(446th AW PA) - Some Reservists' civilian employers may not have a complete understanding of why their employee would decide to put on an Air Force uniform to work over the weekend - just so they can come back to their job on Monday.

During 446th Airlift Wing Employer Orientation Day April 2 on the Reserve weekend, employers got first-hand experience and an awakening to why a Reservist would make that decision.

"I invited JoAnn Holloway (a business manager with United Parcel Service) because I knew it would help her appreciate the military and my involvement with the Reserve," said Staff Sgt. Allen Jackson, 446th AW Chaplain's assistant and employee of Ms. Holloway.

The bi-annual event, held every April and October, allows employers the opportunity to get a glimpse of the 446th AW mission and learn how teams of specialists train and fight.

"Amazing," said Carmen Cook, a director with the Washington State Employment Security Department. "I have a whole new insight and appreciation for what my coworker does," said the supervisor of Lt. Col. Luke Upton, 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander and a full-time administrator with WSESD.

The employers started the day with a Reserve mission briefing then processed for a "deployment," experiencing what Reservists go through when they get mobilized. Briefers included chapel support, legal, finance, personnel, family readiness, intel, medical and emergency management. At the aeromedical evacuation station, Lt. Col. Ken Winslow, 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse, explains how employer support plays a vital role in their mission.

"You're contributing to getting the injured home," said Colonel Winslow, who's a nurse practitioner at Snoqualmie Valley Hospital in Snoqualmie, Wash. "Everybody contributes to the AES mission for getting our injured home to the best medical care in the world."

Topping off their day, employers participated in an orientation flight aboard a C-17 Globemaster III, where they had the chance to sit on the flight deck, view the world above the clouds and talk with flight crews about their mission.

Appreciation and confidence in the Air Force Reserve was evident in the positive feedback from the employers, who now get a clearer understanding of how their support is critical to the success of the Reserve mission.