News

446th Airlift Wing hosts "awesome" Employer Orientation Day

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Moody
  • 446 Airlift Wing, Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  "Awesome day," said Brenda Pollard, a local supervisor with Installation Transportation, during the 446th Airlift Wing's Employer Orientation Day, Oct. 2. This is just one of the many sentiments expressed by civilian employers from across the Northwest region who participated in the event at McChord Field.

The bi-annual event allows Reservists' civilian employers the rare opportunity to get a taste of what they do on Unit Training Assemblies and deployments, whether it is processing through a mobility line, donning chemical warfare gear, or dropping critical cargo from a C-17 Globemaster III. During their brief glimpse into the 446th AW mission, employers learned how teams of specialists train and fight.

The day started with a mock mobility line so employers would get "processed" for a deployment. The mobility line included briefers from each of the real-world stations that process Airmen, like Chapel Support, Legal, Finance, Personnel, Family Readiness, emergency management and many other wing units.

At one station, Lt. Col. Ken Winslow, a flight nurse with the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, tells employers how specialists provide care for the wounded and injured on board aircraft.

"During the mission of flying the wounded, injured and ill, we accomplish great nursing care," said Colonel Winslow. "There are a lot of places in the U.S. that you can get great care," he said. "We happen to do it at 35,000 feet in a noisy, dark and cold tube of metal."

"It's amazing that our country will fly across the world to save a soldier," said one of the many employers who spent the day with the Reservists.

At another station on the mobility line, Chief Master Sgt. Sonja Smith, 446th Aerospace Medicine Squadron superintendent, gave employers a first-hand look at standard first-aid supplies issued to Airman before they deploy, like quick clot, tourniquets, and self injectors for treating chemical contaminants.

Employers also spent time learning about explosives ordnance disposal, where they saw inert rockets and landmines and examples of improvised explosives, which members from the 446th Civil Engineering Squadron EOD flight expertly diffuse and continually make safe for our fighting warriors.

"It's incredible," said Jim Klienstuber, a manager with Frontier Communications and civilian supervisor of Staff Sgt. Michael Pritchett, 36th Aerial Port Squadron ramp specialist. Mr. Klienstuber sat in the flight deck behind the pilots during takeoff on an orientation flight with an airdrop mission near Moses Lake, Wash aboard a C-17.

"I'm in awe right now," said Mr. Klienstuber. "This is a once in a lifetime experience being in the cockpit of a huge airplane," he said.

Also seated in the flight deck was Mason County, Wash. Sheriff Casey Salisbury, civilian supervisor of Tech. Sgt. Sean Colpitts, a medic with the 446th Aeromedical Staging Squadron and deputy with Mason County.

"We are thrilled with Deputy Colpitts and he's an outstanding representative of our office and the Air Force," said Salisbury. "We're very proud of him," said Sheriff Salisbury.

Equally proud, Sergeant Colpitts wanted to show his civilian employer what his Reservist job is all about. 

"I like serving our country and I wanted him to see what our Air Force does," said Sergeant Colpitts.

Appreciation and confidence in the Air Force Reserve was evident in the many positive written comments from the employers who clearly get a deeper understanding of how their mutual support is critical to the success of their Reservist's mission.

"I have a whole new idea about what Reservists do after today," said Rosalind McKenna, a manager with McKenna Metal, LLC in Oregon, and supervisor for Senior Airman Savannah Batiste, an aircraft propulsion technician assigned to the 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "You really understand what Reservists are doing and how they're supporting us and how we can support them."

Colonel Winslow best summed up the mission of the 446th Airlift Wing's Employer Orientation Day. 

"When I talk with employers, I try to communicate how important the team concept is. Without the employer letting the Reservist do their job, the injured Marine, Soldier, Airman, Sailor or Coast Guardsmen doesn't get the optimal care that is available when we come together as a team. We really thank our employers and fellow workers for that."