Almost half of our military fighting force resides in the National Guard and Reserve components.  Since these military members have civilian employment, it is important that every effort be made to secure the support of civilian employers who must deal with their employee being called up for military service sometimes for extended periods.

L-R  Mr. Dick Young, Mr. Gary Peacock

        Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense agency that works to bridge any gaps between employers and their employees with military obligations.  ESGR volunteers and support staff in all states and US territories advocate for employers, employees, and their families; recognize employers with personnel policies which support military service; educate service members and employers concerning their rights under current law; and mediate when issues cannot be resolved otherwise. 

US Army Honor Guard

 Colonel Mary Miller, USA (Ret) is the Military Outreach Representative for Colorado and she worked closely with Lt. Col. David Pruett USMC (Ret) who is the Employer Outreach Director for Colorado to arrange this event.  Walmart was the business sponsor for this event and was represented by Mr. Gary Peacock, Market Manager for Southern Colorado.

Walmart continues to support our military members at a variety of levels and this event specifically recognized their many programs set up to support members of the National Guard and Reserves.  Walmart works with US Chamber of Commerce to sponsor career fairs for military personnel and their families.  The company has a major impact in providing employment to people transitioning from military service to civilian life.  Walmart has invested millions of dollars in veterans programs which include education, training, small business success and mentorship.  The company is also focused on green programs which protect our environment while growing the economy.

Thanks to Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve plus our friends at Walmart and Sams for having their signing ceremony at our museum facility.  We look forward to future partnerships which recognize the service members who protect our freedom.  Whenever the opportunity arises, we ask that you recognize and honor those that wore the uniform in World War II and those civilians that produced the supplies on the homefront which led to ultimate sucess in the theaters of war.

Several volunteers have taken the responsibility to train and schedule our docents for tours given at the Museum and Westpac Restorations.  Our docents include people who have served in all branches of the military and have a passion for aviation and World War II history.  The Museum has a lot of very significant artifacts for the visitor to examine but we continue to be amazed at the knowledge that is shared with each tour.  Some of our visitors can speak directly to displays and artifacts because they were a part of the action or were employed at a factory making specific war supplies.

Pilot Helmet and Yoke

  Several visitors have returned with items that have been in the family for years but can now find a home where they will be honored and displayed for public viewing.  You may notice when you visit that we have a computer system and displays which show events and timelines during the years of the war.  Integrating your specific story is the challenge we are currently working.  Our goal is to be able to spend some time with veterans and home front workers to capture their story on video and include it in our system for immediate retrieval and review by future visitors.

It is impossible to see all the displays and visit the restoration facility in two hours so we look forward to future visits around specific research you may want to accomplish.  Please take time after your visit to provide your impressions of the tour.  We want this to be an experience where you come away wanting to learn more about the homefront, your relatives during the war, and your community.  World War II created a growth in technology and a change in the workforce which remains today.  Help us inspire our youth, preserve our history, and create a world class educational campus focused on aviation and space technology.  Your generous financial donations will help to reach the full planned campus buildout at an earlier date.