Some Butte business owners were given a cool ride on military helicopters to show their appreciation for hiring those in the National Guard and reserves.

“This is fantastic! I’ve always wanted to have the opportunity to fly in a military helicopter, and I wanted to fly in a Chinook, and that’s the one I got picked for, so I’m excited to do that,” said Ray Rogers of Butte.

WATCH: Butte’s Boss Lift: Celebrating Businesses that Hire Military Personnel

The event, known as the Boss Lift, was held at the new National Guard Readiness Center at the Montana Connections Hub south of Butte. It was organized to promote the Employer Support of Guard and Reserve (ESGR) organization, which encourages employers to hire military personnel.

“If you want to hire a service member, you’re going to get someone who’s motivated, highly trained, punctual, loyal, trustworthy, and drug-free. They just make really incredible employees,” said former Montana Attorney General Tim Fox, who also volunteers for ESGR.

Employers were given rides in a Chinook helicopter and a Black Hawk helicopter. Fox emphasized the importance of having an organization that supports employers who hire part-time troops.

“When they get deployed and can be gone for weeks or months, that can be very difficult for an employer. So, I just appreciate Montana employers in particular who go the extra mile to accommodate our service members,” said Fox.

Rogers, who plans to open a healthcare training center, said he fully supports this initiative.

“Part of our mission will be to hire U.S. military personnel. We’ll train a lot of medics and a lot of surgeons,” said Rogers.

There were just over 5,800 National Guard and Reservists serving in Montana as of 2024, according to the Defense Manpower Data Center.