ANNVILLE, Pa. – Pennsylvania Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an office of the Department of Defense, announced that State Chair Marty Kuhar and Chair Emeritus–Southeast Area Chair Wes Craig held a Military Outreach event with the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. John Pippy and his senior staff.
Pennsylvania ESGR is particularly proud to continue its longtime relationship with Pennsylvania’s National Guard. State Chair and key leaders of the state’s ESGR volunteer force meets annually with the State’s Adjutant General and senior staff to discuss how ESGR can provide critical support to both servicemembers and their employers.
Craig opened the meeting by stating: “Pennsylvania’s National Guard strength is the third largest in the nation and numbers over 18,000. This makes ESGR’s mission extremely important and bridges any gaps or misunderstanding of servicemember obligations to their employers and misconceptions employers may have about the commitments their employees have made to the defense of freedom.”
Kuhar continued the meeting by discussing Pennsylvania ESGR’s organizational structure and chain of command. Kuhar and Craig then proceeded to familiarize attendees with ESGR’s mission statement, goals and objectives.
Talks then focused on Pennsylvania ESGR’s 2024 accomplishments and events in support of service members, beginning with discussions about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) briefings presented to Guard units coupled with Ombudsman activities related to USERRA inquiries. Kuhar indicated that each briefing concluded with a reminder to servicemembers to submit a Patriot Award recommendation through the ESGR.mil website.
Craig, who is a past Pennsylvania National Guard Adjutant General, discussed the importance of continuing USERRA briefing to servicemembers and mentioned that approximately 30 briefings were presented in 2024. Kuhar requested a list of mobilizing and demobilizing Guard unit schedules for 2025. Kuhar indicated the importance this information so that ESGR could plan supporting units through individualized unit briefings or at Yellow Ribbon events.
The importance of Employer Outreach is a joint initiative that included proactive engagement by both Guard and ESGR personnel. Outreach engagement available to servicemembers is through the extensive ESGR award program that enables them to recognize their employer by nominating them for a Patriot Award. In addition to the Patriot Award, there are numerous others that may be presented by the State Chair or ESGR’s National Headquarters; the highest being the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award.
In 2004, there were 89 state and national press releases announcing Patriot Award, State ESGR, and National ESGR awards. The total number of Patriot Award nominations is far greater than those appearing in press releases as servicemembers can choose to have awards presented by an ESGR volunteer or have them sent to their home address for a personal presentation. Craig noted that there have been over 3,000 Patriot Awards presented in the past seven years.
Kuhar then mentioned that the Guard’s servicemembers submitted 65 employer nominations for the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award for the 2024 nomination period which closed on December 31st. He noted that the nominations were evaluated by a team of volunteers and three in the categories of large business, small business, and public service were forwarded to ESGR’s National Headquarters for review. Kuhar commended the Guard’s command group for the excellent quality of the nomination. He told the attendees that Freedom Awards were presented to a small business in 2022, CAM Superline, and to a large business in 2023, Fulton Bank.
One of the highlights of ESGR’s employer engagement activities is the annual Employer Awards luncheon that is held in mid to late August. This event recognizes employers nominated for the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award whose nomination was not submitted to National ESGR for review. This year’s luncheon will honor 65 employers by presenting them with a State Chair or National ESGR award that is based on the strength of their employee’s nomination.
Kuhar mentioned that nominations for the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award, one in each of three categories, were submitted to National ESGR for review:
ESGR’s employer engagement exceeded all expectations in 2024. With strong support from Guard and Reserve forces, Pennsylvania ESGR conducted three BossLift events at Ft. Indiantown Gap, Biddle Air National Guard Base and Johnstown Airport. Kuhar mentioned that ESGR is looking at continuing this outstanding program that orients employers to ‘what it takes’ to train as a member of the Reserve forces.
In closing the meeting, Brig. Gen. Pippy indicated the Command’s appreciation for all the hard work and dedication of all Pennsylvania ESGR volunteers on organizational mission objectives. He committed his staff to continue working with ESGR to further brief servicemembers of their rights and obligations under USERRA and the planned Employer Outreach programs.
ESGR, a Department of Defense office, seeks to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. ESGR facilitates and promotes a cooperative culture of employer support for National Guard and Reserve service by developing and advocating mutually beneficial initiatives, recognizing outstanding employer support, increasing awareness of applicable laws and policies, resolving potential conflicts between employers and their service members, and acting as the employers’ principal advocate within DoD. Paramount to ESGR's mission is encouraging employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, a global perspective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce.
For more information about ESGR Outreach Programs, or ESGR volunteer opportunities, please call 1-800-336-4590 or visit www.ESGR.mil/PA
Photo: Brig. Gen. Pippy, head of table; to his immediate right, Craig; Kuhar; and General’s Staff