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(BLOOMINGTON, IL) “Thank you and your company for leading the way,” Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Thomas Hall, told Edward Rust, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of State Farm Insurance Companies, May 9 when State Farm signed an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Statement of Support for the National Guard and Reserve on behalf of the more than 1,600 State Farm locations nationwide.

“Most of all, thank you all for everything you are doing,” Hall told the hundreds of State Farm employees on hand for the signing ceremony at the Bloomington-based company’s Corporate South complex.

By signing a Statement of Support State Farm joins with thousands of other supportive employers across the country in pledging that:

• We fully recognize, honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA).

• Our managers and supervisors will have the tools they need to effectively manage those employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.

• We will continually recognize and support our country’s service members and their families in peace, in crises and in war.

“It’s clear that State Farm respects what these men and women do while they are serving in the Reserves and National Guard,” Rust commented to the crowd before stepping to the table to sign the Statement of Support on behalf of the company.

“I would like to thank Ed Rust for signing this Statement of Support on behalf of the many State Farm locations across the country,” said John Scully, state chair for the Illinois ESGR committee. “By signing a Statement of Support, State Farm is publicly acknowledging both the importance of service in the National Guard and Reserve and the company’s commitment to supporting its employees who serve in uniform.”

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 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.

For more information on ESGR, please contact Beth Sherman at 703-380-9717.