MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota Army National Guard 2nd Lt. Theriault, 257 Military Police Company,) and Spc. Emily Susa, 34 Military Police Company (ARNG) each presented an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award to their employment supervisor, Police Commander Adam Gray.

The awards were presented July 15 at the Mankato Department of Public Safety (Police) in recognition of Adam’s support of his employees’ service to the Army National Guard (ARNG).

Gregory wrote, “Adam Gray is a commander at my police department and is responsible for my work schedule. He is extremely supportive of my military service and takes the extra effort to schedule my work around my drill dates six months in advance. He works one on one with me and seeks my input to ensure I get the schedule that works best for me, the ARNG, and the police department. He is consistently supportive with those in our department who are serving in the military and is proactive in recognizing their sacrifices.”

Emily wrote, “Commander Gray devotes countless hours to ensure all employees are taken care of and tries to account for everyone’s needs. He is always willing to work with others to try to find a solution that benefits all. Commander Gray is an honest, hardworking, and caring individual that also has family ties to the military. Commander Gray is appreciative of all of our department’s employees who are in the military as he believes our military service is an asset to the police department and the community that we serve. He is always understanding of our busy schedules and the days that we must take off work to attend drills, training, activations, and deployments. As I am not the only individual in the military at the department, I have seen him positively interact with other service members, expressing his appreciation for our service.”

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 service member 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.
In addition to presenting a Patriot Award, Adam Gray signed two Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Statements of Support, confirming that the Mankato Police Department joins other employers in pledging:

• We fully recognize, honor, and comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment 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 Paul Ragatz, an ESGR Ombudsman/Minnesota Committee member. 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 provides assistance in resolving conflicts between Service members and their employers. This year, 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: Paul Ragatz, Gregory Theriault, Adam Gray, Emily Susa (Photo courtesy of Paul Ragatz)