Photo By Sophia Klevemann | Army Sgt. Josh Shaffer, of Frederick, Md., and a medic for the 203rd Transportation...... read more read more
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By Spc. Sophia Lopez
CURTIS BAY, Md. – Approximately 50 employers set sail on a unique and historic mission recently to better understand the life of a reserve component Soldier. While the program is not new, the venue for this particular event has never been used before; an Army vessel.
The Employer Support for Guard and Reserve organization worked with Soldiers from the 949th Transportation Company (Floating Craft) to organize the program, known as a Bosslift. An ESGR initiative, Bosslift was founded 20 years ago to help employers better understand the military and what their reserve component employees do when they are away from their civilian jobs.
“It’s about building good relationships between an employer and the military service because it works better when we are all on one page,” said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Chris Chadwick, northeast regional deputy director, ESGR headquarters in Arlington, Va. Chadwick is one of several active duty service members who augment civilian staff at headquarters.
The ESGR was founded in 1973 and is mainly a volunteer-based organization that interacts with employers and guard and reserve service members to promote better understanding between both parties, assists in conflict resolution, and provides information on job security and other topics covered under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.
“In coordination with the ESGR element, we have some of the local employers out, getting an idea of what their Soldiers do when they’re wearing a green suit and the requirements these young men and women face, if in fact they are called to deploy, whether it be a war zone, or any other theatre, whether it be Haiti or Global War on Terrorism,” said Army Brig. Gen. Peter Lennon, commander of the 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, headquartered in Coraopolis, Pa.
The day began with an introduction to the Army Reserve unit. The 949th is one of few floating craft companies in the Army. Its primary mission is to provide logistics over shore. The vessels transport cargo, trucks, tractors, humvees, tanks, containers, bulldozers and other similar equipment.
Guests went on a tour of the 949th’s tugboat, floating crane and Logistic Support Vessel. The vessel, the MG Robert Smalls (LSV-8), is about six years old and can transport 2,000 tons of cargo. Currently, it is the Army’s newest and largest boat, according to Army Chief Warrant Officer John McKinney, chief engineer of MG Robert Smalls, 203rd Transportation Detachment,165th Quartermaster Group.
The Army’s vessels are often a surprise to visitors, but they are not new to the organization.
“We’ve had boats for as long as the Army’s been in existence,” said Army Capt. Robert Schoppert, 949th commander.
Later, guests and service members sailed into Inner Harbor on the MG Robert Smalls (LSV-8). Throughout the voyage, Soldiers had the opportunity to display their skills while simultaneously complete annual training requirements. Multiple military units utilize the vessel for training exercises to better prepare their Soldiers for deployments, explained McKinney.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for the Soldiers to showcase their equipment and what they do,” said Lennon. “A lot of time, the employers don’t realize the responsibilities that these young men and women have vested in them as far as maintenance and operation. This is a big vessel, but it’s manned by a very small crew.”
Spc. Charles Dudley, of Pottstown, Pa., for example, was working as a transportation management coordinator during the trip and overseeing transportation, personnel and supplies as part of his annual training requirements.
Employers were able to express their appreciation for what the service members do.
“What the military does for us is really important to me,” said Robert Ray, fire chief of Anne Arundel County Fire Department. “It lets us put our head down on a pillow at night and not have to worry about all of the things they are protecting us from.”
Ray has several members of the fire department who are service members and many have deployed. He comes from a military family, has a son who is a Navy Seal and a son-in-law in the Marines. The shared appreciation between the Soldiers and employers is apparent to him.
“I know it’s difficult for them to leave their families and leave their regular jobs to go on those deployments or do that training on the weekend. So the fact that we support them and make it a little easier for them to do that, I feel like they appreciate that,” he said.
The event gave Soldiers a chance to show their appreciation to the employers as well.
“This is a fun way to thank employers and educate the community of requirements and laws,” said Lennon. He believes the Soldiers’ talents, capabilities and professionalism gives them greater marketability in civilian life.
“What we hope to convey is the trade that we do and enable them to take back to the community and identify with our Soldiers and share what we do,” said Army Col. Bruce Hackett, 165th QM Group commander out of Ft. Belvoir, Va. “I want to thank the Maryland ESGR. They’re doing an outstanding job getting the employers onto our vessel and sailing on such a beautiful day.”
According to Jack Moran, employer outreach director for the Maryland ESGR, there are four other events scheduled for this year. The ESGR tries to coordinate with training exercises already in place.
Military outreach volunteers are assigned to every unit in the country. Moran, a retired Army lieutenant colonel with 22 years of service, believes that the volunteers are an asset to commanders because they are readily available to answer questions and get information.
The 949th currently has Soldiers deployed to Kuwait and another team scheduled to deploy later this year.
| Date Taken: | 06.04.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2010 13:42 |
| Story ID: | 51477 |
| Location: | CURTIS BAY, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 257 |
| Downloads: | 121 |
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