More than a hundred people, some of whom had never before been on a military base, lined up in single file at Joint Forces Training Base to get processed as the California National Guard hosted its annual “Bosslift” this past week.
After a breakfast and a briefing, these employers of National Guard troops were themselves about to get a ride on a $12 million aircraft, the famous “Blackhawk” helicopter.
“This is the one day a year that we educate employers and thank them for allowing Guardsmen and women to do their military duty,” said Tom Lasser, a retired Colonel now employed by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Lasser is associated with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a special organization in all 50 states and promotes “supportive environments” for citizen soldiers that serve in the Guard and Reserve.
Employers who make special provisions to allow their employees to serve and sometimes be called away during emergencies, deserve special recognition, said Lasser.
Inviting them onto the base allows them to become more familiar with the role of Guard, he told the large group of employers which were hosted inside a helicopter hanger on the base.
Major Dan Goldsmith, Battalion Commander of the Transportation Division, explained to the assembled employers that guard and reserve work “can be really demanding.”
In step-by-step detail, he explained the role of service members under his command, saying the new $12 million Blackhawk helicopter required precision mechanics and continuous training to keep the fleet flying.
Goldsmith is the commander of the 140th Assault Helicopter Battalion stationed at JFTB. He is a full-time member of the Cal Guard and lives in Los Alamitos.
The Blackhawk helicopters are incredibly intricate machines that required very skilled mechanics and flight crews to keep them running. Goldsmith said it cost approximately $4,000 per hour to keep them flying.
Even as Goldsmith spoke to the large group, mechanics were busy working on other Blackhawks not being used in the day’s festivities.
The Joint Forces Training Base is one of the few remaining military installations in Orange County, and for that matter, in California, therefore it serves the state as a staging area for floods, wildfires, earthquakes and other natural disasters that befall in the state.
Guard troops must be prepared to deploy “on a moment’s notice,” said Goldsmith, so training for pilots, crews, and service members is critical to carry out their mission.
In fact, the troops invited those attending the briefing to walk outside the hanger to watch a demonstration of the “Bambi” bucket, the big orange buckets most residents see on television in the fight against wildfires.
The buckets are equipped with built-in pumps that can scoop up 1,000 gallons in a minute or so helicopters can drop the water as directed in the fight against raging wildfires.
And, he said, it would not be possible to do without the support of employers who demonstrate repeated flexibility with their employees who serve in the Guard or Reserve.
“We truly appreciate your support,” Goldsmith told the employers present for the special day. “Your support is very important to the community,” he added, saying the allowance for training and service keeps the Guard prepared to protect and serve the communities around the state.
Following the briefing, the employers were led onto the tarmac where several Blackhawks were lined up in formation awaiting their arrival. Employers were issued ear plugs and barf bags as the pilots gave strict instructions to those about to board.
They detailed the flight plan, told employers what to do and, more importantly, what not to do while in flight and in rotation, they began to fill the helicopters with the excited employers. Once full, they taxied out to the runway and formation and they were off.
Newly installed Seal Beach Police Chief Phil Gonshak was one of the employers at the base for the day.
“We are honored to have been invited to this event and to strengthen our relationship with the military. Several of our police personnel had military careers prior to working for the City, including Patrol Officer Shawn Watkins who was assigned to the JFTB while he was in the Army. Seeing Seal Beach and surrounding areas from the air was incredible,” said Gonshak.