Boss day shows employers a slice of annual training

By Spc. Alexandria Hughes

32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team

Employers such as Harley-Davidson Motor Co., Oshkosh Corporation and the University of Wisconsin-Stout experienced a day of annual training alongside their employees June 18 at Fort McCoy, Wis.

The 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team's Boss Day event included a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter orientation flight, a live-fire range visit, the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer (HEAT) rollover training, a tour of the brigade's tactical operations center, and an MRE lunch in the field with their Soldiers.

"It's phenomenal. Really, it's incredibly interesting," Travis D. Turner, area manager for Oshkosh Corporation, said about the Boss Day.

"The Boss Day was designed to show employers what their Soldiers are doing when they train or mobilize," explained Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Kerry G. Denson, Boss Day coordinator for the Wisconsin Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).

"ESGR also sheds light on the qualities a Guard or Reserve member can bring to the table," Denson continued. "When they hire Guardsmen, they can see all the other jobs and technical training that these employees have received from the National Guard. They are not just infantry Soldiers but mechanics, clerks, and IT technicians as well. They will show up on time, work hard and give 100 percent, because that is what they are trained to do."

"It was fascinating to see what the Soldiers are up to," said Tim A. Strebig, a machine shop supervisor. "I really looked forward to it."

Sasha A. King, who works in UW-Stout's telecommunications and networking department, said the day was interesting. "I learned a lot," she said. "I am very grateful to have the opportunity to come here and see the Soldiers."