HANOVER, Pa. – Pennsylvania Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an office of the Department of Defense, announced that RH Sheppard a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, LLC, recently received a Patriot Award in recognition of extraordinary support of employees serving in the Guard and Reserve.
Pennsylvania ESGR is particularly proud to present employers with a Patriot Award for their strong support of their employees serving in our nation’s Reserve forces during ESGR’s 50th Anniversary year.
RH Sheppard’s Eric Spade was nominated for the Patriot Award by Maj. John Cerra, a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s Headquarters Support Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment in Harrisburg, Pa. In nominating Spade for the Patriot Award, Cerra stated that “Eric Spade has demonstrated a commitment to ensuring service members are treated with the utmost respect and admiration. Eric has noted many times…that he understands the leadership skills and initiative that Army service members possess.”
Presenting the award on behalf of ESGR was James Astor, Pennsylvania South Central Area Chair. Astor commented: “It’s critical and an honor to recognize and pay tribute to those employers that hire and support our Guard and Reserve forces. It would be difficult for those in the uniformed services to perform their mission without employer support.” Astor added: “Today’s members of the Guard and Reserves are highly trained and skilled; they bring integrity, a global perspective and, proven leadership to the civilian workforce.”
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, 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.
PHOTO (L-R): Site Leader Tom Senseney; Director, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Kurt Jennings; Human Resources’ Damaris Diaz; Eric Spade; PA ESGR South Central Area Chair James Astor; Human Resources’ Jessica Cotto; and Wade Watson.