The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given to employers for their support of their employees who also serve in the National Guard and Reserve. Nominations must come from a Guard or Reserve member who is employed by the organization they are nominating, or a family member of the same. The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 by Secretary of Defense William Perry. The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), the lead Department of Defense agency for gaining employer support, is charged with planning, coordinating and executing this program. The award was created to publicly recognize employers who provide exceptional support to their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. The award is the highest in a series of ESGR awards that include the Patriot Award, the Above and Beyond Award, and the Pro Patria Award. Nominations for the 2006 award will be accepted from Jan. 9, 2006 to 8 a.m. EST March 1, 2006. A thorough selection process will take into consideration specific support provided by an employer, including pay policies, benefits and leave policies, previous ESGR awards, supervisor training, ESGR advocacy, service member recognition, family support, deployed member support, hiring preferences, and general military support. This process will culminate at a formal awards ceremony in the fall to recognize up to 15 award recipients. |