Army, Air National Guard Showcase Military Skills to Western Massachusetts Employers

BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, WESTFIELD, Mass. — The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) hosted a Bosslift event Sept. 16, 2026, bringing together 14 civilian employers from Western Massachusetts to gain firsthand insight into the missions, training and responsibilities of their National Guard employees.

The event provided employers with a behind-the-scenes look at the Army and Air National Guard, highlighting the skills service members develop through military training and how those experiences translate into valuable assets in the civilian workforce.

For traditional National Guard members who balance civilian careers with military obligations, time away from their civilian jobs can be significant. However, the specialized training, leadership development and technical expertise gained through military service can provide substantial benefits to their employers.

By showcasing the preparation, training and dedication required to maintain mission readiness, ESGR events help civilian employers better understand their employees' military commitments while recognizing the professional skills they bring back to the workplace.

Established in 1972, ESGR is a Department of Defense program dedicated to promoting cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component service members and their civilian employers. For more than 50 years, the organization has worked to strengthen employer relationships, recognize supportive employers and assist in resolving conflicts related to military service.

During the Bosslift, employers received mission briefings from the 226th Aviation Support Battalion, Army Aviation Support Facility No. 2 and the 104th Fighter Wing. Participants also observed an F-35A Lightning II launch, spoke with an aircraft crew chief and participated in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter training mission.

The experience highlighted the similarities between military and civilian operations, particularly in aviation maintenance, emergency medical services, leadership and technical training.

U.S. Army Capt. Patrick Foley, operations officer at Army Aviation Support Facility No. 2, explained how military training provides service members with qualifications and experience that can directly benefit civilian employers.

"Pilots leave flight school with the academic and flight requirements to take a written test to obtain a commercial pilot license with an instrument rating," Foley said. "This helps with getting jobs as a helicopter pilot, and it also makes the transition to civilian fixed-wing much faster."

Foley also emphasized the career opportunities available to Army and Air National Guard aircraft maintainers. Although military maintenance training does not automatically provide the Federal Aviation Administration's Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification, the technical training and hands-on experience gained through military service can help prepare members to pursue civilian aviation maintenance credentials.

The connection between military and civilian careers extends beyond aviation operations and maintenance. Foley explained that Army critical care flight paramedics must complete extensive medical training to qualify as aircrew members. These service members begin as combat medics with emergency medical technician qualifications before completing paramedic training and obtaining National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians paramedic certification.

"They need to gain a minimum of 144 hours of critical care time, either in the civilian world or at the Army's course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas," Foley said. "All of our medics work outside the military as paramedics, and we have a few who work on critical care ambulances as well."

This specialized training provides valuable experience that directly supports civilian emergency medical services, creating a mutually beneficial relationship between military units and civilian health care organizations.

Earl Bonett, ESGR Massachusetts area chair and ombudsman, accompanied employers throughout the event and emphasized the importance of building strong relationships between service members and their civilian employers.

"Hiring a Guardsman or a reservist just makes sense," Bonett said. "Military members are not only disciplined leaders who have a strong work ethic, they can come prepared to work with advanced certificates and skills the employer does not have to pay to maintain."

Representatives from Baystate AMR Critical Care Coordination, Page Construction Company, Northeast Document Conservation Center and Monson Fire Department were among the employers participating in the event.

For Katheryn Vear, Baystate AMR Critical Care Coordination, the experience offered a unique opportunity to see how the military training of two of her employees, who serve as Army critical care flight paramedics, directly supports their civilian responsibilities.

During the visit, Vear spoke with Foley about the similarities between military and civilian medical training, including the use of high-fidelity patient simulators and the specialized skills required for critical care transport.

"What is neat about being able to come today is finding out we do the same job," Vear said. "A lot of the inventory and education management that my two employees do for me at Baystate came from their skills here."

The event reinforced the value of collaboration between the military and civilian workforce, demonstrating how skills developed through National Guard service can enhance civilian organizations while supporting military readiness.

By providing employers with a firsthand understanding of their employees' military responsibilities, ESGR continues to strengthen partnerships that help service members successfully balance their commitments to both their nation and their civilian careers.

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