Reservists nominate employers for support awards

4/3/2014 - ARLINGTON, Va.  -- Reservists depend on the support of their civilian employers in order to serve in the military.

Hundreds of Air Force reservists recently thanked their civilian bosses for that support. Between November and January, they nominated 309 employers for the 2014 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

The award is the Department of Defense's highest employer recognition.

Guardsmen and reservists nationwide submitted 2,864 nominations to Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, the DOD office responsible for the award program.

This year's nominees represent employers large and small from nearly every industry. The employers include airlines, grocery store chains, national retail brands and IT companies, as well as small businesses, and state and local governments.

As many as 15 employers will receive the annual award. ESGR will announce the recipients this summer and will honor them at its 19th annual Freedom Award ceremony in the Pentagon.

"These employers exemplify the true spirit of patriotism," said ESGR National Chair Paul E. Mock. "By supporting their National Guard and Reserve employees, the 2014 Freedom Award nominees demonstrate what it means to serve our Nation's Citizen Warriors."

President Barack Obama met last year's recipients and praised them for supporting their Guard and Reserve employees. The recipients also met with senior Defense Department leaders as part of the award recognition.

ESGR will announce the 2014 semifinalists later this spring. The complete list of nominations is available for view at www.FreedomAward.mil.

The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of ESGR to recognize exceptional support from the employer community. In the years since, 190 employers have been honored with the award.