MIDLOTHIAN, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois National Guard will hold a ceremony in the southern Chicago suburb of Midlothian to honor a fallen soldier and present several awards.  Army Sgt. Christopher Abeyta, a 23-year-old Midlothian resident, was killed in action in Afghanistan in March.  During the memorial at Bremen High School on Nov. 3, his family will donate his uniforms to the Midlothian Historical Society.
 

To read more, go to WQAD.com or KWWL.com

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - The Mississippi Highway Patrol is being honored for their dedication to our states armed forces. 

To read more, go to WLBT.com

It bothers me that almost half of U.S. National Guard and reservists have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. West Point graduate Bill McDowell, East Wenatchee, said our country has never fought a war using so many soldiers from our Reserve Component. “Some people have too much time devoted to reserves over the years as a portion of their retirement and can’t afford to say to hell with it, despite severe hardships. I sure want to help those service men and women.”   Bill is one of 4,500 volunteers in the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a volunteer agency in the Department of Defense whose mission is: gain and maintain employer support for reserve service, increase awareness of the law, and resolve conflict through mediation.
 

To read more, go to Clear Skies Common Sense by Jim Russell

GAINESVILLE – A Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) employee was recently recognized for his support of a fellow employee and U.S. Naval Reservist.

To read more, to go AccessNorthGa.com

If an employee doesn't show up for work, he should be fired, right? Well, Southwest Coaches doesn't think so. Not when there's a good reason for being absent.  One of their school bus drivers, MM1/SS Shawn Bingham, has been called to active duty as a navy reservist and departs Nov. 13. He'll be gone about a year.

To read more, go to Independent

Virgin Islands Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (VIESGR) has sworn in a new state chair during the national conference that was held Oct. 27, on St. Croix. State Chair Ben Mitchell was first sworn in before national officials during the Employer Support State Chair Conference in Washington, D.C. The week -long conference, held Sept. 13-19, featured Vice President Joe Biden as its key note speaker, the oath of leadership from 56 state chairs and a wealth of training to enhance the ESGR mission.

To read more, go to St. Thomas Source

MUSCATINE, Iowa — Community Services director Mike Johannsen told the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors that his department is “seeing the effects of the economic downturn,” as needs for its support have increased.  Johannsen addressed the Board during its Monday night meeting.  One area of concern is prescription drugs, some of which cost around $800 for a 30-day supply. Johannsen said there are no generics available for some of the more expensive, name-brand medications. That adds expense for the Community Services program that helps pay for prescription drugs.
 

To read more, go to Muscatine Journal

Eric Von Muenster and Timothy Dahl of Pioneer Hi Bred International were nominated for being highly supportive of the National Guard by their National Guard reserve employee, Ron Forburger ... Supportive supervisors are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation's National Guard and Reserve units.

To read more, go to DayLife

OLATHE, Kan., Oct. 26, 2009 — Five food retailers and wholesalers have been honored with Retail Patriot awards for “going beyond the call of duty” in their support of our active military troops and veterans.

To read more, go to EReleases.com, Reuters, SEO, or dBusinessNews

STARKVILLE — The Nucor steel plant in Starkville Friday morning dedicated the fruits of a project designed to keep its employees working.  Nucor, which has been in Starkville since it purchased Gulf States Manufacturers in 2007, specializes in making steel buildings for companies looking to grow their business. But demand has decreased during the downturn.

To read more, go to The Commercial Dispatch

PHOENIX - The Arizona Army National Guard's Outstanding Soldier Competition Awards banquet was held at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel in Tempe on Saturday. 

To read more, go to ABC15.com

Fallon attorney Steve Evenson bought his employees' excuse it was a belated Boss' Day lunch. However, it was a ploy to get him dressed up to accept three awards for his support of the Guard and Reserve.

To read more, go to Lahontan Valley News

Pike County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Price plays a big role in law enforcement. But, Sheriff Russell Thomas said that’s minimal compared to his other work — protecting freedom.

To read more, go to TroyMessenger.com

A local judge is selected to receive top honors from a Department of Defense agency.

