National ESGR honors state employer

By 1st Sgt. Vaughn R. Larson

Wisconsin National Guard

Green Bay-based Schneider National experienced another first Wednesday (May 30) when it received the inaugural Extraordinary Employer Support Award for large employers from the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).

Jim Rebholz, ESGR national chairman, said the award was created approximately 45 days earlier.

"We had no way, in the Department of Defense, to recognize ongoing support," Rebholz said, noting that Schneider National was also the first recipient of the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award in 1996, when only one award was given per year.

Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, pointed out that one of the criteria to receive the Extraordinary Employer Support Award was five years or more of sustained excellence in supporting National Guard and Reserves troops.

"I had to smile, because we just celebrated your 20th anniversary of commitment to veterans," Dunbar said. "I think if you looked up 'employer support to the veteran' in the dictionary, you'd see a picture of Schneider National right there."

Mike Hinz, vice president for driver recruiting at Schneider National, said that "hundreds and hundreds of our employees" are from the National Guard and the Reserves.

"We greatly appreciate the recognition ... for doing something that you're passionate about and truly believe in," Hinz said, "and that is putting our great men and women currently serving and prior service in a career where they can leverage all the investment our nation has made in them. That's what I believe we do at Schneider National - take the investment from the United States and its citizens and put those men and women into jobs where they can do great things across our country.

 Jim Rebholz (third from right), national chairman of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, presented Schneider National of Green Bay with the inaugural Extraordinary Employer Support Award Wednesday (May 30) in Witmer Hall at Joint Force Headquarters, Madison, Wis. The award recognizes Schneider's long-standing support of the military as well as former service members. Also pictured are members of the Wisconsin National Guard, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and U.S. Navy Reserve. Wisconsin National Guard photo by 1st Sgt. Vaughn R. Larson

"It's a real privilege for us," Hinz continued. "There is an absolute patriotic good feeling we get by doing the right things, by making sure we have a strong National Guard and strong Reserve forces, because they've got jobs in communities. We all know that a fully employed and fully engaged Reservist or Guardsman makes a better Soldier, a better Sailor, a better Marine, because they have a stable base. And that's what we hope to do."