Nine Wisconsin Employers Honored by Department of Defense

Provided Exemplary Support of their Employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve

(Madison, WI) – The Wisconsin Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an agency of the Department of Defense, announced today that it honored nine state employers with its Above and Beyond Award in recognition of extraordinary support shown their employees who serve in the Wisconsin National Guard or Armed Forces Reserve units.

To be considered for this recognition, employers must be nominated by an employee serving in a Reserve Component (RC) of the United States military and must provide support exceeding what is required by federal law.  In 2009, over 250 Wisconsin military service members nominated their employer for recognition of their support.  The following employers were selected as providing the most exemplary support in 2009 to their military employees:

Fox Valley Surgical Associates Ltd. – Appleton

Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office – Milwaukee

Tyco Fire Suppression Building Products – Marinette

Rock County Sheriff’s Office – Janesville

Saint Michael’s Hospital – Stevens Point

Bank-A-Count Corporation – Rudolph

Logistics Health Incorporated – La Crosse

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Waukesha

Manitowoc Cranes – Manitowoc

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According to Norman McKonly, Chair of the Wisconsin ESGR Committee, “The ESGR ‘Above and Beyond’ Award was created to publicly recognize American Employers who provide extraordinary patriotic support and cooperation to their employees — citizen warriors who since our nation’s inception, have answered its call to serve.  Supportive employers are critical to maintaining the strength, readiness, and mission effectiveness of the nation’s National Guard and Reserve.”

These nine employers, first and foremost, have established human resources policies which ensure compliance with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). They also ensure those policies are communicated and understood at each level of supervision.  Beyond that, many employers provide “Above and Beyond” support with pay differential to offset loss of wages, extension of health care benefits which complement coverage provided to mobilized military personnel, and a variety of other types of assistance which ease the employee’s transition to their military role or looks after their family in their absence.

In addition, three of these employers received ESGR’s prestigious Pro Patria Award, their highest award for a Wisconsin employer, by providing the most noteworthy support among employers in their respective categories.  Receiving the Pro Patria Award were:

Fox Valley Surgical Associates Ltd – Small Private Employer Category

Logistics Health Incorporated – Large Private Employer Category

Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office – Public Employer Category

In accepting the award for Logistics Health Incorporated, CEO Don Weber said, “It is my vision that our soldiers should never have to worry about their civilian jobs…not when they return home, and certainly not when they are on the battlefield.  The cost of freedom cannot be borne entirely by our soldiers.  As business leaders, we have the power to ease the soldier’s transition back into the way of life she or he has fought to preserve. We have the power to ensure they can focus on war when they are warriors, peace when they are peacemakers, and civilian life when they are civilians.”

The award packages for these three employers have now been accepted by the National ESGR headquarters and will be among a group of 130 exceptional employers nationwide being considered for one of the fifteen 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award recipients.  The Freedom Award is the nation’s highest Department of Defense award for US employers.  Results of this rigorous selection process should be announced in July.

As the 1.3 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of long and challenging missions within America’s borders and beyond, ESGR will remain a dedicated resource for the employers of its citizen warriors. ESGR recognizes outstanding support, increases awareness of the law, and resolves conflict through mediation.  More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.esgr.mil, or by calling 608-242-3169.

Photos can be found on Facebook

 Contact: Mike Smith     608-516-5127       mike.smith23@us.army.mil 

National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

1555 Wilson Blvd., Suite 319, Arlington, VA 22209

800-336-4590  www.esgr.mil