Merging Missions

River Forecast Center Leaders Receive ESGR Patriot Award

Last fall, when one of his former wing commanders told him about the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award, Josh Clanton immediately thought of his managers in the River Forecast Center.

The award recognizes supervisors who have shown outstanding support for employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve. As an Air Force Veteran and guardsman, Clanton has been called to military duties on many occasions – and he always felt grateful for the support from his leaders.

“I wanted to recognize all three men because each of them, at one point or another, had to schedule changes or shuffle around personnel to help accommodate my military service,” he said. “They hired me knowing that my military service could or would eventually conflict with my duties here at TVA. They understand that serving the country is also serving the people of the Valley region. The missions overlap and, in the big picture, rely on each other for success.”

The three supervisors who received the award were Darrell Guinn, River Forecast Center senior manager; Ben Heath, River Forecast Center operations support manager; and James Everett, River Management general manager.

“I’ve always felt that working around Josh’s schedule needs is a small sacrifice compared to the sacrifices he and his family make to serve our country,” Guinn said. “We appreciate Josh’s commitment and willingness to serve and we’re grateful he brings that same dedication to TVA every day as he works to serve the people of the Valley region.”

During his military career, Clanton was stationed in New Mexico, Nevada, Louisiana and Germany, completing multiple combat duties. He served as a civil engineer and held many leadership roles, eventually rising to the rank of captain. He has especially enjoyed mentoring fellow airmen and teaching them electrical contingency skills.

In 2014, he transitioned from active duty to civilian life to pursue an engineering degree. Before leaving active service, he joined the 134th Air National Guard Unit at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, allowing him to continue to serve.

He earned his associate degree in engineering technology from Pellissippi State Community College and his bachelor’s in civil engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, then completed officer training school at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.

He joined TVA in 2022, becoming one of thousands of Veterans who put their military skills to work at the nation’s largest public power provider. Today, about 1 in 5 TVA employees have served in the armed forces.

For Clanton and his family – his wife of 14 years and their two boys, ages 4 and 7 – TVA has been the perfect fit. And they love calling Knoxville home.

“I have dedicated my life to serving the United States of America, so to have a mission of service to the people of the Tennessee Valley, it fills my heart,” he said. "I know that people are counting on us, and our team will put in the hours and do whatever it takes to help mitigate flood impacts on the people.”

Teamwork has been the common thread between his military service and his work at TVA.

“Our team in the River Forecast Center works together daily to operate the very complex river system,” he said. “It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle. We break it up in sections and then peer check each other to make sure we operate efficiently and effectively. The cool thing is the puzzle changes every day and we get to solve it again. I love the teamwork and camaraderie we have.”

During major events like Hurricane Helene, when he and his team helped avert record flooding impacts in the surrounding communities, Clanton relied heavily on his military experience.

“Through my military experience, I have been prepared to stay calm under any situation,” he said. “The military taught me to pay attention to details, focus on my field of influence and avoid getting distracted by things that I cannot control.”

For Clanton, there is no greater honor than serving both his country and TVA.

“TVA is an outstanding company to work for and is incredibly Veteran friendly,” he said. “And the three men I nominated have shown their patriotism though their individual actions.”

From left, Tom Barnett, Vice President of River Operations; Darrell Guinn, River Forecast Center senior manager; Ben Heath, River Forecast Center operations support manager; James Everett, River Management general manager; Josh Clanton, River Forecast Center water resources engineer; Marcus Whitt, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Tennessee ombudsman director; Steve Martin, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Knoxville area chair; and Allen Clare, Senior Vice President of Generation.