Manchester, NH -- The New Hampshire Committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee (NHESGR), an agency of the Department of Defense, honored the state’s most supportive employers during an awards and recognition luncheon at the committee’s Annual Training and Awards Program held in Manchester at St. Anselm College on January 9, 2010.
The following recognitions were presented during the event: The Patriot Award is a certificate awarded on behalf of the Department of Defense by the local ESGR Committee to a co-worker or first line supervisor of a military Reservist. The awardee receives a certificate and a lapel pin (displaying crossed American and ESGR flags and the inscription “Patriot”). All members of the National Guard and Reserves can nominate deserving employers for the Patriot Award.
During fiscal year 2009, the NHESGR presented 74 Patriot Awards. Awards were presented to the following individuals during last month’s ceremony:
Comcast Supervisor Danielle Ferguson-Macklin who was nominated by Spec. Jennifer Sawler, 39th Army Band, NH National Guard; MJ Hayward Mechanical/Electrical Services, Vice President Michael Hayward nominated by Sgt. John Drye, US Marine Corps Reserve; the Town of Middleton, N.H., represented by Selectmen Roger Mains, Todd Lapierre and John Mullen, Town Administrator Tony Simon, and Chief Randy Sobel of the Middleton Police Department, was nominated by First Sgt. Stacy Gilman, a member of the 439th Civil Engineer Squadron, US Air Force Reserve, stationed at Westover Air Reserve Base; Michael Quinlan, of Transparent Language, was nominated by Lance Cpl. Casey Cheshire, a member of Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Corps Reserve; Joe Barbone, of Methuen Construction Company, Salem, N.H., was nominated by Warrant Officer Andrew Marquis, a member of the 136th Vertical Construction Engineer Company, Maine National Guard, located in Lewiston; and Supervisor Ethan Bird, of Securitas, USA, Manchester, was nominated by a currently deployed soldier, Sgt. Edward Matayka, of Company C, 186th Brigade Support Battalion.
Drye said of his employer that “I’ve been with the company for four years, and they are always willing to work around my schedule, giving me the time off I need to accomplish my military support mission.”
Annually, each local ESGR committee presents the Chairman’s “Above and Beyond” Award, an honor bestowed in limited numbers. It recognizes those employers who have voluntarily exceeded the legal requirements for supporting employees’ military duty. Examples of this include maintaining personal contact with a deployed service member; providing “care packages” for the member and/or unit; and supporting the employee’s family during the deployment. Additionally, companies provide pay differential; family insurance continuation; or monetary benefits.
This year’s award recipients include: Merrimack County Department of Corrections, represented by Superintendant Ronald White was nominated by Staff Sgt. Nathan Hicks, a member of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 304th Regiment, 98th Training Division, currently mobilized at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.; Supervisor Lee Beachey and Executive Vice President Robert Curtis, both of Laconia Savings Bank, nominated by Chief Warrant Officer Ralph Wegner, a member of Joint Forces Headquarters, NH National Guard; EFI-VUTek of Meredith, represented by Human Resources Director Mike Patsos, Manager of Engineers Bart Kulesz and Supervisor John Henderson, was nominated by Capt. Brian Calhoun, commander of Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Brigade; Tyco Telecommunications, represented by Jonathan Dufour, was nominated by Master Sgt. Peter Vatistas, a member of the 157th Air Refueling Wing, N.H. Air National Guard, at Pease Air National Guard Base; and Plymouth State University, represented by Executive Director of University Relations Steve Barba and Dean of Students Dr. Tim Keefe, was nominated by the NHESGR Committee for its ongoing military-friendly policies and programs and the recent unveiling of the Alumni Association who create a campus Veterans Memorial as a visible tribute to student-veterans.
The following recipients received the Seven Seals Award: the Pease Greeters, of Portsmouth, represented by Group Leader Ed Johnson; Nashua-based Harbor Homes Inc.’s Veteran’s F.I.R.S.T. program, represented by Director of Public Relations Cynthia Andreloa; Easter Seals of New Hampshire’s Veterans Count program and its founder Michael Salter; and the Manchester Post Office and Postmaster Walter Rowland.
This year’s Pro Patria Award recipient was Merrimack Fire and Rescue for its selfless and constant support to its service member employees and to their families. The award was accepted by Fire Chief Michael Currier and Chairman of Town Council Tom Mahon. Also participating in the ceremony were Heather Newman, wife of Capt. Dan Newman; Cynthia Kiernan, wife of Staff Sgt. Michael Kiernan; and Jennifer Marsella, wife of Sgt. Jason Marsella, the spouses of the Fire and Rescue employees deployed to Afghanistan with their Army National Guard unit.
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972. The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law, and resolving conflicts through informal mediation. ESGR volunteers provide free education, consultation, and if necessary mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees.
As the 1.3 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens, ESGR will continue to be the informational agency for the employers of citizen warriors. More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at
www.esgr.mil, or by calling Jim Goss, Executive Director of the New Hampshire ESGR Committee, at (603) 225-1342.
CAPTION:
The Town of Middleton was presented a Patriot Award from the NHESGR Committee for its outstanding support of the military service of its US Air Force Reserve employee, a Middleton police officer. Left to right: NHESGR Executive Director Jim Goss; Selectman Todd Lapierre; Selectman John Mullen; First Sgt. Stacy Gilman, of the 439th Civil Engineer Squadron, Westover Air Reserve Base; Middleton Police Chief Randy Sobel; and Selectman Roger Mains.
The highest level of recognition that a state committee can present to an employer is the Pro Patria Award. This award honors one employer annually. Recipients demonstrate exceptional support for our country’s national defense by adopting personnel policies and demonstrated support that makes it easier for employees to participate in the National Guard and Reserves.
The Seven Seals Award, depicting the heraldry seals of the seven military reserve component services, is given at the discretion of the NHESGR chair to recognize the efforts by a citizen, business, or organization, whose supportive actions have benefited all of the Reserve Components in a significant manner. Recipients of this award do not necessarily employ Reservists, but have demonstrated outstanding support, commitment, and extreme patriotism to the United States military.
“My company has allowed me time off to train my unit as well as attend developmental courses to advance my military career,” Calhoun says of his employer’s support. “During my deployment to Iraq, the company provided a pay differential, continued health insurance for my family, and also sent care packages to the soldiers in my unit.”