EAST BETHEL, Minn. – Sgt. Nick Huspek of the Army National Guard presented the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award to his employment supervisor, Rich Winkle. The award was presented recently at the RAK Construction office in recognition of Rich’s support of his employee's service to the Minnesota National Guard.

Nick was very appreciative of Rich’s support and assistance with his service, training requirements and or deployments and he wanted to honor Rich.

An employee serving in the National Guard or Military Reserve, or the spouse of a National Guard or Military Reserve member, may nominate individual supervisors for the Patriot Award for support provided directly to the nominating Service member and his or her family. The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.

In addition to being presented a Patriot Award, Rich signed an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Statement of Support, confirming that the company joins other employers in pledging:

We fully recognize, honor, and comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA).
We will provide our managers and supervisors with the tools they need to effectively manage 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.

Also present were John Briegel and Bob Boone ESGR Minnesota Committee members. ESGR is a Department of Defense office that develops and promotes supportive work environments for service members in the National Guard and Reserve through outreach, recognition, and educational opportunities that increase awareness of applicable laws. ESGR also provides assistance in resolving conflicts between Service members and their employers.

This year, ESGR celebrates over 51 years of excellence in support of the Reserve Components and their civilian employers. For more information about ESGR outreach programs or volunteer opportunities, call (800) 336-4590 or visit www.ESGR.mil.

Photo left to right: Bob Boone, Sgt. Nick Huspek and Rich Winkle (Photo courtesy of John Briegel)