The 174th Attack Wing of the New York Air National Guard, the New York Army National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the Marine Corp Reserve Center, and the Naval Reserve Center, will host military members and their employers for a Boss Day, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) event at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base (ANGB), August 18.
ESGR, a Department of Defense office, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment.
ESGR has served our country for more than 40 years, fostering a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States.
The Boss Day event will include demonstrations and static displays presented by the joint services for employers and military members to view beginning at the Marine Corp Reserve Center followed by a visit to Hancock Field Air National Guard Base.
Guests will receive briefings and a tour of Hancock Field Air National Guard Base. The visit may include a tour of the Field Training Detachment (FTD) which trains MQ-9 maintenance personnel for the Total Air Force, including active duty, Guard and Reserve forces; the 274th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) whose Airmen deploy with Army units and are responsible for directing close air support during combat operations; and the Mobile Emergency Operations Center (MEOC) which is used as a mobile command and control asset when the 174th responds in support of civilian authorities during times of disasters or other state level missions.
Exhibits may include an MQ-9 aircraft and Ground Control Station (GCS), along with exhibits from the Naval Reserve Center and the 27th Brigade.
The 174th Attack Wing was established in 1947 as the first Air National Guard flying unit in New York State. The wing is responsible for the training all Air Force personnel on MQ-9 maintenance procedures at units Field Training Detachment. The wing is also the site of the Formal Training Unit which provides initial qualification training to MQ-9 aircrews.
In December 2015, the 174th Attack Wing was the first unit to fly a remotely piloted aircraft in class “C” airspace surrounding a civilian airport.
The 174th Attack Wing began conducting daily MQ-9 training flight operations from Hancock Field Air National Guard Base and Syracuse Hancock International Airport, beginning June 15, 2016.
The wing also maintains the air-to-ground gunnery range at Fort Drum which is used by Air Force, Air Guard and Air Force Reserve units across the northeast and provides forces to respond to state emergencies at the direction of the governor.