Big Lake Minn. - Staff Sgt. Jesse Gilbert, Army National Guard, presented the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriotic Employer Award to his employment supervisor, Jason Burns. The award was given on April 22nd at the Ziegler CAT facility in recognition of Burns’ support of his employee's service to the Minnesota National Guard. SSG Gilbert was very appreciative of Burns’ support and assistance with his Guard deployments and he wanted to honor Burns.

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 Patriotic Employer Award for support provided directly to the nominating Servicemember and his or her family. The Patriotic Employer 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.

Gilbert said, “Jason has always been very supportive and understanding when it comes to taking time off--even on very short notice. Jason creates a fun environment to work in and is genuinely interested in my Army career. Being prior service himself, Jason understands the struggles that come with balancing home, work, and military life. Jason has never asked for any form of orders or memos from my command for needed time off. He has always approved time off with no questions asked.”

Regarding his company, he stated, “Ziegler will pay an additional 80 hours of paid leave per year for military training.”

In addition to receiving a Patriotic Employer Award, Jason Burns signed an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Statement of Support, confirming that 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 Bob Adams, 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. For more information about ESGR outreach programs or volunteer opportunities, call (800) 336-4590 or visit www.ESGR.mil.
Photo left to right: Bob Adams ESGR, Jason Burns, and SSG Jesse Gilbert.
(Photo courtesy of Mike Maxfield)
Statement of Support Photo: Jason Burns
(Photo courtesy of Bob Adams)