As CEO of Weapon Brand, I was invited to step into the world of the Florida National Guard through a program called Bosslift, hosted by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The goal was simple but powerful: give employers an honest look at what their Guard team members actually do to support both state and federal missions.

The day started with a roughly ninety-minute ride in a Black Hawk helicopter up to Camp Blanding — an instant bucket-list moment. On board and on the ground, I met other employers from across Florida who also have Guard members on their teams: local governments, healthcare systems, tech companies, logistics firms, and more. It was a reminder that Guard servicemembers are woven into almost every industry you can think of.

Once we landed, the Guard walked us through the missions they support: helping staff and secure state prisons, assisting federal partners, and standing behind large-scale events like the Super Bowl. The message was clear: when you hire a National Guard servicemember, you’re bringing in someone who is trained to problem-solve, adapt quickly, and finish the job under pressure.

We also spent time with chemical and biological warfare specialists, seeing how they prepare for threats most civilians never think about. From there, we moved into weapons simulations using M4 platforms — and that’s where the day stopped feeling like a “tour” and turned into a gut-check.

I run a company that lives and breathes self-defense and firearm safety, but I’m not one of our trainers. My job is to make sure our instructors, programs, and partners are aligned so the right people get the right training. I’m comfortable defending myself, but firearms under stress are a different world.

In our group, there was a guy who came in full of confidence, bragging that he would qualify with no problem. Spoiler: he didn’t. None of us in that group did. Not even the firefighters. I wasn’t wearing my glasses and could barely see the targets. Now picture waking up out of a dead sleep to a threat in the dark and expecting to hit exactly what you intend to under that kind of fear and adrenaline.

That experience drove home a truth we talk about constantly at Weapon Brand: owning a gun doesn’t make you trained. Going to the range a few times a year doesn’t make you trained. Even getting a concealed carry permit doesn’t make you trained. Real readiness comes from consistent, high-pressure training that pushes your nervous system, your decision-making, and your ability to act when everything in you wants to freeze.

After the simulations, we watched a Patriot Award ceremony honoring a supportive employer and an incredible Physician Assistant whose dedication to service really stuck with me. We also signed a Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve — a small gesture compared to what they give, but one that matters.

The day wrapped with another flight back — doors open on the Black Hawk for part of it. The heat, the metal seats, the gear, the noise — and that was just a small taste of what these servicemembers deal with as part of their normal routine. Driving home hot, tired, and grateful, I kept thinking about how lucky we are to have people willing to put everything on the line.

For me, the faces behind that gratitude are personal: my dad, my boyfriend, my business partner and Weapon Brand founder Brian Anderson-Needham, and our instructors Dylan Brieck and Gabrielle LePore. They’re just a few of the men and women whose service and sacrifice make days like this possible.

And if you’re still reading, you’re my kind of people. At Weapon Brand, we don’t just teach “cool moves” or check a box for compliance. We prepare people for the moments they hope never happen: Active Shooter and Aggressor Response, conflict management and de-escalation, personal safety and threat awareness, and mindset work like our “Creating a Weapon Mindset” programs. Being tough doesn’t start with a punch; it starts with how you think, plan, and train long before anything goes wrong.

I share this because I want more employers and community leaders to see what I saw that day: National Guard servicemembers are not just employees who occasionally get called away. They are disciplined, mission-ready professionals who bring that same mindset back to your teams, your customers, and your community.

For more photos and behind-the-scenes video from this day, you can check out our Facebook page .

— Jamie Anderson