Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) proudly announces the 30 finalists for the 2023 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The finalists include small and large private and public sector employers nominated by a National Guard or Reserve Component employee employed in their organization. ESGR received 1,863 nominations for this prestigious award for employers throughout the 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and District of Columbia. 

“I am honored to congratulate these 30 outstanding employers, who have distinguished themselves by strong support of their Reserve Component employees,” said Ron Bogle, ESGR’s National Chair. “Employers play a critical role in the readiness, retention and success of our National Guard and Reserve forces, and by valuing and supporting their employees’ military service, they are making a direct contribution to our Nation’s security.”

The Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the Department of Defense to employers for their exceptional support of National Guard and Reserve members. The Freedom Award began in 1996 under the auspices of ESGR to recognize exceptional employer support, with only 325 honorees to date. For more information about the Freedom Award, visit www.FreedomAward.mil.

The Department of Defense will announce the 15 employers selected to receive the 2023 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award in the summer of 2023. The recipients will be honored in local ceremonies or the greater Washington D.C. area if conditions permit.

Here are this year’s Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award finalists:                 

American Bureau of Shipping  Spring, Texas  Army National Guard, Texas

Astellas Pharma, US  Northbrook, Illinois  Army Reserve, Illinois

Blue Cross and Blue Shield -Stella  Eagan, Minnesota  Air Force Reserve, Minnesota

Cam Superline  Waynesboro, Pennsylvania  Army National Guard, Pennsylvania

City of Springfield Fire Department  Springfield, Missouri  Navy Reserve, Missouri

Consumer Energy  Jackson, Michigan  Air National Guard, Michigan

E.L. Hollingsworth and Co.  Flint, Michigan  Army National Guard, Michigan

East Bay Municipal Utility District Oakland  California Navy Reserve, California

Exigo Corporation  Colorado Springs Colorado  Air Force Reserve, Colorado

Eyak Services LLC  Anchorage, Alaska  Army Reserve, Alaska

FISERV Inc.  Brookfield, Wisconsin  Air National Guard, Wisconsin

Fulton Bank  Lancaster, Pennsylvania  Army National Guard, Pennsylvania

Goldman Sachs  Salt Lake City, Utah  Army Reserve, Utah

Harris County Constable PCT 1  Houston, Texas  Army Reserve, Texas

Hickory Police Department  Hickory, North Carolina  Army Reserve, North Carolina

Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office  Jefferson, Wisconsin  Army Reserve, Wisconsin

Jones, Galligan, Key & Lozano, LLP  Weslaco, Texas  Air National Guard, Texas

King County  Seattle, Washington  Coast Guard Reserve, Washington

Knox County Schools  Knoxville, Tennessee  Army National Guard, Tennessee

Marion County Sheriff’s Office  Ocala, Florida  Army Reserve, Florida

Mason City Ford Chrysler  Mason City, Iowa  Army National Guard, Iowa

Mechanical Resource Group  Nashville, Tennessee  Army National Guard, Tennessee

New Mexico Military Institute  Roswell, New Mexico  Army Reserve, New Mexico

OKC Vet Campus  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma  Army Reserve, Oklahoma

Patriot Elementary  Colorado Springs, Colorado  Army Reserve, Colorado

Quality Technology Services  Overland Park, Kansas  Army Reserve, Kansas

Ryzhka International LLC  Fort Lauderdale, Florida  Army National Guard, Florida

UBS Financial Services  Weehawken, New Jersey  Navy Reserve, New Jersey

USA Truck  Van Buren, Arkansas  Army National Guard, Arkansas

VITA Plus Corporation  Madison, Wisconsin  Army Reserve, Wisconsin

About ESGR

ESGR is a Department of Defense office that develops and promotes supportive work environments for Service members in the Reserve Components through outreach, recognition, and educational opportunities that increase awareness of applicable laws. It also provides assistance in resolving conflicts between Service members and their employers. To learn more about ESGR, visit www.ESGR.mil.

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                                         Fifteen Exceptional Employers Recognized for Top Honor

August 1, 2022

WASHINGTON ­– The Department of Defense is pleased to announce the 15 recipients of the 2022 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the highest U.S. government honor to employers for support of National Guard and Reserve employees.

