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The following organization received the 2008 Freedom Award
Freedom Award TrophyChoctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Durant, OK
Chief of Choctaw Nation, Chief Gregory Pyle, receives the 2008 Freedom Award at a Sept. 18 ceremony in Washington, DC. (Left to right), Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs Thomas F. Hall, Chief Pyle, Director, Air National Guard, Lieutenant General Craig R. McKinley, and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Dr. David S. C. Chu. Photo by Jason Brunson
Chief of Choctaw Nation, Chief Gregory Pyle, receives the 2008 Freedom Award at a Sept. 18 ceremony in Washington, DC. (Left to right), Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs Thomas F. Hall, Chief Pyle, Director, Air National Guard, Lieutenant General Craig R. McKinley, and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Dr. David S. C. Chu. (Photo by Jason Brunson)
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, in Durant Oklahoma, is a recipient of the 2008 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award in the category of Large Business, and recently received ESGR’s Pro Patria award. Despite the fact that the Choctaw Nation is sovereign, and therefore exempt from USERRA requirements, it voluntarily complies with all provisions of USERRA and provides training for its supervisors and managers. The Choctaw Nation provides full pay and benefits for its Guard and Reserve members, and also provides emergency assistance for their families while the military member is on deployment. Recently the Choctaw Nation made a substantial donation to the family support group of the 120th Engineer Battalion, their adopted military unit. The Choctaw Nation has a Veterans Advocacy program that includes Guard and Reserve members that honors them through tribal ceremonies. The Choctaw Nation maintains contact to serving members through care packages and sends special equipment to overseas servicemen and women such as special harness cutting knives, walkie talkie radios and phone cards and once sent an ultrasound machine to detect shrapnel in wounded soldiers and airmen. The Choctaw Nation provides mailing service, complete with paid postage, to Guardsmen and Reservists and other military personnel on active duty overseas. During times of national emergencies, the Choctaw Nation has provided more military members than any other Oklahoma governmental organization. Recently the Choctaw Nation chartered 50 buses for Thanksgiving and 14 buses for Christmas to provide round-trip transportation for Oklahoma National Guard members serving at Fort Bliss so they could be home for the holidays.
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, with the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. Photo by Jason Brunson
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, with the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. (Photo by Jason Brunson)
Chief of Choctaw Nation, Chief Gregory Pyle with Deputy Secretary of Defense, Gordon England. Photo by MC2 Molly Burgess
Chief of Choctaw Nation, Chief Gregory Pyle with Deputy Secretary of Defense, Gordon England. (Photo by MC2 Molly Burgess)
 
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