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Alexandria, Va. -- Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USN-Ret., president of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), presented the MOAA Ombudsman Award to Karla Hewitt of Nashville, Tenn., at the 2009 Leadership Training Conference sponsored by the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), on January 29, 2009 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.

Ryan recognized Hewitt’s tremendous efforts as an Ombudsman with the ESGR Committee of the Department of Defense, where she helps to resolve disputes between service members and their employers which arise under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). 

 “On behalf of the 375,000 members of MOAA, thank you for allowing us to recognize the hard work all of you do to support of reserve forces.” Ryan said, ‘At MOAA we like to use a phrase “servant leadership” and this group represents what servant leadership is all about”. The award consists of a certificate, a laser engraved crystal cube, and a check for $1,000.

Hewitt is an attorney in Nashville with the firm of Karla C. Hewitt & Associates, PLLC where she practices in the areas of family and domestic relations law, wills and probate and personal injury. She has never declined to take a case or complete a case due to her busy schedule.

As she accepted the award Hewitt said, “Before I got involved with ESGR I had no idea about USERRA laws and how important they are. The work done by ESGR is crucial to the readiness of our Reserve Forces and to be recognized for the work I did is very satisfying.”

MOAA is the nation's largest veterans group for active duty, Guard, Reserve, former, and retired military officers and their surviving spouses. They teamed with the ESGR to sponsor this award.