ROCHESTER, Minn. – Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Trey Johnson presented his nurse managers Julie Stene and Dana Wachter, both registered nurses, with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award Nov. 15. Dana and Julie work for the Mayo Clinic St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester.
Julie and Dana were nominated for the Patriot Award because of their ongoing support of Johnson in his role as a Guardsman. According to Johnson, "they are very helpful when I need to be gone, at times for extended periods with little notice. I have never felt like it has been a problem for me to be gone from my role as a Health Unit Coordinator, although I realize it makes more work for my peers in my work unit.”
In addition to presenting the Patriot Award, Julie and Dana signed the ESGR Statement of Support, confirming 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 was Trish Gathje, an ESGR Minnesota Committee member. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve 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 and increased awareness of applicable laws. ESGR also aids in resolving conflicts between Service members and their employers. This year, ESGR celebrated 51 years of excellence in the Support of the Reserve Components and their civilian employers. For more information about ESGR outreach programs or volunteer opportunities go to www.esgr.mil/mn.
Photo 1: L to R, Trish Gathje, ESGR Volunteer. Dana Wachter, Staff Sgt. Trey Johnson, and Julie Stene after the presentation of the awards. Photo 2: Dana Wachter and Julie Stene sign the ESGR Statement of Support with Staff Sgt. Johnson looking on.