Little Rock's Dassault Falcon Jet was honored today by the Department of Defense for its outstanding patriotic support to America's soldiers and airmen. The award was given in the Little Rock airport facility that employs more than 2,500 Arkansans, 900 of whom are former military personnel and 26 of whom are active in the Arkansas National Guard or Army, Naval, Marine Corps or Air Force Reserve.

Richard Green, Arkansas program specialist for the DOD's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, presented the Patriot Award to Eric F. Tate, director of human resources for Dassault Falcon Jet. He said, "the Patriot Award was created by ESGR to publicly recognize individuals who provide outstanding patriotic support and cooperation to their employees, who like the citizen warriors before them, have answered their nation's call to serve. Eric Tate was nominated for being highly supportive of the National Guard and Reserve Service by his Reserve component employee[s]. Supportive supervisors are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation's National Guard and Reserve units."

Tate said he was extremely proud of their employees who are members of the National Guard and Reserve.

"Their value has never been more evident than today. The Guard and Reserves are simultaneously serving in the military overseas fighting wars on our behalf and they are our first line of defense for catastrophes on the home front," Tate said.

He also noted that Dassault Falcon Jet hires many former military members, noting the more than 900 employed in Little Rock alone. Tate said they often come off the military flight line and begin work with his company the next day. He said his company depended upon the military for trained aviation technicians, from avionics technicians to jet engine mechanics.

Like many Arkansas companies, Tate said Dassault Falcon Jet doesn't count the annual two weeks of military training against employee's vacation time. He said they even supplement the pay of those who might be paid less for their military duty than they'd earn at work. Long-term deployments are a little different, Tate said, but they allow employees to continue employee benefits as needed while they're on a tour of duty. And they keep in touch with their employees and families to help support them both financially where needed and through family support groups.

Dassault Falcon Jet is responsible for selling and supporting Falcon business jets throughout the world. They have more than 8,000 employees globally, Tate said. Its parent company, Dassault Aviation, is a leading aerospace company with a presence in more than 70 countries across five continents. It produces the Mirage and Rafale fighter jets as well as a complete line of Falcon business jets.

With assembly and production plants in both France and the United States, the Little Rock Completion Center is the largest in the company with a million square feet of production space and 2,500 employees. Green presented the award to Tate, retired Arkansas Air National Guard Master Sgt. Tim Stockdale of Hot Springs, Arkansas Army National Guardsman Wesley Long of North Little Rock and Jacqueline Calhoun of Searcy, a member of the Arkansas Air National Guard's 189th Airlift Wing.

By Bill Lawson
Stephens Media
blawson@arkansasnews.com