November 11, 2014 — For several years, the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has supported the National Guard and Reserve’s Boss Lift Program, which gives employers a chance to visit military installations to see first-hand what reservists do.
In August, Cindy Mayfield of the lab’s Human Resources Directorate was invited to Fort Benning, Ga., and in mid-October, she reciprocated her experience by bringing Boss Lift organizers to tour ORNL.
Mayfield had an exciting and enlightening trip, and this Veterans’ Day, she hopes other managers will consider taking part in Boss Lift in some form.
“It’s an opportunity for employers to see what their Guard and Reserve employees do while on military leave, and part of the purpose is for employers to get a better appreciation and understanding of what they do,” Mayfield said.
Mayfield flew to the Army base in a Boeing KC-135, which is used to fuel bombers and fighter planes in flight.
“There are a couple of windows on the lower, back part of the plane where the ‘boom’ is located,” she recalled. “This is where the refueling operation happens. You can climb down and lie in the window area while looking out at the plane being refueled and down at the ground below. It’s quite an experience.”
After she landed, her eyes were still on the sky, as military cadets leaped from a plane to complete their first parachute jumps.
Mayfield spent two days at Fort Benning and also visited the National Infantry Museum, operated computer simulations that prepare soldiers for real-life battle scenarios, toured outdoor training facilities, and climbed into a Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
“The Boss Lift really gives you an appreciation for Guard and Reserve employees’ real-life experiences,” said Mayfield, adding, “It shows you what they endure during their service and the quality of their facilities and training.”
ORNL Director Thom Mason signed a statement of support for Boss Lift in 2011, and last month Mayfield organized a tour of ORNL’s facilities for employees of the Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, the organization that coordinates the Boss Lift Program.
The ESGR group visited the Graphite Reactor, Spallation Neutron Source and supercomputing facilities.
“The tour gives you a much a better appreciation and understanding of what’s happening at ORNL,” said ESGR volunteer Bob Williams.
More Guard and Reserve Boss Lift Program opportunities are planned, and Mayfield hopes that other directorates and divisions will participate.
“The Boss Lift was a fascinating experience and I really do think it gives an employer a better appreciation that it’s not just someone leaving their job when they go on duty, it’s someone working hard to serve their country,” Mayfield said.
ORNL is the largest science and energy national laboratory in the Department of Energy system. ORNL’s scientific programs focus on materials, neutron science, energy, high-performance computing, systems biology and national security.
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy's Office of Science. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit http://energy.gov/science/. —Christopher R. Samoray
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