They weren’t trying to turn the tide and the experience definitely opened their eyes. Like the song made famous by Johnny Cash, local employers Walked the Line in honor of their active employees serving in military battlefield’s across the globe.

On the shores of Galveston Island, dozens of supervisors and managers from across the Houston area met up, this past month, with members of the United States Coast Guard for their community outreach effort known as SEALIFT. This daylong military affair consists of several sensitization exercises and is meant to familiarize employers of active reservists with the day-in-and-day-out activities of an active duty life.

The purpose is to discourage employers from dismissing their reservist employees from their civilian jobs while they are out serving a military deployment.

Ellington Field’s US Coast Guard Air Station Houston helped put together SEALIFT and provided their Charlie model HH-65 Dolphin helicopters as a part of the program. The US Coast Guard has been stationed out at Ellington Field for several decades now.

From that 90 year old airport they are responsible for patrolling and responding to all types of emergencies along the Gulf Coast.

Also participating alongside the Coast Guard were the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard – both of whom are also stationed at Ellington Field.

The Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) organization was also involved in the planning process. They represent active and retired members of the US military and advocate for an increased understanding of how strenuous and self-sacrificing military life really is in reality.

“Every time the military puts together one of these events we feel the community gains a better understanding of how important their operations here at Ellington Field really are,” says airport manager, Brian Rinehart. “Ellington Field is definitely more of a general aviation airport now, but our history and foundation will always go hand in hand with the nation’s military defense efforts.”