GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Crooked Tree Coffee owners and sisters, Lindsay Hager and Leah McCloskey were honored with a pair of Patriot Awards from their civilian employee Senior Airman Ashlyn Holmes with the Montana Air National Guard 120th Airlift Wing.
The awards were presented by Montana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (Montana ESGR) State Chair Brad Livingston and Ombudsman Kaitlyn Mitcham.
The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an office of the Department of Defense, developed the Patriot Award which 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.
Holmes stated in the nomination, "My supervisors have allowed me to take any time off that I needed for my military service. This time includes a year for basic training, tech school and on the job training, multiple TDY's, red card training when I was activated in response to summer's wildfires, and this summer with a deployment. They always make it work for me, at their own personal inconvenience, and make sure that I am welcomed back and have a seamless transition back into my civilian life. They have gone above and beyond for me time and time again. They are always supportive and proud of what I am able to do with my time with the Air National Guard and I would not be able to do it without them."
ESGR has served our country for more than 50 years, fostering 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.
Congratulations Crooked Tree Coffee owners Lindsay Hager and Leah McCloskey for your stellar support of Senior Airman Holmes.
Photo: Montana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (Montana ESGR) Ombudsman Kaitlyn Mitcham, far left, presented Patriot Awards to Crooked Tree Coffee owners, Lyndsay Hager left, and Leah McCloskey far right with the nominator Senior Airman Ashlyn Holmes center.