Over the years the Nevada Air National Guard has cemented its ties to Nevada communities through an aggressive community relations effort. Though many efforts begin and end at the individual unit level, some activities require coordination at a much higher level.
Each year, the Nevada Air National Guard is involved in the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense program, "Boss Lift" for business people in the Nevada community who employ Nevada National Guarsdsmen. The event includes an explanation of what their employees do one weekend a month and two weeks a year in the Guard, along with occasional deployments. Most of these events include a C-130 flight over Lake Tahoe.
In the past, the Nevada Air Guard has also provided personnel to help erect playground equipment at a Stead elementary school and assessed numerous Innovative Readiness Training requests, which specifically call for engineer support. These requests can be as simple as remodel work for charitable organizations or as complex as preparing the Sierra Nevada Girl Scout Camp Wasiu on Gold Mountain. Each year, the 152nd Civil Engineer Squadron helps get the camp in working order, utilizing several Air Force specialties with work on the camp's septic tanks, plumbing, tent platforms, pool upgrades and repairing damage done by winter snows.
The history of the Silver State is rich in texture, personality, and soldiers fighting for our nation. Sharing that history with the kids of Nevada is one of the Nevada Guard's most valued projects. The Grand Army of the Sierra Fort Churchill Living History Program is designed to teach children about life at a frontier army post in Nevada during the 1860s.
When the 152nd Airlift Wing received its newer C-130H model aircraft, wing officials thought it appropriate to dedicate each aircraft to a city in Nevada. A design was quickly approved for painting the chosen city's name near the passenger door of each airframe. Each aircraft was then dedicated at an air show or event in the city or town bearing its name. Fallon, Las Vegas, Sparks and Winnemucca are just a few of the state's cities highlighted by the High Roller's aircraft.
The Guard's Drug Demand Reduction operations are built around a Gateway Drug program that targets fifth through eighth grade students with a specifically tailored anti-drug message. The program can also be tailored to a wide age range spanning kindergartners to adults. Drug Demand Reduction personnel are based in Reno and Las Vegas but can conduct classes anywhere in the state.