ARLINGTON, Va. – Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense agency, honored 15 employers September 22nd with the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. Prior to the ceremony, recipients met privately with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.  During this meeting, the recipients presented Secretary Panetta with the first Statement of Support signed under his watch. 

By signing a Statement of Support, this year’s 15 recipients join employers 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 appreciate the values, leadership and unique skills service members bring to the workforce and will encourage opportunities to hire Guardsmen, Reservists and Veterans.
*We will continually recognize and support our country’s service members and their families in peace, in crises and in war.

Only 145 companies have been presented the Freedom Award since it was first instituted in 1996. Freedom Award recipients distinguish themselves by going to extraordinary lengths to support their military employees. This year’s honorees range from a small church in South Dakota, to two sheriff’s departments, to major automotive, technology, and banking corporations. The recipients were honored by senior Department of Defense officials during the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award ceremony.

Since September 11, 2001, over 820,000 Guard and Reserve have been activated, with almost one-half of the total U.S. military strength residing in the Guard and Reserve.  Employers across America continue to provide significant support to their employees in the Guard and Reserve, despite ongoing combat operations and reduced workforces during an uncertain economy. This year more than 4,000 Guard and Reserve members nominated employers for exceptional support.

This year’s recipients are:

Employer Location
3M  St. Paul, Minn.  
Ameren Corporation St. Louis, Mo.
Burt County Sheriff’s Office Tekamah, Neb.
CSX Transportation  Jacksonville, Fla.
Electrical Contractors, Inc.  Omaha, Neb.
Ford Motor Company  Dearborn, Mich.
Hanson Professional Services Inc.  Springfield, Ill.
Integrity Applications Incorporated Chantilly, Va.
Orange County Sheriff’s Department  Santa Ana, Calif.
Qwest Communications, Denver, Colo., now CenturyLink, Inc. Monroe, La.
St. John’s Lutheran Church  Yankton, S.D.
State Employees’ Credit Union  Raleigh, N.C.
The Principal Financial Group  Des Moines, Iowa
Town of Gilbert  Gilbert, Ariz.
Wells Fargo & Company  San Francisco, Calif.

About ESGR and the Freedom Award:
The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of ESGR to recognize exceptional support from the employer community. ESGR was established in 1972 to develop and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service. ESGR advocates relevant initiatives, recognizes outstanding support, increases awareness of applicable laws, and resolves conflict between service members and employers. Paramount to ESGR's mission is encouraging employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, global perspective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce. 

Photos, videos and information on the recipients can be found at www.FreedomAward.mil.