WASHINGTON – The Department of Defense presented the Freedom Award to 15 recipients of the 2024 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award--the highest U.S. government honor to employers for support of National Guard and Reserve employees.
The recipients include small and large private and public sector employers nominated by a National Guard or Reserve Component Service member employed in their organization. Celebrating its 29th year, the Freedom Award began in 1996 under the auspices of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to recognize exceptional employer support, with 355 honorees to date.
The award presentation ceremony took place at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Among those honored with the Freedom Award was Fulton Bank, headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Accepting the award on behalf of the bank was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Curtis Meyers. Fulton Bank was nominated for the award by Col. Brett Gagnon of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
“On behalf of the Department of Defense, congratulations to the 2024 Employer Support Freedom Award recipients as we mark the 29th year of this highly coveted recognition,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III. “We appreciate everything they do for our National Guardsmen, our Reservists, and their families. Employer support is just as important today as it was over 50 years ago when our nation transitioned to an All-Volunteer force. Without the unfaltering support of employers like this year’s recipients, the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve would not be able to fulfill their vital mission in support of our nation’s defense and security. It is a great honor for me to recognize these employers.”
ESGR received 1,758 nominations for this prestigious award for employers throughout the 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and District of Columbia. The recipients distinguished themselves by going far beyond the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA, to support their National Guard and Reserve employees. Many offered enhanced pay and benefit packages, flexible scheduling, generous leave policies and pre- and post- deployment support. In addition, they implemented robust training to equip human resource professionals and managers to support their organization’s military serving employees; stayed connected to deployed employees by sending care packages and took care of their employees’ families during deployments by assisting with household repairs, including them in company functions, or providing financial assistance.
ESGR, a Department of Defense office, seeks to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. ESGR facilitates and promotes a cooperative culture of employer support for National Guard and Reserve service by developing and advocating mutually beneficial initiatives, recognizing outstanding employer support, increasing awareness of applicable laws and policies, resolving potential conflicts between employers and their service members, and acting as the employers’ principal advocate within DoD. Paramount to ESGR's mission is encouraging employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, a global perspective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce.
For more information about ESGR Outreach Programs, or ESGR volunteer opportunities, please call 1-800-336-4590 or visit www.ESGR.mil/PA
Photo (L to R): Ashish S. Vazirani, Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Curtis Meyers, Chairman and CEO of Fulton Bank, and John Sampa, ESGR National Chair.
Photo (L to R): Col. Gagnon and Chairman and CEO Meyer
Video of the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award presentation ceremony may be viewed at the following site: www.dvidshub.net/webcast/34787