The recipients include small and large private and public sector employers nominated by a National Guard or Reserve Component employee employed in their organization. Celebrating its 26th year, the Freedom Award began in 1996 under the auspices of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to recognize exceptional employer support, with 325 honorees to date.

“I am proud to salute the employers who have distinguished themselves by being named Freedom Award recipients as we mark the 26th year of this highly coveted recognition,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III. “The men and women of the National Guard and Reserve make significant contributions to our communities and our national security through their civilian and military careers. By valuing and supporting their employees’ military service, these employers enhance the strength, readiness, and diversity of our National Guard and Reserve forces, and the readiness of the Total Force. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, recognizing the sacrifices and stalwart dedication of our Reserve Components, their Service members, and the outstanding supportive employers who go above and beyond.”

ESGR received 2,777 nominations for this prestigious award for employers throughout the 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and District of Columbia. The recipients distinguished themselves by going far beyond the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA, to support their National Guard and Reserve employees. Many offered enhanced pay and benefit packages; flexible scheduling and generous leave policies; and pre- and post- deployment support. In addition, they implemented robust training to equip human resource professionals and managers to support their organization’s military serving employees; stayed connected to deployed employees by sending care packages; and took care of their employees’ families during deployments by assisting with household repairs, including them in company functions, or providing financial assistance.

The 2022 Freedom Award recipients will be recognized in local ceremonies by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve State Chairs.

The 2022 Recipients are listed by employer name, location and nominator’s service and state:

• Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Center of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska (Air National Guard, Alaska)
• Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey (Air National Guard, New Jersey)
• Charles Perry Partners Inc., Gainesville, Florida (Army National Guard, Florida)
• Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston, South Carolina (Air Force Reserve, South Carolina)
• Check Defense, Raleigh, North Carolina (Army National Guard, North Carolina)
• Coalfire Systems Inc., Westminster, Colorado (Navy Reserve, Colorado)
• Flemingsburg Police Department, Flemingsburg, Kentucky (Army National Guard, Kentucky)
• Gate City Bank, Fargo, North Dakota (Army National Guard, North Dakota)
• HJ Pertzborn Plumbing and Fire Protection, Madison, Wisconsin (Army Reserve, Wisconsin)
• Infinity Systems Engineering, LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Air Force Reserve, Colorado)
• Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Golden, Colorado (Air National Guard, Colorado)
• Phoenix Fab, LLC, Chandler, Arizona (Air National Guard, Arizona)
• Storm Lake Police Department, Storm Lake, Iowa (Army National Guard, Iowa)
• TeleTracking Technologies, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (Army Reserve, Pennsylvania)
• UT-Battelle (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Air National Guard, Tennessee)

For more information about the Freedom Award, visit www.FreedomAward.mil. To learn more about ESGR, a program of the Defense Personnel and Family Support Office, visit www.ESGR.mil.

About ESGR

ESGR is a Department of Defense office that develops and promotes supportive work environments for service members in the Reserve Components through outreach, recognition, and educational opportunities that increase awareness of applicable laws. It also provides assistance in resolving conflicts between Service members and their employers.

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WASHINGTON – Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) proudly announces the 30 finalists for the 2021 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The finalists include small and large private and public sector employers nominated by a National Guard or Reserve Component employee employed in their organization. ESGR received 3,382 nominations for this prestigious award for employers throughout the 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and District of Columbia. 

WASHINGTON – The Department of Defense is pleased to announce the 2021 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award Nomination Season opens October 1, 2020. The Award, commonly referred to as the Freedom Award, is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for exemplary support of their National Guard and Reserve employees.

 

WASHINGTON – Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) proudly announces the 30 finalists for the 2020 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The finalists include small and large private and public sector employers, nominated by a National Guard or Reserve employee in their organization. ESGR received 2,623 nominations for this prestigious award for employers throughout the 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and District of Columbia.

Reserve Component Service members may nominate their employer for prestigious honor from October 1 through December 31, 2019.

If your organization goes above and beyond in its support for Guardsmen or Reservists, nominate it for the 2017 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award! Nomination season opens October 1 and runs through December 31.