The employer Support of the Guard and Reserve presented Judge Joe Lopez with the Patriot Award early this afternoon.

To watch the video, go to Pro8News.com

The Delaware Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an agency of the Department of Defense, announced nearly 25 employers of 512th Airlift Wing reservists participated in Employer Appreciation Day Oct. 3, at the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover.

To read more, go to CapeGazette.com

The Patriot Award was given to Deb Lee, Concordia’s director of Dining Services, on Sept., 22, to recognize the extra responsibilities she took on when a co-worker was on leave for National Guard training.

To read more, go to The Concordian

RUDOLPH -- R. Scott Blanke, president of Bank-A-Count Corp., signed a Statement of Support on Sept. 29, pledging its commitment to stand behind its employees that serve in the Guard and Reserve. Blanke also was presented with a Patriot Award.

To read more, go to Wisconsin Rapids Tribune

Corinna Blaschke, revenue audit manager for Majestic Pines Casino and Whitetail Crossing, and her staff were presented with a Patriot Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in a ceremony Sept. 29 at Majestic Pines Casino in Black River Falls.

To read more, go to Jackson County Chronicle

The summer is over, fall has arrived and I think to myself WOW what a summer! I’m not going to wine about how fast it went or about not getting anything done. I know where it went and it was awesome! I thought I'd share one of my adventures this summer.
One day in late April I received an e-mail from the CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa, of which I am a board member. It read: "The Executive Director of the Iowa Chapter of Employer Support for the Guard & Reserve has made available to our chapter a seat on a BOSS Lift June 10th to Camp McCoy in Wisconsin. One of those big helicopters (at this point in the letter I hit reply and said I’d take it) that transports troops will leave Camp Dodge early the morning of June 10th and will return that evening. A group of Iowa guardsmen will be training for deployment at Ft. McCoy and so you will be getting the opportunity to observe their training exercises that day. There is just one seat available and you must have signed a Statement of Support (SOS) with ESGR to participate. Again, there is just one seat available and it will be awarded on a first-come/first-served basis.”
 

To read more, go to UBurlington

Oct. 13, 2009 - The Pentagon's top civilian official for Guard and Reserve matters and uniformed reserve-component leaders pledged to support employers of the nation's Guard and Reserve members at a Pentagon ceremony today. Dennis M. McCarthy, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, was the first official to sign the statement of support sponsored by the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. The ceremony was held in the chief of naval operations' dining room.

To read more, go to Military News

MOLINE, Ill. – Mr. David L. McGinnis, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, announced that Mr. Mert Hornbuckle, Vice President of Deere & Company Human Resources, signed a Statement of Support for the National Guard and Reserve on October 13, 2009.

To read more, go to Quad Cities Online

J.T. Nangle, director of hospitality at Stormy Point Village, was given a Patriot Award this week by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense organization.

Nangle was nominated for the award by his employee, Army Spc Denise Fly.  Fly is with the National Guard 117th Asphalt Team in Monett, a unit trained to build roads.

To read more, go to Branson Tri-Lakes News

The newly appointed U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs is in Montana to support the state, as the state supports Montana troops.

Dennis McCarthy met with the Montana League of Cities and Towns to sign a statement of support which affirms that Montana's cities will stand behind members of the military through job support.

To read more, go to MontanasNewsStation.com

Tallahassee—The Florida League of Cities has initiated a statewide effort to encourage all 410 municipalities to sign an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Statement of Support (SOS).  League members passed a resolution in support of the National Guard and Reserve at its annual meeting held in August.

To read more, go to Washington County News

GROTON, Conn. - The Massachusetts Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) visit USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) during their tour, Oct. 2. The ESGR group took a tour of Naval Submarine Base New London (SUBASE), USS New Hampshire and the Submarine Force Library and Museum. They also got the opportunity to watch the SUBASE firefighters in action, as well as a demonstration from the dog handlers. Following the SUBASE tour, the ESGR members were treated to lunch at Cross Hall Galley.

To read more, go to The Dolphin