Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense office, announced the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver Regional Office of Lakewood, as a finalist for the 2014 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.
The award is the department’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of National Guard and Reserve employees. The top 30 employers were selected from a pool of 2,864 nominations submitted earlier this year by National Guard and Reserve service members.
The employers selected as Freedom Award finalists distinguish themselves by supporting their National Guard and Reserve employees through policies and initiatives that go above and beyond in assisting and encouraging their military service. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver Regional Office’s nominator, an Air National Guardsman, highlighted the creation of the Military and Veterans Employment Expo, a partnership with government entities, local Chambers of Commerce, and other veteran related organizations that hosts from 200 to 1,200 attendees and offers career building session for veterans and service members.
Supervisors maintain contact with family members of deployed service members, offering childcare, grocery shopping and snow removal to ease the burden of deployment. The office participates in local events that support National Guard and Reserve members and veterans in the community.
Senior DoD officials, business leaders and prior award winners will now select up to 15 Freedom Award recipients to be honored at the 19th annual Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award ceremony at the Pentagon in September.