NAVAL STATION, NEWPORT, R.I. May 21, 2010. MAESGR sponsored their 4th annual Employer Appreciation Day at the Naval Station (NAVSTA) in Newport, R.I. today. The Navy pulled out all of the stops to ensure the 21 employers and 5 MAESGR Members had a great time. The morning began in Fall River. MA where the group assembled and then transported to the base via bus. The bus was met at the gate and commenced a professionally escorted tour by Ms. Lisa Rama of the Public Affairs office at NAVSTA.  

The first stop was a visit to the Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS) where guests and ESGR members visited the Full Mission Bridge Simulator. Members and employers took the helm and became the ship's commanding officer. Each had a chance to maneuver a Destroyer through the waters of San Diego Bay (simulated of course by a virtual IMAC type screen and a recreation of a bridge of a destroyer). As acting skippers, their ship was attacked by terrorists flying a small plane and had to react to the emergency as well as other various events including weather situations. When you leave the simulator, you actually had the feeling of imbalance and had to walk on their newly acquired "sea legs" for awhile.  

A great lunch was provided by the Officers Club and then the group were given briefs by the Base Executive Officer, (XO) Captain. Rich Valentine, Commander Jim Sires and Hospital Corpsman Chief (HMC) Jeff Mathis of the Naval Reserve Center (NOSC) and Commander Dave Huntoon, Reserve Liaison at the Naval War College. The afternoon was capped off by a visit to the Naval War College Museum and a windshield tour of the Base. The NAVSTA is in the process of doubling its complement within the next 3 or 4 years. The facility will also be the new home to three existing US Army Reserve facilities in RI to be consolidated into one large unit on the base. A special thanks to Joachim-Ingo "Ski" Borowski, Roger Fortin, Bob Pomeroy and Wayne Theroux for an outstanding job assisting our guests today. All attendees left more informed about the fantastic undertakings of both the Active and Navy Reserve personnel in Newport.   

The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972. The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the USERRA law of 1994 and resolving conflicts through mediation. The MA Committee has more than 40 volunteers dedicated to helping every "Citizen Soldier". On hand representing MAESGR were volunteers Joachim-Ingo "Ski" Borowski, Roger Fortin, Bob Pomeroy, Wayne Theroux and Program Support Specialist David St. Germain.   

     

 Employers and MAESGR members at the NAVAL STATION, NEWPORT, R.I

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 Group being briefed at the Full Mission Bridge Simulator _______________________________________________________________________________

  

If you would join the MA ESGR Committee and volunteer your time, call the MA Committee for ESGR at 508-233-7249 or go to www.esgr.mil