BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. –
Employers and civic leaders from the Sacramento area attended the 940th Wing's annual Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve tour, June 1, at Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
The event was part of the wing's community outreach program to introduce employers to the Air Force Reserve and allowed them to see what their employees do when they report for Unit Training Assemblies.
"It went really well. The group left with an understanding of what we do here in the Reserve that they normally wouldn't receive," said Colonel Kevin Cavanagh, 940th Wing commander.
The ESGR serves as an advocate for the National Guard and Reserve servicemembers by increasing awareness of laws and policies and educating employers on the relationship between their civilian and military commitments.
The tour began with Cavanagh and various squadron commanders greeting the guests as they arrived, followed by a presentation of the wing's missions. Then Major Michael Dailey, a dentist with the 940th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, described some of their humanitarian deployments to Africa and Central America.
The tour was then introduced to the new RED HORSE squadron as reservists displayed some of their heavy equipment and a type of shelter used in deployed areas. Security Forces also provided a hands-on display of the firearms used in training and deployed locations.
Finally, everyone visited the flightline to see static displays of the RQ-4 Global Hawk and the U-2 Dragon Lady where pilots and maintainers were available to answer questions.
For some civilians this was the first time they have seen the day to day mission of the Air Force Reserve.
"The questions that were asked about the future of the remotely piloted aircraft program and current events in the world, gave a really good indicator of the public's perceptions," said Cavanagh. "It was a way to give back to the community and take the mystery out of what we do here at Beale."
The 940th Wing is the Air Force Reserve Command's leading provider of command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and home to the Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft. The men and women of the 940th Wing have participated in numerous humanitarian missions across the globe and have made significant contributions to U.S. operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya.