Plymouth, Minn. - Spc. Joshua Frueh, Army National Guard nominated his supervisors at Johnson Controls for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award. On November 1, 2024 at Johnson Controls in Plymouth Jon Anderson, Tyler Boland, and Ty Schildhauer were presented with the awards by Thomas Haugo, an ESGR Minnesota Committee member. This was done for their support of Frueh's military service in the Minnesota National Guard. Frueh was very appreciative of their support and assistance with his military service and wanted to honor them. Frueh could not be present for the presentation because he was deployed to Jordan.
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 Servicemember 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.
Frueh wrote, “I would like to recognize my immediate supervisor, Jon Anderson, for the Patriot Award. Jon has been an excellent teacher and mentor for my professional development. He has spent an incredible amount time working with me into a proficient technician. Without his help and guidance, I would not have been able to become a productive member of our team. Jon has shown patience and grace when my military service has had to take precedence over my civilian life. Jon being my immediate supervisor and often colleague, has had to bear the brunt of the workload during my absences. Despite this, he has not held any ill will or disgruntlement. Jon has always “had my back” during my absences and has had the patience to work through the problems encountered when I returned. I am grateful to have learned as much as I have from Jon and honored to be a member of his team. He has demonstrated an excellent commitment to my professional and military career.” Regarding Ty Schlidhauer, Frueh wrote, “I would like to recognize my Branch Leader, Ty Schlidhauer. Ty has been an excellent leader and mentor to me and many others over the years while I have worked at Johnson Controls. Even before my military career began, he was always willing to teach, lead by example and set high standards of conduct for his employees. As I began my military career, Ty has provided me the support and flexibility I need to pursue this venture, and I am grateful. I know that there have been other former and current members of the armed forces that have received the same grace, flexibility, and understanding. I am very grateful for having the opportunity to work for a company with great leadership that understands the difficulties and demands that the military can create stress on individuals and families. I am grateful for my company’s continued financial support especially during extended periods of military service. Overall, I am most grateful to work for company with a steadfast commitment to their employees who serve and see potential in every individual.” Regarding Tyler Boland, Frueh wrote, “Tyler is an excellent teacher and mentor. He has shown an amazing amount of ingenuity, intelligence, and steadfast dedication to quality and service. I have learned an incredible amount from Tyler and am proud to have worked beside him. I have always been able to go to Tyler for advice and assistance regardless of how many tries it took to get it right. Tyler deserves to be recognized for this award despite not being my direct supervisor. He has always stepped up to lead our team and has guided me and other team members to success. Tyler has always displayed a proactive and keen mindset on proper job completion and quality. He has shown us how to achieve the highest level of results. I am most grateful to Tyler for his patience with me and my Military training requirements. My absence has caused extra work to fall on his shoulders. Tyler has never shown any resentment during my absences and has patiently kept me abreast with the progress that I have missed. As a team, we would be at a loss without his knowledge, patience, and expertise.” In addition to receiving a Patriot Award, the three supervisors 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 service members and their families, in peace, in crises and in war. 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 aids in resolving conflicts between Service members and their employers. ESGR celebrates over 52 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: Jon Anderson, Tyler Boland, Tom Haugo MN ESGR, and Ty Schildhauer.