BOISE, Idaho — Thursday morning, civilians got to take off in helicopters and airplanes from Gowen Field in Boise, all as part of the 'Boss Lift' program the National Guard and Reservists and their employers participate in annually.
The point of the event is to invite people who have employees that are in the National Guard or are Reservists to learn about the military service their employees provide.
Most people in the National Guard have full-time jobs outside of their commitment to the service. The service members can invite their employers out in the field, giving them the chance to go up in helicopters and airplanes to fly around the area.
They also get the chance for hands-on experience with other equipment and vehicles their employees work with during their service.
Lt Col. Chris Borders says it's a way to say thank you to the people who employ service members.
“We couldn’t be successful in our missions if it weren’t for the support that we get from the employers and the rest of the community," Borders said.
Eric Lowry runs a dentistry and one of his employees also works at Gowen Field.
He says one of his favorite parts of the day was getting in one of the tanks.
“Well I actually got to sit in the driver’s seat which was pretty cool," Lowry said. "I’ve always wondered how they drive and how they see and I got to see that, it was pretty cool. It is cramped, you’d think it’d be a little more roomy but, yeah, you don’t want to be a big guy and be in one of those things"
