, the Louisville-based 123rd Airlift Wing, which is comprised of about 1,200 Airmen. Those missions include tactical and humanitarian airlift, contingency and disaster response, pararescue, combat control, explosive ordnance disposal, critical care air transport, security forces and civil engineering. Bosslift participants also toured the Kentucky Air National Guard Base and experienced a low-level orientation flight aboard a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
“The briefings were very useful, and having the opportunity to fly in a military aircraft was a very unique experience,” said Lt. Trevor Webb, day shift patrol supervisor for the Mayfield Police Department, which employs the Kentucky Air Guard’s Master Sgt. J Shultz as a patrol officer.
“I had no idea how many different units were stationed at the airbase in Louisville,” he added. “The information provided in reference to the amount of Air Guardsmen that carry out daily military operations was very surprising.”
Craddock described the orientation flight as “an experience like no other” but was most appreciative of the opportunity to show his support “for all those who faithfully serve our country day in and day out.”
The 123rd Airlift Wing is one of the most decorated units in Air Force history, with 19 Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards.
| Date Taken: | 12.30.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.30.2024 13:33 |
| Story ID: | 488447 |
| Location: | LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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